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Luther's Sermon on the Good Samaritan, The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

            

Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity; Luke 10:23-37

A Sermon by Martin Luther; taken from his Church Postil.

[The following sermon is taken from volume V:19-35 of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI, 1983). It was originally published in 1905 in English by Lutherans in All Lands (Minneapolis, MN), as The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther, vol. 14.]

THE TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN

http://www.orlutheran.com/html/mlselk10.html

I. A SERMON ON THE LAW.

1. I hope you thoroughly understand this Gospel lesson, inasmuch as it recurs every year. And since it annually returns in the Pericopes we are required to consider it; and this we will now gladly and briefly do. In the first place, the Evangelist relates how Christ our Lord led his disciples aside, and being alone with them rejoiced in his spirit, and earnestly and directly said to them:

"Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see; for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things that ye see, and saw them not: and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not."

2. This hearing and seeing must be understood simply and plainly as external seeing and hearing, namely, that they saw Christ and his office, heard his preaching, and witnessed the miracles he performed among the Jews. The Jews also beheld these things with their natural eyes and some of them indeed experienced them in part in their hearts. But in fact they did not recognize him as the Christ, like the Apostles did, and like Peter, who representing all the others, confessed and said in Mat. 16, 16: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." We indeed admit, that even some of the Jews like the Apostles recognized him as the Christ; but since they were but few who did, Christ therefore takes his Apostles here to himself apart.

3. However, in spirit, many prophets and kings saw Christ, as Christ himself says to the Jews concerning Abraham in John 8, 56: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad." Then the Jews thought he spoke of natural seeing, but Christ spoke of spiritual seeing, as all pious Christian hearts saw him before he was born, and still daily see him. For if Abraham saw him, without doubt many more prophets in whom the Holy Spirit dwelt saw him. And although this seeing made the holy fathers and prophets blessed, yet they had a real heartfelt longing and desire to behold Christ the Lord in the flesh, as is intimated time and again in the prophets.

4. Therefore the Lord here says to his disciples who saw both with their natural and their spiritual eyes: "Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see." As though he would say: This is a blessed time, an acceptable year, a special season of grace. That which is now at hand is so precious that the eyes which see it are truly called blessed. For in the past ages the Gospel was never preached so publicly and clearly unto all men as at present; the Holy Spirit was not yet publicly poured out: but was still concealed, and had as yet accomplished little. But Christ began the office of the Holy Spirit, and afterwards the Apostles continued it in full earnest. Therefore he calls all those blessed, who see and hear such grace. Now when the Lord said this and was rejoicing in spirit, one presents himself, a lawyer, who acting as though he also amounted to something, tempted the Lord and said: "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

5. This lawyer was perhaps a wise man and well acquainted with the Scriptures, as his answer also suggests; yet here he becomes a fool, and must first begin to learn from the Lord, when he is put to shame and disgrace. For Christ teaches him a good lesson, and with one word takes out of him all his self-conceit. For he was in the delusion that he had kept the law wholly and perfectly, and was therefore something extra, above others, which undoubtedly he was, and imagined, because he was so pious and learned, that he was of course worthy to talk with the Lord. But now what does the Lord do to ensnare him in a masterly manner? He does this: he permits him to judge himself. For the Evangelist proceeds thus: "And he said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live."

6. I think the Lord gave this pious man a good lecture. Alas, it was not right, he should have spared him a little, he puts him to shame before all the world. For what good does it do him? Christ shows him that he has as yet done nothing, when he allowed himself to think he had done everything. He asks what he should do. I contend that he has enough to do now, if he is only able to do great things.

7. Now much might be said on these two commandments, and it is also really needed, had we the time, for these are the highest and greatest themes on which Moses wrote; yea, on these hang all the law and the prophets, as Christ himself says in Mat. 22, 40. Nevertheless, we will briefly consider some phases of them.

8. When we examine the laws of Moses, we find they all treat of love. For the commandment: "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me," I cannot explain or interpret otherwise than: Thou shalt love God alone. Thus Moses himself interprets it in Deut. 6, 4-5, where he says: "Hear, 0 Israel; Jehovah our God is one Jehovah; and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." From this passage the lawyer has taken his answer. But the Jews understand this law to mean no more than that they should not set up idols and images to worship, and when they could say and confess with their lips that they have only one God and honor no other gods, they think they have kept this commandment. Thus this lawyer also understood it, but it was a false, erroneous knowledge of the law.

9. Now we must have high regard for the law. It says: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Thou, thou, it says, thou, and everything thou art; and especially does it mean the heart, the soul and all thy powers. It does not speak of the tongue, or the hands, or the knees; but it speaks of the whole body, and of all thou hast and art. If I am to have no other God, then I must surely possess the only true God with my heart, that is, I must in my heart be affectionate to him, evermore cleave to him, depend upon him, trust him, have my desire, love and joy in him, and always think of him. Just as we say at other times when we delight in something, that it tastes good in our very heart. And when one speaks or laughs and is not in earnest, and does not mean it from his heart, we say: You laugh, and your heart is not in it. The heart is quite a different thing than the lips. Therefore in the Scriptures the heart signifies the great and ardent love we should have for God. Those who serve God only with their lips, with their hands or with their knees, are hypocrites, and God cares nothing for them. For God does not want only a part, on the contrary he wants the whole man.

10. The Jews abstained outwardly from idolatry, and served God only with their lips; but their hearts were far from him, full of mistrust and unbelief. Outwardly they appeared beautiful, as though they meant it in all sincerity, but within they were full of idolatry. Therefore the Lord said unto them in Mat. 23, 27-28: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Even as ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

11. They are really wicked people who become proud in external things, who desire to justify and make themselves pious by their works, as this lawyer here does. Behold, what a proud character he is, he presents himself in his own name, and thinks Christ will not rebuke him; yea, he allows himself to think that the Lord will extol and praise his life in the presence of all the people, and does not think of learning anything from the Lord, but only seeks his own praise. The ignorant pretender would have gladly heard a psalm of praise from the man whom the people esteemed, and at whom all men wondered. Thus all hypocrites do, who outwardly parade their excellent, great and noble works. They well say that they do not seek honor and praise, but inwardly in their hearts they are full of ambition, and desire all the world to know of their holiness, and smile very nicely when they hear men speak of it.

