The Sixteenth Sunday after
Trinity, 2013
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Hymn # 191 Christ the Lord 2:97
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 #188 Hallelujah 2:20
The Widow's Son Raised
The Communion
Hymn # 206 Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense 2:81
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 # 212 A Hymn of Glory 2:93
KJV Ephesians 3:13 Wherefore
I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all
saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with
all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen.
KJV Luke 7:11 And it came to
pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his
disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate
of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his
mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And
when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still.
And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up,
and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a
fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up
among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went
forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father,
who didst send Thy Son to be made flesh, that by His death He might atone for
our sins and deliver us from eternal death: We pray Thee, confirm in our hearts
the hope that our Lord Jesus Christ, who with but a word raised the widow's
son, in like manner will raise us on the last day, and grant us eternal life:
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 Widow's Son Raised
KJV Luke 7:11 And it came
to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his
disciples went with him, and much people.
There are three examples of
raising the dead in the Gospels. One is the little girl – people laughed at
Jesus.
Another is Lazarus. The
crowd warned Jesus away from the tomb.
This is a third example. In
each case, no one expected or demanded such a miracle.
Luther’s first point about
this miracle is an attack on the Roman Catholic concept of grace – that people
receive grace because they deserve it. Or – good people have it coming to them.
The modern version is the Anonymous Christian of Rahner (the modern Catholic
theologian). Rahner argued that people were already Christian before they
received the Gospel from missionaries, because they were already good people.
Any system that rejects
faith alone is going to end up with works.
But where are the works
here? The widow was leaving with her son’s body, in sorrow because of her loss.
She had no faith in Jesus. She did not ask him anything. The son was beyond the
point of being good or not. Neither one merited grace. Neither one had faith.
Luther went on to say that
his woman lost her son because she was not grateful for her blessings. That
seems to be an exaggeration at first, but it is largely true of our blessings.
America is a prime example. The norm of dignified liturgical Lutheran sermons
has been replaced by a new norm – rock entertainment sessions where soft drinks
and treats are served: no altar, no font, no pulpit, no sermon – just a
coaching session.
People did not appreciate
fine pipe organs or highly trained organists – so they are going away
completely.
The blessings of liberty in
a Christian country, a city set on a hill – those have been drained away by
apathy, ingratitude, and hedonism.
Every single warning in the
Scriptures is aimed at the individual, because faith is individual. Those who
depend on institutions have fastened themselves to the mast of a sinking ship.
Churches do not have faith. They have the responsibility of being true to the
Gospel, but they do not save or forgive. The power of the Gospel does not.
Strangely, people are grateful for recent man-made institutions, for brick and
mortal, not for the immortal Word of God.
“Heaven and earth will pass
away, but My Words will never pass away.”
12 Now when he came nigh
to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son
of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
This is a poignant verse,
which describes the pain of this woman in a few words. When she had a husband,
he provided for her. When he died, her son had a lifetime to live and work to
support her. As Luther speculated, she said, “I will fine. He will outlive me
and provide for my needs.” She took that for granted, as we do all our
blessings.
Now she was left with no one
to support her in any significant way. And society was especially cruel and
hard in those days. She lost her comfort and protection in life – and she was
bereft.
5. Therefore this woman had great sorrow, not only because
she had been robbed of her husband and afterwards of her son and thereby the
family destroyed before her eyes; but, what seemed far more serious, because
she was forced to think: Now I see that God is unfavorable to me and I am
cursed; for this punishment has been executed upon me because God in the Psalms
and the Prophets has threatened the ungodly to destroy them root and branch.
This has happened to me. Therefore the miracle the Lord Jesus wrought in her
behalf seemed to her altogether impossible; and if some one had then said to
her: Thy son shall live again before your eyes, she would undoubtedly have
said: Alas! do not mock me in my deep sorrow. Grant me at least so much that I
may bewail my great misery, and do not add to it by your mockery. This would
undoubtedly have been her answer, for she was greatly distressed, both by
reason of the loss she had sustained as well as on account of her scruples of
conscience.
6. But all this is portrayed here in order that
we might learn that with God nothing is impossible, whether it be misfortune,
calamity, anger, or whatever it may be, and that he sometimes allows misfortune
to come upon the good as well as upon the wicked. Yea, that he even permits the
ungodly to sit at ease, as in a garden of roses, and meet with success in all
their undertakings, while, on the other hand, he appears to the pious as if he
were angry with them and unfavorable to them; as, for example, it happened to
the godly Job, all whose children were sadly destroyed in one day, who was
robbed of his cattle and land, and his body most terribly tormented. He was an
innocent man and yet he was compelled to endure a punishment such as no ungodly
person had suffered, so that at last even his friends said to him: “You must
undoubtedly rest under a great and secret sin, since this has happened to you.”
