Saturday, October 14, 2017

A Modest Proposal for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation

Graphic by Norma Boeckler

The Harvey Weinstein Synods of Lutherdom seem determined to embarrasa themselves as often as possible.

Which is worse? -

Concordia Publishing House selling Reformation bar equipment and doggie t-shirts, or
Matt the Fatt having the convention vote to kick out anyone who publishes about doctrine without having an official title?

I suppose "Pastor" is not an official role. That is simply too cute a way to celebrate Martin Luther speaking out for the entire Christian Church, sparking the Protestant Revolt - as the Romanists fashion it. LCMS pastors leave the Vatican on the Mississippi for the real Vatican on the Tiber.

In the Wisconsin Synod corner, a sect known for despising the Book of Concord and Lenski, they publish their drivel about the Reformation by apologizing for Luther - at least "he pointed to Christ." Yet they point away from Christ, publishing JW Montgomery, another UOJ fanatic - who teaches forgiveness without faith and all that rubbish.

The Little Sect on the Prairie, a wholly owned subsidiary of WELS, plays a neat game called "We thank God we are better than Wisconsin." Meanwhile, they ape Wisconsin dogma in every way, but speak out against tuxedos. To be polite, they will not identify the WELS pastor by name who wore a tux for a service, but that pretty much clinches who it is. So delicate is their sense of ethical probity.

The so-called Church of the Lutheran Confession lives off its anger about WELS/ELS - and is dying from it at the same time. Nevertheless, they also swoon about Forgiveness without Faith and the Church Growth Movement, as if arsenic is not toxic enough - they also need to add lead to their diet.

This entire class of clowns and criminals will not allow a discussion about Justification by Faith in public, whether on Facebook or at a Free Conference. As most know, a Free Conference means anyone can express a position. Although the Emmaus meetings are clearly designed to serve as dating before the marriage, the LCMS-WELS-ELS pretends they are informal and non-binding. Spoiler alert - all three sects have already declared in public that they rejoice in their common teaching of Objective Justification - Forgiveness without Faith, Grace without the Means of Grace, Universal Salvation.

St. Paul summed up the synodical problem in two verses. Graphic by Norma Boeckler

A Modest Proposal
Various elections, conferences, blogs, and secret groups have failed to move beyond trivia for the last 50 years. Shallow, double-dealing politicians have not accomplished anything, so attempting to get someone elected is a total waste of time. Given the attention the leaders pay to the Scriptures - beyond pious slogans and mandatory tithing - electing anyone is counter-productive.

This program can be carried out stealthily, which is ideal for the clergy of today, who do not want to make waves or take a public position about anything beyond the level of adiaphora. Examples from the above sects - the Christian flag? - burn them all. Individual communion cups - anathema sit! Women teaching men? - that is a gre-e-e-e-ey area of Scripture.

Historical background. As the lost Pieper - Egbert - wrote, CFW Walther was not a Scriptural teacher. He used dogmatic theses. He was very weak in the Biblical languages, so he postured about teaching doctrine in Latin and became the first Pope on the Mississippi. The solution is not a new pope, but a vast cloud of Biblical expositors.

Graphic by Norma Boeckler

The Secret Plan
Every pastor has a unique opportunity to teach the truth once a week - or more - where everyone listens for 20 minutes plus, without interruption. Babies may squall and some people may become restless, but that remains a protected, special opportunity for the efficacious Word of God.

Here is the sermon -
The pastor will deal with the Gospel or Epistle text each week, verse by verse, explaining that lesson. The historic pericopes are best and Luther has great guides for this - the Lenker edition of his sermons. But other Biblical series are good too. One should avoid the anti-Scriptural paraphrases like the NIV and ESV in favor of the KJV, KJV21, and Third Millennium Bible.

Lenski has great insights too, but the sermon should be based on the pastor's own study and reflection during the week.

Gardeners and farmers get this parable -
synod leaders and seminary professors do not. Graphic by Norma Boeckler

The Reformation did not happen because Luther taught Luther, nor did it erupt and take over Europe because he taught the organization (as the sects do today). He firmly believed that Romans 10 was correct - forgiveness and salvation come from faith, and faith from the preached Word of God.