12. Yet the Lord does not serve this lawyer thus, but puts him to shame. This Christ is an unfriendly, ungracious man, he tells the people the truth, and well deserves that they should hate him. The pious, holy lawyer still does his utmost, and knows nothing but how to harvest great honors and obtain high renown for his precious life; he thinks he has perfectly fulfilled this commandment, and hopes for a favorable answer, that the Lord will say: Dear Sir, you have done it all. But Christ goes to work and first tells him: "Do this!" That is to say in good German: You are a rogue in the hide, you have not done this during your whole life; yea, you have not kept a single letter of the law; and thus shows him his wickedness. The poor fellow thinks he should sit in the first seat, that he is really pure and beautiful, and by rights should sit among the angels, rather than here among the people. What a wonderful Christ is this! The people regard this lawyer as pious and holy; but Christ says he shall first go and begin to fulfill the law. Be consistent with thyself!

13. Now these are the very fellows who most of all sin against the first commandment, and think no further than the words read: I must love God, and think they have fulfilled the law, while it remains hovering on their tongues and over their hearts, but never enters. This, however, is not enough, it must reach much farther, namely, that I so love God that for his sake I can forsake all creatures, and should he require it, also body and life; yea, that I should love him above all things. For God is a jealous God and cannot suffer us to love anything above himself. But to love anything beneath himself, he of course allows. Just as a husband can easily allow his wife to love the maid servants, the house and house utensils, cattle and other things; but to love with the love she should have for him, he will not suffer her to love anyone besides himself; yea, he desires her to forsake all things for his sake; and so again the wife also requires the same from her husband.

Thus God can also allow us to love his creatures; yea, they are created for this purpose and are good. The sun is an excellent creature; gold and silver and all things that are attractive and beautiful by nature cause us to love them. This God indeed permits us to do. But that I should cling to the creature and love it with the same love with which I love God the Creator, this he can and will not allow; yea, his will is that I should deny and forsake all things, should he desire and require it of me, and be satisfied should I nevermore behold the sun, my money and possessions. The love of the creature should stand far, far below our love to him; and as he is the chief good, his will is also to be loved in the highest degree, above all other good. If he will not allow me to love anything as much as I love him, much less will he allow me to love anything more than himself, though it be a creature of his own creation.

14. Now I think you understand what it is to love God with all the heart, with all the soul and with all the mind. To love God with all the heart is to love him above all creatures; that is, although many creatures are quite lovely, as they please me and I love them, nevertheless, I am to despise and forsake all these for God's sake, whenever God my Lord desires it.

15. To love God with all the soul is to devote your entire bodily life to him that you can say when the love of any creature, or any persecution threatens to overpower you: All this I will give up, before I will forsake my God; let men cast me away, murder or drown me, let what God's will is happen to me, I will gladly lose all, before I will forsake thee, 0 Lord! unto thee will I cling more than to all thy creatures, or to anything that is not thyself. I will risk all things together with what I have and am that I may not forsake thee. The soul in the Scriptures signifies the life of the body, which acts through the five senses, eating, drinking sleeping, waking, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and everything that the soul does through the body.

16. To love God with all our strength is to devote all our members and whatever we may be able to do through our bodies to the love of God, and sacrifice all rather than do anything contrary to his will.

17. To love God with all the mind is to take to nothing except that which is pleasing to God. By which is meant the self-conceit which man has that the same be directed to God and that all things be pleasing to him.

18. Thus you see what the commandment requires: "Thou. shalt love God." Thou, thou wholly and fully, not thy hands, not thy lips, not thy knees. Those who do this, fulfil the commandment in the right sense. But there is not a man on earth who thus fulfils the law; yea, we all do just the opposite. Thus this law here makes us all sinners so that not the least letter of this commandment is fulfilled, even by the most holy persons in the world. For no one clings so firmly to God with all the heart, that he could forsake all things for God's sake. We have, God be praised, become so competent that we can almost not suffer the least word, yea, we will not let go of a nickel for the sake of God.

How is it possible for us to love God, as long as his will displeases us? For if I love God I love also his will. Now, when God sends us sickness, poverty, shame and disgrace, that is his will. But what do we do under such circumstances? We thunder, scold and growl, and bear it with great impatience. And this is the least part, for what would we do if we had to forsake body and life for God and Christ's sake? Then we would act quite differently. Yet in the meantime I act like this Pharisee and lawyer does, I lead a fine outward life, honor and serve God, fast, pray, and appear very pious and holy. But God does not want this. He wants us to accept his will with joy and love, and this we are too tardy in doing.

19. Therefore, what the Lord here says to this lawyer, he says to us all, namely, that we have not yet fulfilled the law, and still he requires us to do it. On this account all men are guilty of death, and are the devil's own property. "All men are liars," Ps. 116, 11, vain and offensive. What they pretend does not avail before God. In our own affairs we are shrewd; how to scrape together money and goods, how to speak well of God before the people, and how to push ourselves ahead in a masterly manner. But what does God care for this? His will is that we should love him with all our hearts. This no man can do, and the conclusion is that we are all sinners, and especially those who walk in a beautiful outward show. Therefore it is safer that we go and confess that we all are sinners, than that we have respect to our works and cling to our beautiful, glittering lives.

II. A SERMON ON THE GOSPEL IN A PARABLE.

20. The foregoing is the first part of our Gospel lesson, and it is a sermon on the law, The second part now follows, and it preaches the Gospel, how and whence we are to receive power to fulfill the Law. This the good Samaritan will teach us.

21. How does this lawyer act now after the Lord had thus turned him away? He goes ahead, the Evangelist says, and desires to justify himself and says to the Lord:

"And who is my neighbor!"

22. He does not ask: Who is my God? As though he would say: "I owe God nothing, with God I am in good standing. I am also inclined to think that I am under obligations to no man; yet, I would like to know who my neighbor is? The Lord answers and tells him a very beautiful parable, by which he shows that we are all neighbors among one another, both he who does another a kindness, as well as he who is in need of a kindness. Although the text reads as if Christ said that he is our neighbor who does another a kindness. In this, however, the Scriptures make no difference. Here they call him neighbor who does a kindness, and at other places him who receives the kindness.