While attempting to comfort him, they added to his misery. But he answered,
saying: “I have done nothing and hence am not an ungodly person, whom God often
allows to live in rioting and to go unpunished.”
13 And when the Lord saw
her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
This shows us that God comes
to those without faith and in His compassion creates faith through His Word and
actions. He uses the faithful to accomplish this, so we have the satisfaction
in participating in His work and yet knowing all the power comes from His Word,
not from our charm, manners, salesmanship, or clever gimmicks.
The widow was consumed with
grief, as she should have been, sobbing in her pain. That was her comfort
because she had no other, no faith in such a miracle about to happen.
And the crowd no doubt felt
her sorrow. There was a large group with Jesus and another group with the
coffin, son, and mother.
13 And when the Lord saw
her, He had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And He came and
touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And He said, Young
man, I say unto thee, Arise.
This is the power of the
Word. When the Word of God commands, it happens. The water turns into wine. The
disciple walks on water. Lepers are healed. The blind receive their sight. The
deaf hear. And people believe in Christ, and in believing have forgiveness of
sin and everlasting life.
15 And he that was dead
sat up, and began to speak. And He delivered him to his mother.
There are tw great moments
in this little verse. The dead son sat up and began to speak. This showed
everyone that he was alive again.
Jesus delivered the son to
his mother. Death took the son away, but the Messiah gave him back to his
mother.
34. Thus you see on this side and in this crowd of the whole
world and of the human race nothing but death. We bring this with us and with
it drag ourselves from our mother’s womb, and all at the same time travel the
same road with one another, only that one precedes or is carried before the
others, and the rest follow after until the last one dies. Nor is there any
deliverance or help for this from any creature, for death rules over them all,
as St. Paul says, Romans 5:14, and drags all of them along, without the ability
to resist. Yea, with such demonstration and pomp does death do this that when
he overcomes one he defies all the rest who are alive and carries the dead to
the grave, and shows them that he has them also in his clutches and under his
power and may seize them whenever he will.
35. But on the other hand, you see here also a
comforting counterpart of life, and a glorious and joyous procession of the
Lord Jesus, who does not go out of the city with the dead, but meets death on
his way into the city; not however as those who return home from the grave,
only until they shall carry another one out. For the Lord does not come with
such thoughts of death, as if he had to fear death and come under its power;
but steps into his presence and opposes him as the one who has power and
authority over death; first he comforts the poor widow, whose heart is filled
only with death, and tells her to sorrow and weep no more, speaks other words
which no one else can utter, steps up to the bier, lays his hands on it,
requests the bearers to stand still, and immediately follows with a word and
says: “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” These words are instantly followed
by such power and efficacy that the dead man did not lie as before, but sat up,
bound and covered as he was, began to speak and showed that he was no longer
dead, but alive.
36. This was a wonderful and quick change from
death to life, on the part of the young man. Where the spark of life had long
been extinguished and there was truly no sign of life, there are instantly and
fully restored breath, blood, sensibility, movement, thought, speech and
everything else that belongs to life; and Christ, with one word, turned the sad
and sorrowing procession, and the carrying of the dead from the gate of the
city, into a joyous, lovely and beautiful procession of life, in which both the
youth, who was being carried by four or more to be buried under ground,
together with his sorrowing mother, joyously follow the Lord Jesus, accompanied
by the whole crowd into the city, forgetting death, the bier and the grave, and
speaking joyously and thankfully only of life.
16 And there came a fear
on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among
us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour [this Word] of
him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round
about.
The power of to give life to
the dead – that could only come from God, so in various places, Jesus displayed
His divine power over death. This was so great a miracle that it filled the
people with awe, with fear.
They did not say “a great prophet” but literally, as in a
title – Great Prophet. There is no article suggesting one prophet among many,
but The Great Prophet. This detail can be lost in translation.
The spread of faith in
Christ can be seen in what happened. The Word (logos) went out. Everyone began
speaking in faith about what they had seen and believed. They testified about
God’s power in Christ.
This is also why fear and
revenge built up in the religious opposition.