The Gospel of John is the capstone of the Four Gospels, clearly emphasizing the teaching of Christ as the righteousness of faith, which is reflected in all the works of the Lutheran Reformation.

Teaching through various books of the Bible, phrase by phrase, is another aspect of this proposal. Various cheerleaders have begged for the right election results, as if that will yield some result other than another politician elected as Synod President of District President.

Graphic by Norma Boeckler

Instead, pastors should teach faithfully the Word of God and accept the results - both good and bad - the Gospel fruits and the cross. Where that leads is God's business, not ours.

Isaiah 55 teaches with absolute clarity that God's will is accomplished only through God's Word. That Word always returns to Him with great effect.

The Word is never void. This double-negative should be considered gravely, at all times. The phrase condemns virtually everything being done in Lutherdom today.
The Word always accomplishes His purpose. The results, which man may consider good or bad, are divinely blessed.
The Word prospers His will, so the effect is so great that no one can deny its origin in the Triune God.

This Biblical doctrine also means that gimmicks, plans, and programs have no effect apart from the Word. When that pudding-head Kent Hunter bound graph-paper into his Church Growth book, it seemed laughable. Now the three sects spend enormous time and energy graphing their horrible numbers and studying them, as if they were the entrails of goats from the rites of ancient, pagan Greeks.

That is all we need in Lutherdom - to devote the sermon time to real Scriptural sermons. Here are the sermon notes - the verses themselves. They are his outline. If the pastor cannot give a sermon prompted by each verse, he should study more.

What people get today is rambling about current events, personal opinions, synodical baloney, and other filler. Those are the "good" sermons. The rest of them are copied and pasted from the Net or from the group's secret server farm. Yes - WELS does that. They have one guy write the sermon, the rest of them deliver it.

The Gadarene Swine of Lutherdom are
trained at Fuller, Willow Creek, and Trinity Divinity.
They have made a big splash.

Enhancements

Written Out -

The written sermon should appear each week, to help those who want to know it in depth and to reach others who may only read it, for various reasons. One layman printed my sermons every week for his uncle, who was glad to read them. If that only happens with one person in a congregation, that is good and God-pleasing.

Broadcast

Any congregation can broadcast the service for very little, using live streaming. We use Ustream for $100 a month. One ELDONA pastor was worried that would cost real money and necessitate better equipment! But actually, the service can reach the world and people support it gladly. We really needed a better desktop and that was donated, ending our glitches from a slower CPU and relatively low RAM.

The Parable of the Sower and the Seed should influence congregations to spend some money on modern broadcasting. Sowing was the original broadcasting. At least, think of the shut-ins. Our next-door neighbor could barely walk. She became a Lutheran by watching our services on her computer.

Blogging and the Word

Blogs are a free and easy way to publish the Word of God. They have an astonishing reach around the world. We get 1500 views or more about goofs like Ricky Johnson, but 107,000 views - reading a single quotation from Luther.

The miraculous catch of fish was a visual representation
of what the disciples would do in the future,
trusting in the Word of God. Graphic by Norma Boeckler

Social Media and the Word

Combinations of social media leverage the reach of any given effort. A lawyer suggested that I teach Greek, and I use Ustream for that, plus posting on Facebook and this blog. We get hundreds of views for the Greek text of John.

By using a combination of social media, the results on searches are better and more people are reached.

Duerer's depiction of the Holy Trinity

Friday, October 13, 2017

From Alec Satin - The Difficulty of Faith - Comfort for Christians

The Difficulty of Faith - Comfort for Christians:

"149 – The Difficulty of Faith

Who, said one of a company, would really refuse to trust the blessed God?

None of us, certainly, said Gotthold, so long as he has also faith in his own hand or purse; otherwise, to trust in God is a difficult, nay, an impossible task, for an earthly-minded, sinful, and timid heart. Such a heart cannot trust God without God’s help, nor depend upon His grace without His grace’s aid.

Faith has many enemies and gainsayers; and therefore it is a fight, and only keeps its ground by fighting. It has to comprehend the great God and His whole heaven in a little heart; and that is no easy task. A mother takes and carries about her child in her arms; soothes, fondles, kisses it; gives it meat and drink, and is very patient with it. But how long is it ere the child, on its part, learns to know the mother, returns her embraces and smiles, and shows her love and respect?