23. By means of this parable the Lord concludes with the words, "Go, and do thou likewise,'' so that this lawyer did not only sin against God, but also against his neighbor. He not only failed to love God, but he did not love his neighbor, and never aid him a favor. By this the poor man falls into such a sweat that he is only deceived from head to foot. How could he be so mistaken, the highly learned and pious man? His mistake came in this way; he led a Pharisaical, feigned and hypocritical life. He did not look down to his neighbor to help him with his life, but only sought thereby his own vain glory and honor before the eyes of the people, and with this he stared piously toward heaven.

24. Now you have often heard that a Christian life consists in acting before my God in faith and with a pure heart, but toward my neighbor in right living and good works; and not wait until my neighbor seeks a kindness of me, and asks me for something, but approach and meet him with kindness and freely offer it to him. Let us now see what the parable in itself teaches.

25. This Samaritan of course is our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who has shown his love toward God and his neighbor. Toward God, in that be was obedient to him, came down from heaven and became man, and thus fulfilled the will of his Father; toward his neighbor, in that he immediately after bis baptism began to preach, to do wonders, to heal the sick. And in short, he did no work that centered in himself alone, but all his acts centered in his neighbor. And this he did with all his powers, and thus he became our

servant, who could have well remained in heaven and been equal to God, Phil. 2, 6. But all this he did because he knew that this pleased God and was his Father's will.

26. When he entered upon that high mission to prove that he loved God with all his heart, he laid down his bodily life with all he had, and said: Father, here you have all, my bodily life, my glory and honor, which I had among the people; all this I give as it is for thy sake, that the world may know how I love thee. My Father, let my wisdom perish, so that the world may look upon me as most foolish. Let me be the most despised, who was heretofore praised by all the world. Now I am the worst murderer, who before was friendly, useful and serviceable to the whole world. Dear Father, all this I despise, only that I may not be disobedient to thee.

27. This is the Samaritan who came uninvited, and fulfilled the law with his whole heart. For only he fulfilled the law, and no one can deprive him of this honor. He alone merits it, and well maintains it all alone. Now this would be no special comfort for us; but that he has compassion on the poor wounded man, takes him under his care, binds his wounds, takes him into the inn and waits on him, this avails for us.

28. The man who here lies half dead, wounded and stripped of his clothing' is Adam and all mankind. The murderers are the devils who robbed and wounded us, and left us lying prostrate half dead. We still struggle a little for life; but there lies horse and man, we cannot help ourselves to our feet, and if we were left thus lying we would have to die by reason of our great anguish and lack of nourishment; maggots would grow in our wounds, followed by great misery and distress.

29. The parable stands in bold relief, and pictures us perfectly, what we are and can do with our boasted reason and free will. If the poor wounded man had desired to help himself, it would only have been worse for him, he would only have done harm to himself and irritated his wounds, and only prepared more misery and distress for himself.

Had he remained lying quiet, he would have had as much suffering. Thus it is when we are left to ourselves. We are always lost, we may lay hold where we will. Hitherto man has always acted thus, he has thought out many ways and methods how we might reform our lives and get to heaven. One found this way, another that, therefore so many kinds of orders arose: in like manner the letters of indulgence and crusades originated; but they have only made evil worse. Such is the world, and it is thus finely portrayed in this wounded man, it lies in sins over head and ears and cannot help itself.

30. But the Samaritan who has fulfilled the law and is perfectly healthy and sound, comes and does more than both priest and Levite. He binds up the sores of the wounded man, pours in oil and wine, lifts him upon his own beast, and brings him into the inn, takes good care of him, and when he departs he carefully commends him to the host, and besides leaves him a sufficient supply of money, while neither the priest nor Levite would do one of these kind acts. The priest signifies the dear sainted fathers before Moses; the Levite the priesthood of the Old Testament. All these however have accomplished nothing by their works, and have passed by on the other side like this priest and Levite.

31. Therefore, if I had for example all the good works of Noah, Abraham and of all the dear fathers, they would still be of no benefit to me. They have indeed beheld the wounded man lying helpless and half dead, but they could not help it. He who lay there half dead, saw it too, but what of it, he could make it no better. The dear sainted fathers saw very well that the people lay in their sins over their ears, and also felt the anguish of sin, but what could they do to remedy it? They could make it only worse, but not better. These were the preachers of the law, and showed what the world was, namely, full of deadly sins, and it lay there half dead, and could not help itself, notwithstanding all its powers, reason and free will. Go then, thou beautifully painted rogue, and boast of thy free will, of thy merits and holiness.

32. But Christ, the true Samaritan, takes the poor man to himself as his own, goes to him and does not require the helpless one to come to him; for here is no merit, but pure grace and mercy; and he binds up his wounds, cares for him and pours in oil and wine, this is the whole Gospel from beginning to end. He pours in oil when grace is preached, as when one says: Behold thou poor man, here is your unbelief, here is your condemnation, here you are wounded and sore. Wait! All this I will cure with the Gospel. Behold, here cling firmly to this Samaritan, to Christ the Savior, he will help you, and nothing else in heaven or on earth will. You know very well that oil softens, thus also the sweet, loving preaching of the Gospel gives me a soft, mild heart toward God and my neighbor, so that I risk my bodily life for the sake of Christ my Lord and his Gospel, if God and necessity require it.

33. But wine is sharp and signifies the holy cross that immediately follows. A Christian need not look for his cross, it is always on his back. For he thinks as St. Paul says, 2 Tim. 3,12: "All that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." This is the court-color in this kingdom. Whoever is ashamed of the color, does not belong to this king.

34. Then the Samaritan lifts the wounded man on his beast. This beast is Christ the Lord himself, he carries us, we lay upon his shoulders, neck and body. There is scarcely a more lovely picture in the entire Gospel, than where Christ the Lord compares himself to a shepherd, in Luke 15, who carries the lost sheep on his shoulders back to the fold. He still continually carries his lost sheep thus at the present day.

35. The stable or inn is Christianity, here in this world, where we must remain for a short time. The host is the preacher of the Word of God and of the Gospel, who is to purse and care for us.