This Gospel miracle teaches
us to cling to spiritual treasures rather than to those things admired so much
by unbelievers.
The constant temptation of
the church and the individual is to have it both ways, to be faithful to the
Word and to be admired by unbelievers for having as much – or more – than they
have.
Luther said that believing
in Christ means being willing to get socked in the mouth because of the Word.
That sounds extreme, but it happens often when faith encounters unbelief.
Many are searching or lost
and grateful for the Gospel and the first stirrings of faith, but when someone
has been carefully trained in apostasy, faith is an irritant that must be
eliminated, battled, put down, and humiliated.
It is that opposition that
tells us the battle continues.
In our own lives we can take
comfort that we all move toward an end point in life, and yet we have the
comfort of the Gospel and eternal life. We are not spared the sorrows of loss,
but the Word of eternal life is no different from what happened to the widow.
In the midst of death, Jesus
gave her son back to her.
In a Christian funeral, the Word
of God says, “Do not be full of sorrow. The Gospel will give this person back
to you in eternal life.”
And it is just as much true
as if this miracle were re-enacted. The difference is the time that will
elapse. It seems long at first but it is just a moment in God’s time.
Those experiences telescope
back and forth. Every time we see the grandchildren we have flashbacks to their
babyhood and to our daughters. There are so many reminders and reasons to
laugh.
That is all the more reason
to treasure every moment now. God blesses the ordinary moments in life with miracles
no one can believe or explain. Just as He turned ordinary water into extraordinary
wine, so He transforms every aspect of life for believers.
Teaching Office
"This is the province of the work, which the Holy Spirit is
to begin in the kingdom of Christ. It is the teaching office of the apostles,
which is to be of such a character that it must convict the world, as it finds
it outside of Christ, and nobody is to be excepted, great, small, learned,
wise, holy, of high or low condition, etc. This means in short, to bear the
world's anger and to begin strife, and to be struck in the mouth for it. For
the world, which rules on earth, will not and cannot endure its course to be
disapproved; therefore persecution must arise, and one party must yield to the
other, the weakest to the stronger. But, as the office of the apostles is to be
only a teaching office, it cannot use worldly power and the world retains its
external kingdom and power against the apostles. But, on the other hand, the
apostles' office of conviction of the world shall likewise not be suppressed,
because it is the office and work of the Holy Spirit, but shall overcome all
and triumph; as Christ promised to them: 'I will give you a mouth and wisdom,
which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand.' Luke 21:15"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, III, p.
136. Fourth Sunday after Easter, Third Sermon. John 16:5-15.
"Though God might convert men through angels, He desires to
accomplish it by human beings--by us, so that faith might be established and
completed in a more congenial way through a kindred agency. Were angels constantly
to dwell with us, faith would cease here...If we were taken to heaven
immediately after baptism, who would convert the others and bring them to God
by means of the Word and a good example?"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed., John Nicholaus Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VI, p.
153. Early Christmas Morning Titus 3:4-8.
"It is a glory which every preacher may claim, to be able to
say with full confidence of heart: 'This trust have I toward God in Christ,
that what I teach and preach is truly the Word of God.' Likewise, when he
performs other officials duties in the Church--baptizes a child, absolves and
comforts a sinner--it must be done in the same firm conviction that such is the
command of Christ. He who would teach and exercise authority in the Church
without this glory, 'it is profitable for him,' as Christ says, (Matthew 18:6),
'that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be
sunk in the depths of the sea.' For the devil's lies he preaches, and death is
what he effects."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther,
ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 227.
Twelfth Sunday after Trinity 2 Corinthians 3:4-11; Matthew
18:6.
Holy Communion
"And just as the Word has been given in order to excite this
faith, so the Sacrament has been instituted in order that the outward
appearance meeting the eyes might move the heart to believe [and strengthen
faith]. For through these, namely, through Word and Sacrament, the Holy Ghost
works."
Apology Augsburg Confession, XXIV (XII),
#70. The Mass. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 409. Tappert, p. 262. Heiser, p.
123.
"Our adversaries have no testimonies and no command from
Scripture for defending the application of the ceremony for liberating the
souls of the dead, although from this they derive infinite revenue. Nor,
indeed, is it a light sin to establish such services in the Church without the
command of God and without the example of Scripture, and to apply to the dead
the Lord's Supper, which was instituted for commemoration and preaching among
the living [for the purpose of strengthening the faith of those who use the
ceremony]. This is to violate the Second Commandment, by abusing God's name."