For myself, I can say with thankfulness, that now, through many trials, conflicts, struggles, temptations, sighs, and prayers, I have come so far, that I am beginning to believe that God is my gracious Father, and that I have an interest in the crucified Jesus, and in His merits, blood, and death. This is a lesson which I learn from day to day. Like a tender infant at the mother’s breast, I lie at the Savior’s wounds, and imbibe from them His blood and spirit, that I may grow in strength. Lord, I believe: help Thou my unbelief!"

'via Blog this'

Growing All Winter

The Mother of All Crepe Myrtles bloomed and set seed fast,
so I pruned it for a second bloom. The Buckwheat in bloom around the CM grew like Jack and the Beanstalk and
re-seeded itself when cut.
Both plants added to the organic content of the soil.

Winter has not yet arrived here. Nor has autumn. We have a few leaves falling but highs at 80 and lows above freezing.

Someone was really startled that I plant in the fall. "Does that work?" That works quite well. Beginners think about plants - veterans think about roots.

Hardy - or fall bulbs - need a cold winter to do well in the spring. They do most of their initial growth after being planted in the fall - the earlier the better, but do not peek out of the soil until the right time for them.They are growing roots and reaching upwards during the winter. In the spring, their rise up according to the weather clock built into their systems. Some bloom especially early - like crocus. Others can be quite late - like tulips. But even within one of those categories, there are early and late bloomers.

I no longer support the hardy bulb industry because the winters here are too mild for really good results. Next year I have a bunch of tender or spring bulbs to grow, given to me by our neighbor. Glads are one type, and I think he gave me dozens of them. Tender bulbs have to be dug up again. Mrs. Ichabod loves Caladiums, so they have to be dug up and preserved or bought again.

All plants grow according to a weather clock, and it is fun to observe and take advantage of it. Could that be a co-inky-dink? The staggered bloom cycles mean that pollinators have a constant supply of food, which benefits the insects and birds alike. The explosive hatching of bugs in the spring matches the hatching of birds and their ravenous appetites for bugs and larvae.

I pruned the Mother of All Crepe Myrtles for a possible third bloom, but the Creator trumped my ace. The weather turned just enough to signal a stop to blooms and a finishing up of seeds. Here and there a twig is showing off the incandescent pink of the bush, but overall the plant is all seeds on top - a generous supply of seeds for the Cardinals.

Likewise, the rugosa rose n the Wild Garden, has bloomed and started to form its hips. All roses try to grow hips - seed pods - and some are known for their big, attractive hips. Birds love to eat them. Because these hips are packed with Vitamin C, they are grown for Vitamin C tablets sold in stores. When we grow roses for their blooms, we stop the fruiting and seed formation, to encourage even more blooming. See John 15:1-10 for how Jesus applies this to grapes and the Means of Grace.

The hybrid tea roses will continue to bloom in this weather. At some point I will stop cutting the roses and let the bush become dormant for the winter, lest new shoots suffer frost damage.

If you want to learn the calendar of planting, just use one supplier and offer up your email address to them and "their partners." Soon you will get frantic, daily messages about something to buy. They are not selling seeds now, but plants that will get established before they take a partial rest in the winter.

Hostas are a great investment in the fall. I had some ordered in the spring, since my wife enjoys them so much. My interest increased when I saw how their flowers were attracting Hummingbirds. The tiny plants - in some cases, only the roots - arrived recently. I was warned by suppliers, "These are dormant. Do not expect much growth now." However, our weather remained warm and we had some heavy rains at just the right time. They decided it was spring and they sprang into action. Hostas with leaves grew quickly and roots sprouted leaves.

All winter, the Hosta roots will strengthen for the spring. That is why soil building matters so much. Plants can be in relatively poor soil all winter and grow stronger, or they can be nourished in rich, well aerated soil and burst into action in the spring.

Hosta roots grow all winter, and they grow their own
Hummingbird feeders in the late summer.