36. Now here we have the substance of the Gospel. The kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of mercy and grace, in which there is nothing but a continual carrying of the lost. Christ carries our infirmities and sicknesses, he takes our sins upon himself and has patience when we fail. We still always lay about his neck, and yet he does not become weary of carrying us, which should be the greatest comfort for us when we are in conflict with sin.

37. Ministers in this kingdom are to comfort the consciences, deal gently with them and feed them with the Gospel, carry the weak, heal the sick, and know how to divide the Word rightly, and administer the same to every one according to his needs. This is the office of a true bishop and minister, and not to proceed with violence as our bishops do, who come threatening with stocks and the block, crying: "Ho! up there, up there, who will not, must!" This should not be, but a bishop or minister ought to resemble one who waits upon the sick, who treats them very gently, gives kind words, speaks very friendly to them and exercises all diligence in their behalf. Thus a bishop or minister should also do, and remember that his bishopric or parish is nothing but a hospital and an infirmary, where he has very many and various kinds of sick people for treatment. When Christ is thus preached faith and life meet together and fulfil the commandment of love.

OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. [The following Luther preached on another occasion. Translator]

38. I have often told you, dearly beloved, that the entire Scriptures consist of two parts, of the law and the Gospel. It is the law that teaches what we are required to do; the Gospel teaches where we shall receive what the law demands. For it is quite a different thing to know what we should have, and to know where to get it. Just as when I am given into the hands of the physicians, where it is quite a different art to tell what my disease is than to tell what medicine I must take so as to recover. Thus it is likewise here. The law discovers the disease, the Gospel ministers the medicine. This you clearly see in today's Gospel. The lawyer comes desiring eternal life, and inquires what he shall do to secure it? The law tells him, and says: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, with all thy strength and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself."

39. He who reads this only superficially as this lawyer here does, will not understand it. One must enter into it and portray and even behold himself in it. For if I try to love God with all my heart, I will soon see how far I fail. So, with all the soul, that is, with the inner soul which I feel in the flesh, that I love and experience love in all my senses; for to love with the soul in the Scriptures means the love that a gallant youth feels towards his beloved. Again, with all thy strength, that is, with all thy members. Again, with all thy mind, that is, all thy senses, thoughts and delusions must be directed toward God. For if I am to love God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind, then my eyes dare not give one scornful glance, my tongue speak an angry word, my feet, hands, ears must all be one, and give forth no angry sign. That is to say: Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, so that thy whole body from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet, inwardly and outwardly, goes forth in love, and rejoices in God and honors him.

40. Now find me a man who is chaste or otherwise pious with a burning passion and love; there is none such on the earth. We find ourselves much more inclined to anger, hatred, envy, worldly pleasures, than to tender heartedness and other virtues. And when I find in my inclination such a spark, it is all false, the law is not satisfied. But I find not only a spark in me, but a whole bakeoven full of the fire of evil inclinations, for there is no love in the heart, nor in any member of the body. Therefore I here see in the law as in a mirror, that everything I have is condemned and cursed; for not one jot of the law shall pass away but all must be fulfilled, as Christ says, Mat. 5,18: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.

41. Now you do not find in yourself, that you do with all your soul and with all your heart, with joy and pleasure, what the law requires of you; therefore you are condemned and the child of satan; then know by this how to govern yourself in the future. Behold, you must first come to the knowledge to confess that you are the devil's own property. But if you would know no more than how you are to treat him to be freed from him, you would have to perish. To this end the law serveth, that we may learn that we are condemned, for this evil lust is found in us all, and yet we should not have a spark of it in us.

42. Our sophists failed to see this, and have taught, if a man does the best he can, God then gives him grace. They are blind guides, and themselves confess that man has little desire for the good; yet still, if he go and do it, even though disorderly, unwillingly, indolently, he is nevertheless in favor with God. Christ here teaches the contrary that we should go forth with a passion and love and do the law with a joyful and happy mind. Now, whom would you rather believe, Christ or the sophists? I leave this to you. From such false knowledge the cloisters later arose, into which men entered and contended that if a man were only in a cloister, and it matters not how unwillingly he was there, then he would be saved. So they taught. But now Christ's will is that man should do good works willingly and joyfully. Hence, if they are done with a troubled conscience and a heavy heart, it is sin. Therefore cease from all works that you do not perform with pleasure and love.

43. They therefore should have said: Man, do you see, you poor condemned creature, you should have delight in God's law, and you have no pleasure in it; hence show some delight and love, or you are God's enemy and the devil's friend. Thus the people would have bravely forsaken their own presumption and come to a knowledge of themselves and would have said: 0 God, now I am condemned. Yes, this is right. Here every one might soon know and conclude, that we all belong to Satan, as long as we find within us displeasure in the law of God. Therefore, boldly cast away all works from you, then you will find delight in and love for God's law in your heart. I experience indeed that God's law is holy, right and good, but it is my death. And if it could be, I would prefer that it did not exist. And thus all people are disposed in their hearts, as St. Paul very beautifully writes in the seventh chapter of Romans.

44. Had we now remained in this condemnation, we would have had to perish forever. Therefore another part is added, the Gospel, which speaks of consolation and teaches salvation, and whence we are to obtain it, so that the law may be satisfied. Now when I see by the law that I am condemned, lying even among murderers, half dead, the devil has stolen my soul and taken it captive in Adam and Eve, with all faith and righteousness, and has left nothing except my bodily life which will soon be extinguished; now here come the Levite and the priest, who render human satisfaction and teach this and that; but it does no good, they pass by.

45. However when the Samaritan comes, he helps, that is, when Christ comes and offers us his mercy, and says: Behold, you are indebted to love God with all your heart, but you have not done it; now believe in me, I will give you my sufferings: this will help me. Here he lifts me on his beast, that is, on himself, and takes me to the inn, that is, into the Christian Church. After this he comes and pours into me his grace, which is the oil, so that I feel I am lying on his shoulders, this gives me a very joyful conscience; moreover he pours into me wine, which is to devour and drown the old Adam. But even then I am not perfectly well. Health has indeed been poured into me and there is a turn for the better, but nevertheless I am not perfectly restored to health. Meantime Christ serves and purifies me by the grace he pours into me, so that day by day I become purer, chaster, milder, gentler and more believing until I die, when I shall be entirely perfect.