Apology Augsburg Confession, XXIV. #89. The Mass. Concordia
Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 413f. Tappert, p.
265f. Heiser, p. 124.
"Whoever denies the Real Presence of the body and blood of Christ
in the Lord's Supper must pervert the words of Institution where Christ the
Lord, speaking of that which He gives His Christians to eat, says: 'This is My
body,' and, speaking of that which He gives them to drink, says: 'This is My
blood.' [Also 1 Corinthians 10:16]
Francis Pieper, The Difference between
Orthodox and Heterodox Churches, and Supplement, Coos Bay, Oregon: St. Paul's
Lutheran Church, 1981, p. 40. 1 Corinthians 10:16.
"And all these are established by the words by which Christ
has instituted it, and which every one who desires to be a Christian and go to
the Sacrament should know. For it is not our intention to admit to it and to
administer it to those who know not what they seek, or why they come."
Large Catechism, The Sacrament of the
Altar. #2. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p.
753. Tappert, p. 447. Heiser, p.
210.
"For it is not founded upon the holiness of men, but upon the
Word of God. And as no saint upon earth, yea, no angel in heaven, can make
bread and wine to be the body and blood of Christ, so also can no one change or
alter it, even though it be misused. For the Word by which it became a
Sacrament and was instituted does not become false because of the person or his
unbelief. For He does not say: If you believe or are worthy you receive My body
and blood, but: Take, eat and drink; this is My body and blood."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the
Altar. #16-17. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 757. Tappert, p. 448. Heiser, p. 211.
"On this account it is indeed called a food of souls, which
nourishes and strengthens the new man. For by Baptism we are first born anew;
but (as we said before) there still remains, besides, the old vicious nature of
flesh and blood in man, and there are so many hindrances and temptations of the
devil and of the world that we often become weary and faint, and sometimes also
stumble."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the
Altar. #23. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921,
p. 757. Tappert, p. 449. Heiser, p.
211f.
"Therefore it {communion}is given for a daily pasture and
sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so as not to fall back
in such a battle, but become every stronger and stronger. For the new life must
be so regulated that it continually increase and progress; but it must suffer much
opposition. For the devil is such a furious enemy that when he sees that we
oppose him and attack the old man, and that he cannot topple us over by force,
he prowls and moves about on all sides, tries all devices, and does not desist,
until he finally wearies us, so that we either renounce our faith or yield
hands and feet and become listless or impatient. Now to this end the
consolation is here given when the heart feels that the burden is becoming too
heavy, that it may here obtain new power and refreshment."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the
Altar. #24-27. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 759. Tappert, p. 449. Heiser, p. 211.
"For here in the Sacrament you are to receive from the lips
of Christ forgiveness of sin, which contains and brings with it the grace of
God and the Spirit with all His gifts, protection, shelter, and power against
death and the devil and all misfortune."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the
Altar. #70. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921,
p. 769. Tappert, p. 454. Heiser, p.
214.
"Therefore, if you cannot feel it {the works of the flesh,
Galatians 5:199ff. above}, at least believe the Scriptures; they will not lie
to you, and they know your flesh better than you yourself...Yet, as we have
said, if you are quite dead to all sensibility, still believe the Scriptures,
which pronounce sentence upon you. And, in short, the less you feel your sins
and infirmities, the more reason have you to go to the Sacrament to seek help
and a remedy."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the
Altar. #76-78. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 771. Tappert, p. 455. Heiser, p.
214.
"Is the Lord's Supper the place to display my toleration, my
Christian sympathy, or my fellowship with another Christian, when that is the
very point in which most of all we differ; and in which the difference means
for me everything--means for me, the reception of the Savior's atonement? Is
this the point to be selected for the display of Christian union, when in fact
it is the very point in which Christian union does not exist?"
Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze,
The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical
Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: 1911, p. 905f.
"For in Confession as in the Lord's Supper you have the
additional advantage, that the Word is applied to your person alone. For in
preaching it flies out into the whole congregation, and although it strikes you
also, yet you are not so sure of it; but here it does not apply to anyone
except you. Ought it not to fill your heart with joy to know a place where God
is ready to speak to you personally? Yea, if we had a chance to hear an angel
speak we would surely run to the ends of the earth."
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 II, p.
199.