46. Thus when we now come before God the Father and are asked whether we have also believed and loved God, and have wholly fulfilled the law; then the Samaritan will step forth, Christ the Lord, who carries us lying on his beast, and say; Alas, Father! although they have not wholly fulfilled thy law, yet I have done so, let this be to their benefit because they believe in me. Thus all saints must do, however holy and pious they may be, they must lay on Christ's shoulders. If even the most holy people, as priests and Levites, could not satisfy the law, how shall we undertake to do so with our feigned works, bald pates and caps? 0 our wretched and corrupt nature! Let this be sufficient for the present, and let us call on God for grace.

Ichabodians Knew This Years Ago

CHICAGO (AP) - The cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants is in hot water from a study suggesting that watching just nine minutes of that program can cause short-term attention and learning problems in 4-year-olds.

The problems were seen in a study of 60 children randomly assigned to either watch "SpongeBob," or the slower-paced PBS cartoon "Caillou" or assigned to draw pictures. Immediately after these nine-minute assignments, the kids took mental function tests; those who had watched "SpongeBob" did measurably worse than the others.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110912/D9PMU9JG0.html

But we knew that already, before the study was published.

The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, 2011

The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. 2011

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn #462               I Love Thy Kingdom             4:21

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       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #123                O God Our Help            4:3 

The Savior in the Word

The Communion Hymn # 304 An Awful Mystery            4:6 

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 #  376     Rock of Ages                                   4:47

KJV 2 Corinthians 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

KJV Mark 7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Twelfth Sunday After Trinity

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast created all things: We thank Thee that Thou hast given us sound bodies, and hast graciously preserved our tongues and other members from the power of the adversary: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy grace, that we may rightly use our ears and tongues; help us to hear Thy word diligently and devoutly, and with our tongues so to praise and magnify Thy grace, that no one shall be offended by our words, but that all may be edified thereby, through Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The Savior in the Word

KJV Mark 7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

Lenski:

“Again” means that Jesus started once more; this time “out from the borders of Tyre.” In v. 24 we see that the boundaries are referred to. Up to this time Jesus had not been on foreign soil, but now Mark states positively that “he went through Sidon,” which lies five miles north of Tyre. But Jesus is only on a journey, we hear of no teaching or miracles. It seems that he remained unknown, and that he himself sought to remain so, and that he devoted his time to the instruction of his disciples, which was the main occupation of Jesus during the last part of his ministry.

Mark alone tells about Jesus’ passing through Sidon. What other points Jesus touched we do not know. Matthew as well as Mark report as the destination the Sea of Galilee, its eastern side. Matthew writes “alongside”, Jesus passed alongside of the sea and went beyond it; Mark states that this was “in the midst of the borders of Decapolis.” We thus see that Jesus moves on the outskirts, keeps away from his enemies, secures time for his disciples, and, where he does come into contact with people, helps such as he had not reached before. The Decapolis is the territory of the ten cities, a region to the southeast of the lake. The healed demoniac had filled this country with the great news of what Jesus had done for him. As the Syrophœnician woman knew about Jesus, so the people in this region must have known him even more.

^[1]Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Mark's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 308

This is another sermon where faith and works are taught at the same time, and we can learn about both from this simple miracle story.

The faith of a group of friends moved them to bring their deaf-mute companion to Jesus. This faith is not difficult to understand. Jesus healed people, performed great miracles, and taught with authority – not like the scribes and Pharisees.

The difference between Jesus and the Pharisees was easily seen. Jesus taught boldly as the Son of God. This is explained more fully in John’s Gospel. Everything He said and did came from the Father, honoring the Father. This angered the religious leaders, who felt completely overshadowed by the words of Jesus and His appeal to so many people. They gathered to hear the Gospel from Him, learning that righteousness did not come from obeying a set of rules but from faith in the Messiah.

The teaching and miracle working went together. The miracles confirmed the teaching, building a base of believers who would be gathered and led by the apostles after the resurrection and ascension of Christ.

Mark, quite concise, says that “they” brought this man. From the context we can tell that they had faith that Christ would help their friend, who was locked in a world where he could not communicate with others, and others could not communicate with him.

At first glance the actions of Jesus seem quite odd, especially when we compare it to other miraculous healings. He did not even go to the home of the centurion to heal the man’s son. He simply gave the command, as asked, and the boy was healed. So, in comparison, this seems crude and a bit embarrassing. The skeptics have fun with the details – but skeptics always do. God blinds them in their hardness of heart, so they mock what should be converting them. The more they mock, they blinder they become.

32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

The details are very important in such a brief story. Here we see the man could not hear and could not speak. The friends begged Jesus to lay healing hands on their companion.

If we put ourselves in the deaf-mute’s position, we can imagine the confusion. He is brought to a place where a huge crowd surrounds the man Jesus. This is frightening when nothing can be explained. When people cannot talk, but see and hear, it is easy to speak to them and look for facial responses. That becomes a habit, looking at their eyes and their facial muscles for a response. That response can be checked out. I remember Larry, with ALS, who used a computer to speak. He had a big YES! He put on the computer screen by blinking his eyes. I said, “Larry, don’t shout.” He smiled at that, and his nurse laughed.

Being deaf meant all kinds of confusion, and not being able to speak kept the man from asking questions. That explains the details of the healing.

33 And he took him aside from the multitude,

To end the confusion and fear caused by the great crowd, Jesus took the man away, showing His understanding and compassion.

and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

This sacramental details are for the deaf-mute, not us. Jesus showed the man what he was doing to heal him. His movements meant, “I am healing your deafness and giving you speech.”

34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

When Jesus looked up into heaven, He was showing the man that this healing was coming from God. Next He did more than show visually what He was doing. The Son of God, the Creating Word of God, who fashioned the universe in six days, healed the deafness with one Word – Ephphatha.

Lenski:

More sign language follows. Again a participle expresses the subordinate action: Jesus looks up to heaven. The man watches Jesus do this. He grasps the idea that the help that Jesus brings him is from heaven, is divine, almighty help that is far different from anything merely human. With this upward look Jesus sighs. The man is to see the sigh, it is part of the sign language which Jesus is using. The heavenly help is one that should be sought with the sigh of earnest longing, a sigh that is in itself already a prayer. It is a misconception to regard this sigh of Jesus as a prayer of his to God to enable him to work the miracle. Such a conception reduces Jesus to the level of the prophets and the apostles who wrought their miracles, not by their own power, but by that of God (Christ). The additional remark that the sigh expressed also the sympathy of Jesus for the afflicted man introduces a diverse element—once the sigh is a prayer, again it is something else.

The man understood the sign language of Jesus. It is impossible to assume the contrary, i. e., that Jesus had failed in his effort to have the deaf-mute understand these signs. We may say that this language of Jesus was intended to arouse faith in the man. But it would be unwarranted to make the miracle that now followed dependent on the man’s faith. It depended wholly on the will of Jesus. Jesus sometimes tries to instil faith before the miracle, he sometimes lets faith follow after the miracle. It all depends on the case. The deaf-mute may well have received a spark of faith before the almighty word was spoken; but it was not his faith that enabled Jesus to heal him, it was solely the power and the will of Jesus.

After the man has been fully prepared, Jesus speaks the one word “Ephphatha,” the Aramaic imperative ethpael. Mark preserves the very word that Jesus uttered just as he does in 5:41. He wants his Gentile Christian readers to have the very syllable and the sounds that came from Jesus’ lips in working this miracle.

Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. Mark's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 310.

In experiencing this healing, which took place immediately, in hearing the Word spoken, the deaf-mute knew and understood who Jesus was, and believed in Him, just as his friends did.

The rationalists like to have all healings come from faith, so they are really psychological blocks. We have Freud to blame for that. The widow’s son had no faith – he was dead. Lazarus was dead. The young girl was dead – the crowd laughed at Jesus.

Faith in Jesus and the miracles went together. Sometimes the faith in Him was first. The centurion believed in the efficacy of the Word because he, as a Roman military officer, knew what it meant to be a human commander. God as the commander of all things had to be far more powerful. The officer trusted that to be true and told Jesus that truth, one lost on this generation of Lutheran ministers, who trust in their own clerverness and methods.

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

The healed man had a new world opened up to him, one where he heard every word spoken and where he could reply and make himself understood. Although the healing of the blind is impressive, a blind person who can hear and speak has many advantages over a deaf-mute who is locked in a world of no communication. This was especially joyful for the group, who saw their faith transformed into God’s action, as they hoped.

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

The ending of this miracle shows that Jesus could not silence the crowds, no matter what He said. One problem was the desire to make Him king and change God’s own schedule, which could not be done. More importantly, this shows that knowledge and experience of Christ necessarily turned into proclaiming the news about Him. As Jesus said, “Even the stones would cry out.”

Strangely, Lutheran leaders take away the Gospel and belittle faith, yet they beg their confused followers to “witness to their faith” and “invited people to church.” The leaders turn this into law because they have no faith in the Word. They are like the city slicker farmer who wants more milk. He tugs at his milk cow twice as hard instead of feeding her more hay.

Luther wrote:

21. Now if the Word go on its way in this threefold manner, it cannot fail to bring forth fruit, as God says, Is. 55:11: "My Word, that goeth forth out of my mouth, shall not return to me void." This is indicated by the action of the pious persons who carry the mute into Christ's presence; this signifies the ministers, who bring forward the sinner; then God appears, giving growth and increase, as Paul says, 1. Cor. 3:7, He opens the sinner's eyes, ears, and mouth. This happens in a wink of the eye, for God's Word is like lightning, which in a moment passes from sunrise to the ends of the earth. Thus when such persons are brought to God, he gives them grace to believe.

http://bethanylutheranworship.blogspot.com/2011/09/luthers-sermon-on-deaf-mute-twelfth.html

Application:

This miracle teaches us that we can bring people to Jesus, or Jesus to people. This happens in many ways, but always through the Word. We cannot give our faith to anyone, but bringing people together with the Word is the chief of all the good works that come naturally from faith in Him.

Many times people are discouraged by the results of their work in sharing the Gospel. But we never know exactly how and when God will work through the Word, only that results are inevitable.

The three main responses are:

1. Indifference.
2. Anger.
3. Appreciation and conversion.

Indifference and anger bother believers, who expect something better. Many times the apparent indifference is really the sign that people are deeply disturbed, so disturbed they do not even respond.

Anger means the Old Adam finds the Word of God bitter and unacceptable, as if that person just got a drink of battery acid or liquid yogurt. Once that argument begins within someone’s soul, the Word of God is at work.

Appreciation and conversion is pleasing, and we can see that all around us. People have babies and baptized them. They have converted unbelievers. No other group of believers is more attuned to the teaching of others than our own children are. Yet many neglect or take for granted this little school of Christianity. It is shocking how many clergy spend all their time and energy with everything else, neglecting their own households. One District President bragged at a clergy meeting. “I didn’t raise my children. I was too busy. My wife did all that.” The funny thing is – he thought he was praising himself, talking about how much work he did for the church organization. I thought, “What a drip. You missed the best part of life and glory in a petty title in a little sect.” Better to have a believing family with both parents than a bunch of children who say, “Do you know who my father is?”

Many people take part in scattering the Gospel Word in all directions. One example is the new children’s book – The Story of Jesus in Pictures. This book is already on the Internet and available free all over the world. The local dentist’s office has a copy. Several copies were sent to Denver. Samples will be at my 45^th high school reunion. Later, additional copies will go out in bunches to be shared. One version  is full-color. Another is a coloring book and (soon) a Sunday School or VBS book.

They Lub, Lub, Lub Jesus. They Lub All the Pagans.But Holy Word WELS Does Not Lub Its Own Members

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 Error Loves Ambiguity
 

Joe Krohn:

The letter, at least to us is bothersome on different levels, in light of previous correspondences and communications, so let us extrapolate. (Why does Patterson now speak in an independent official capacity separate from the Elders and Council when all prior correspondence was not in such fashion?)

Working backwards...

We understand the 'matters we have disagreed' on and for this also understand the concept of 'breaking of fellowship'. But we have read somewhere recently that church bodies break fellowship with church bodies (see WELS and LC-MS circa 1961) and that churches (members of church bodies) excommunicate members. 'Breaking of Fellowship' infers that grievous sin may or may not be occurring, but for the sake of Romans 16:17, 'persistent errorist', we are not going to worship together nor commune together; nor necessarily judge you...at least this is what the Council President stated in the Holy Word Voters Meeting of August 28, 2011.