"In addition there is this perversion, that whereas Christ
instituted the use of His Supper for all who receive it, who take, eat, and
drink, the papalist Mass transfers the use and benefit of the celebration of
the Lord's Supper in our time to the onlookers, who do not communicate, yes, to
those who are absent, and even to the dead."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the
Council of Trent, trans., Fred Kramer, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1986, II, p. 498.
"However, you will be sure as to whether the sacrament is
efficacious in your heart, if you watch your conduct toward your neighbor. If
you discover that the words and he symbol soften and move you to be friendly to
your enemy, to take an interest in your neighbor's welfare, and to help him
bear his suffering and affliction, then all is well. On the other hand, if you
do not find it so, you continue uncertain even if you were to commune a hundred
times a day with devotions so great as to move you to tears for very joy; for
wonderful devotions like this, very sweet to experience, yet as dangerous as
sweet, amount to nothing before God. Therefore we must above all be certain for
ourselves, as Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:10: 'Give the more diligence to make
your calling and election sure.'"
Martin Luther, Sermons of Martin Luther, 8
vols., ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983 II, p.
211. 2 Peter 1:10.
"Hence it is manifest how unjustly and maliciously the
Sacramentarian fanatics (Theodore Beza) deride the Lord Christ, St. Paul, and
the entire Church in calling this oral partaking, and that of the unworthy, duos pilos caudae equinae et
commentum, cuius vel ipsum
Satanam pudeat, as also the doctrine concerning the majesty of Christ, excrementum Satanae, quo diabolus
sibi ipsi et hominibus illudat, that is, they speak so horribly of it that
a godly Christian man should be ashamed to translate it. [two hairs of a
horse's tail and an invention of which even Satan himself would be ashamed;
Satan's excrement, by which the devil amuses himself and deceives men].
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII,
Lord's Supper, 67, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 997. Tappert, p. 581f. Heiser, p. 270.
"Dr. Luther, who, above others, certainly understood the true
and proper meaning of the Augsburg Confession, and who constantly remained
steadfast thereto till his end, and defended it, shortly before his death
repeated his faith concerning this article with great zeal in his last
Confession, where he writes thus: 'I rate as one concoction, namely, as
Sacramentarians and fanatics, which they also are, all who will not believe
that the Lord's bread in the Supper is His true natural body, which the godless
or Judas received with the mouth, as well as did St. Peter and all [other]
saints; he who will not believe this (I say) should let me alone, and hope for
no fellowship with me; this is not going to be altered [thus my opinion stands,
which I am not going to change]."
Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article VII,
Lord's Supper, 33, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 983. Tappert, p. 575. Heiser, p. 267.
"Besides this, you will also have the devil about you, whom
you will not entirely tread under foot, because our Lord Christ Himself could
not entirely avoid him. Now, what is the devil? Nothing else than what the
Scriptures call him, a liar and murderer. A liar, to lead the heart astray from
the Word of God, and blind it, that you cannot feel your distress or come to
Christ. A murderer, who cannot bear to see you live one single hour. If you
could see how many knives, darts, and arrows are every moment aimed at you, you
would be glad to come to the Sacrament as often as possible."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the
Altar. #80-82. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 771f. Tappert, p. 456. Heiser, p. 214.
"Therefore also it is vain talk when they say that the body
and blood of Christ are not given and shed for us in the Lord's Supper, hence
we could not have forgiveness of sins in the Sacrament. For although the work
is accomplished and the forgiveness of sins acquired on the cross, yet it
cannot come to us in any other way than through the Word. For what would we
otherwise know about it, that such a thing was accomplished or was to be given
us if it were not presented by preaching or the oral Word? Whence do they know
of it, or how can they apprehend and appropriate to themselves the forgiveness,
except they lay hold of and believe the Scriptures and the Gospel? But now the
entire Gospel and the article of the Creed: I believe a holy Christian Church,
the forgiveness of sin, etc., are by the Word embodied in this Sacrament and
presented to us."
The Large Catechism, Sacrament of the
Altar. #31-32. Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 759. Tappert, p. 450. Heiser, p. 211.
.png "Bishop Keith Ackerman")
QUINCY, ILLINOIS --- For the second time in as many weeks, The Episcopal Church has been handed a devastating blow in its unrelenting quest to bring realigning dioceses to their knees with intimidation, legal warfare, litigation, and the draining of diocesan resources. 
The Episcopal Church's chief litigator, David Booth Beers was on hand for the bench trial which was held in Courtroom 2B of the Adams County Courthouse. The judge was swamped with paper in the form of motions, briefs, documents, research and opinions.