In Holy Word's letter to us regarding 'Termination of Fellowship' dated July 31, 2011, under (3) Resolution, we were asked to 'repent' and 'seek forgiveness'. This infers a trespass. Sin. What is sin? I was taught that it was a transgression against the Ten Commandments. So which Commandment are we sinning against? First Table or Second? In their email letter of 5-21-2011, they inferred that our saving faith may be in jeopardy...

I love Wikipedia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication

Granted, this is a somewhat generic (and too narrow?) definition of 'excommunication', but how does it differ from our situation, really? The 'Lutheran' version in the article is especially enlightening as it talks about a 'lobbying' towards excommunication. I wonder if they did this in Bible class...

We were terminated from fellowship excommunicated for questioning the validity of Holy Word's teaching of Justification; the chief article of faith. This included the accusation of sin (grievous trespass against the Law without contrition) and denial of Holy Communion.

If remaining in the WELS as members of good standing means accepting the teaching that we received the forgiveness of sins prior to Baptism or a hearing of the Word of God, then count us out. Is this really how the WELS believes? Posted by LutherRocks at 6:26 PM

1 comments: Daniel Baker said... Based on "This We Believe," WELS certainly rejects the idea that forgiveness is received prior to faith:

"We believe that individuals receive this free gift of forgiveness not on the basis of their own works, but only through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9)"

However, it must also be stated that "This We Believe" does say that God "has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ" . . . so there is some ambiguity here. How can one be "declared righteous" if they are not also "forgiven?" These seem like mutually exclusive concepts.

Let me say this: if the WELS position is to be interpreted as saying that, in Christ, all sins have been forgiven (as in, to Christ, on account of His Resurrection from the dead, subsequently being attributed to the saints when they are also crucified, buried, and raised with Christ in baptism), that is fine. But to say that the unbaptized and unregenerate also receive forgiveness (let alone the declaration of righteousness) is patently wrong. The forgiveness exists and is available to all in the fullness of Christ, but it isn't applied or imputed apart from Sprit-given faith.

Joe, when you appeal your case, perhaps you could outline your position on Justification by only quoting the Confessions (and Scripture, of course). If you do that, it doesn't leave them any room to twist your words and use them against you (they'd have to twist the Confessions instead).

I'm still including you and your family in my evening prayers. God's faithful will be vindicated in the End. Of course, it would be nice if you could be vindicated now as well!

GJ - I may switch to Kudu Don Photoshops instead of three stars, as the transition for my comments. As I recall, the original photo published did not have Don's face on it, but it did feature the ferocious grass-eating kudu deer. Email names say a lot about the owner, so I was amused that the email from VP Patterson, calling me a fool and a liar, used the name Kudu Don. Thus I am not mocking him but quoting him when I call him Kudu Don.

The letter above is standard behavior for an abusive sect. As one grizzled WELS veteran said, this has been going on for years and will not stop until WELS collapses entirely. Helpless SP Schroeder cannot do a thing about it. He receives a princely salary--plus more in benefits than most pastors earn in salary--to silence and quash all dissent. That job description is a recipe for the exponential growth of false doctrine, murder, adultery, assault, and embezzlement.

Let us try to unravel the logic of Holy Word in Austin.

Joe and Lisa wanted to discuss doctrine and practice with the pastor of the congregation, Don Patterson, VP of the district, DP-in-waiting. Patterson's response was to dodge any real discussion and excommunicate them. UOJ was discussed next with the whole congregation, after getting rid of Joe. The de facto excommunication was turned into a formal one, without discussion. As shown on the YouTube video already published, Joe was not allowed to speak at his own execution. The Daddy Warbucks shouted him down at the voters meeting.

The use of Cornerstone, a joint LCMS-WELS business, and the anti-Christian Pietism of UOJ do not bear a close examination. If people knew how much damage both have already done, they would run screaming for the exits. Many already have.

The Story of Jesus in Pictures:Full Color.Coloring Book: The Story of JesusSeptember Discount

The discount code can be used in September for 20% off the entire order. The graphic for that is below and linked on the blog.

The Story of Jesus in Pictures--full color on the inside--is now close to perfection and available on Lulu.com.

Norma Boeckler has done a remarkable job in creating beautiful illustrations for teaching children the message of the Gospel. Notice that there is a second version with the same drawings in black and white only. They were the line drawings used for the final color version.

The captions are identical in the two books, aimed at children and people learning English as a second language.

One of our non-Lutheran friends was disappointed with the full-color book. She wanted the coloring book version for herself and her granddaughter, which is now almost perfected. I needed to add the Small Catechism to create enough pages for now. Soon I will add lessons instead, so the book can be used in Sunday School and VBS. The extra pages were needed for the binding. My daughter-in-law Tammy asked for lesson material.

You can look up the free PDF versions here. Let Norma Boeckler know how much you appreciate her work on the books and the blog by posting a comment. You can also email me and I will add that.

The discount code works well. Place an order, listing everything needed. On the last line is a space for the code. In this case it is September305. Type that in and refresh - 20% will be deducted from the entire order, except shipping. The new total will show up immediately, listing the amount of the discount (for Mequon grads). Then click on submit.

C. P. Krauth

Why Does Rome Look Like Home to Lutherans?Weaned on Papalism and Holy Mother Church, They Want the Real Thing

ELCA (ThD) and Fuller (DMin) trained this LCMS leader. WELS and Missouri both look to Hunter as their guru.

Eastern Orthodoxy and the Church of Rome are havens for those who abhor the silliness of Church Growth, Emergent Church, Becoming Missional. Although EO and Rome seem to have enormous doctrinal structures, based on long histories and weighty tomes of dogma, they are big tent operations. Smells and bells are fine, but let's not upset the troops about doctrinal issues. There is a lobby, a little corner in the tent, for every persuasion, inclination and affection.

Long ago, Eastern Orthodoxy wore itself out on the Two Natures of Christ. Bloody riots started over the meaning of statues of Christ. That is why the Orthodox adopted the icon wall, the two-dimensional depictions. Concordia Seminary Ft. Wayne likes Eastern Orthodoxy and Rome because the faculty would rather avoid the real issues. The bickering of the Syn Conference Lutherans is just a way to feign doctrinal purity while chasing every fad since Moses. Those who hate Fuller cling to Rome like lint on Velcro.

The WELS Church and Change re-education brochure, above, reminds me of a cheerful used car brochure, absent check-marks about satisfaction guaranteed and quality control. Appearing on such brochures would be a career-killer if the sect actually knew what the Confessions taught. But no, this is a career-booster in WELS, just as the equivalent would be in Missouri or the Little Sect on the Prairie. All are dying - wonder why? My first guess is - not enough coaching going on. We need more clergy couple coaches coaching the coached, so they can learn how to coach the coachable in a winsome, inspirational way.

Somehow I missed a pilgrimage to the C. F. W. Walther shrine. Perhaps I could not get enough vibes going to make that trip, to stand in awe of a criminal who did not found a synod, but gets credit for it, a felon who did not stop at kidnapping his own niece and nephew from his father's parsonage, a mob organizer and thief who lectured on Law and Gospel without seminaries crying themselves hoarse - with laughter.

Sick of it all? B-16 will welcome you into the Church of Rome. Become a priest and stay married, or not. Rome is quite flexible about everything. Encouraging points: - you can buy forgiveness, just like the Syn Conference. You can believe anything you want, as long as you don't get too traditional - just like the Syn Conference. Everything will look like a sham compared to the sum and substance of Rome. You will imagine, "That was hell in the Syn Conference." Rome will introduce inductees to the real thing.

WELS and Missouri Paving the Way for LCMC, NALC, and the Church of Rome

The sinuflecting blogs of Lutherdom do not feature this quotation.

Someone disgusted with WELS asked, "Why do you think we would be interested in the LCMC? They have women's ordination and open communion?" I thought, "And WELS does not have both?"

Most WELS members do not realize how much the real WELS, Missouri, and Little Sect are like the LCMC, a group which began as soon as the ELCA merger took place, 1987. The LCMC remained in the background until the 2009 ELCA convention, when the wraps came off the hidden agenda. ELCA voted for homosexual ordination and marriage. The retired ELCA bishops soon started the NALC, quickly adding about 200 congregations to the 700 parishes from NALC, most of them exits from ELCA. The Barnhardt website has regular updates.

The websites of the LCMC and NALC suggest they promote:

• Open communion.
• Vague confessionalism.
• Women's ordination.
• A flexible attitude about the Scriptures.
• Backdoor Pentecostalism.

In other words, the new groups are just like the LCMS, WELS, and ELS. The micro-minis are similar too, just more hypocritical about it.

The Emmaus Synod Presidents--Hopeless, Helpless, and Hapless--do not want their members thinking about being in bed with ELCA. The Syn Conference leaders have far more affinity for ELCA attitudes than they do for their own historic standards.

Exhibit A - The First VP of WELS is a Fuller Seminary alumnus. I do not know if he actually bought a drive-by degree there, as MLC Professor Larry Olson did. But Huebner did study at Fuller, making him one of many WELS leaders to do so. And Jim Huebner is a walking-talking Ken Doll for Fuller, mouthing the Fuller doctrine and livin' the Fuller dream, Soul Cafe and all.

SP Mark Schroeder thinks that getting people to stop posting on Ichabod will change the public image of WELS. Hardly. He should look at his own posts, if he wants to spin the image of the Wisconsin sect. Who endorsed and promoted the feminazi women's conference from Church and Change? SP Schroeder. Who elevated a founder of Church and Change to President of the Portable Asian Seminary? SP Schroeder. Who first quietly and now loudly supports the porno-mytho translation called the NNIV? SP Schroeder. He is always Helpless when it comes to dealing with Church and Changers, but most Helpful in promoting them and their causes.

I was 25 years early in publishing about the ELCA. Northwestern Publishing House printed that book--Liberalism: Its Cause and Cure--and it sold well.

So here is my prediction about the Syn Conference - Missouri, WELS, and the Little Sect will formalize the de facto merger they have enjoyed the last few decades, perhaps staying as geographical entities within one legal corporation. To save face and legal complications, this may be a paper unity rather than one where they share each other's scandals and lawsuits on a formal basis. They have to close plenty of schools but keep something open, for fund-raising purposes if nothing else. They will be like ELCA, claiming ministries all over the world that are really token participation in ecumenical storefronts.

For instance, all three can be in Peru if they chip in for one ELS missionary. All three can be dealing with sin in Rio if Missouri alone stays in Brazil. But all three will continue to abuse their members and pastors, so people will look for similar doctrinal laxity without the baggage. The LCMC and NALC will suit all those people looking for a fresh but familiar alternative.

The Syn Conference is financially bankrupt because they were doctrinally bankrupt long ago. Hopeless, Helpless, and Hapless cannot even teach justification by faith. They are blood-brothers for Enthusiasm, as exemplified by J. P. Meyer.

Bruce Foster - Fuller Seminary Defender, WELS Pastoral Defender, Seminexodus Star

ELCA Pastor Bruce Foster took part in the Seminexodus. 

Rev. Bruce Foster declared:  

One more different (sic) between Fuller and Notre Dame. At Fuller you could safely leave your wife alone with faculty members!

***

GJ - Bruce is constantly stirred up by my blog posts, assailing me with emails filled with contradictions and factual errors. "The Word of God is bitter to the Old Adam," as Luther said.

Foster has an appalling habit of palling around with WELS Pastor Lindemann, who must be his minion or confidant. They read each other's mail.

Foster's knowledge of doctrine is no better than his writing or critical thinking skills. His jibe is supposed to imply that Fuller professors are straight, unlike Notre Dame's, or Fuller professors are moral - unlike Notre Dames. Fuller named their School of Psychology after one of their best. His sexual predation was so bad that the man's name had to be chiseled off the school. That was published many years ago.

Foster even tried to make a claim based on a link he provided (one I already knew and used in the past, as I recall). The link contradicted what Foster wanted to prove. I am hoping that Lindemann's friend will start his own blog, so we can see his work out in the open. He demands more information from me, but he is an invisible presence on the Net, even on his own church website. I can find no Foster bio there.