Hostas will bloom, even in deep shade,
and the Hummingbirds love to feed at their flowers.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Greek Lesson - John 19:23ff

ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 191550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)

Parser

19 τοτε ουν ελαβεν ο πιλατος τον ιησουν και εμαστιγωσεν

2 και οι στρατιωται πλεξαντες στεφανον εξ ακανθων επεθηκαν αυτου τη κεφαλη, και ιματιον πορφυρουν περιεβαλον αυτον

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/porphyria/symptoms-causes/syc-20356066

3 και ελεγον χαιρε ο βασιλευς των ιουδαιων και εδιδουν αυτω ραπισματα

ραπισματα - second example of slapping his face

4 εξηλθεν ουν παλιν εξω ο πιλατος και λεγει αυτοις ιδε αγω υμιν αυτον εξω ινα γνωτε οτι εν αυτω ουδεμιαν αιτιαν ευρισκω

5 εξηλθεν ουν ο ιησους εξω φορων τον ακανθινον στεφανον και το πορφυρουν ιματιον - και λεγει αυτοις ιδε ο ανθρωπος

6 οτε ουν ειδον αυτον οι αρχιερεις και οι υπηρεται εκραυγασαν λεγοντες σταυρωσον σταυρωσον λεγει αυτοις ο πιλατος λαβετε αυτον υμεις και σταυρωσατε εγω γαρ ουχ ευρισκω εν αυτω αιτιαν

7 απεκριθησαν αυτω οι ιουδαιοι ημεις νομον εχομεν και κατα τον νομον ημων οφειλει αποθανειν οτι εαυτον υιον θεου εποιησεν

υιον θεου - strikes me as a title without the articles. anarthrous, without articles, is unusual. The real charge, as Lenski says, is not Messiah - king, which threatens Rome, but Son of God, which threatens them.

8 οτε ουν ηκουσεν ο πιλατος τουτον τον λογον μαλλον εφοβηθη

Pilate is dealing with the Son of God.

9 και εισηλθεν εις το πραιτωριον παλιν και λεγει τω ιησου ποθεν ει συ ο δε ιησους αποκρισιν ουκ εδωκεν αυτω

- from where, the then is very important,

10 λεγει ουν αυτω ο πιλατος εμοι ου λαλεις? ουκ οιδας οτι εξουσιαν εχω σταυρωσαι σε και εξουσιαν εχω απολυσαι σε

Jesus taught with εξουσιαν - not like the Scribes and Pharisees.

11 απεκριθη ο ιησους ουκ ειχες εξουσιαν ουδεμιαν κατ εμου ει μη ην σοι δεδομενον ανωθεν δια τουτο ο παραδιδους με σοι μειζονα αμαρτιαν εχει

ανωθεν - from above, the misunderstood "again" from John 3

12 εκ τουτου εζητει ο πιλατος απολυσαι αυτον, οι δε ιουδαιοι εκραζον λεγοντες εαν τουτον απολυσης ουκ ει φιλος του καισαρος - πας ο βασιλεα αυτον ποιων αντιλεγει τω καισαρι

But they charged him as the Son of God, not King.

13 ο ουν πιλατος ακουσας τουτον τον λογον, ηγαγεν εξω τον ιησουν και εκαθισεν επι του βηματος εις τοπον λεγομενον λιθοστρωτον εβραιστι δε γαββαθα

14 ην δε παρασκευη του πασχα ωρα δε ωσει εκτη και λεγει τοις ιουδαιοις ιδε ο βασιλευς υμων

15 οι δε εκραυγασαν αρον αρον σταυρωσον αυτον λεγει αυτοις ο πιλατος τον βασιλεα υμων σταυρωσω? απεκριθησαν οι αρχιερεις ουκ εχομεν βασιλεα ει μη καισαρα

16 τοτε ουν παρεδωκεν αυτον αυτοις ινα σταυρωθη. παρελαβον δε τον ιησουν και απηγαγον

17 και βασταζων τον σταυρον αυτου εξηλθεν εις τον λεγομενον κρανιου τοπον ος λεγεται εβραιστι γολγοθα

18 οπου αυτον εσταυρωσαν και μετ αυτου αλλους δυο - εντευθεν και εντευθεν - μεσον δε τον ιησουν

19 εγραψεν δε και τιτλον ο πιλατος και εθηκεν επι του σταυρου ην δε γεγραμμενον ιησους ο ναζωραιος ο βασιλευς των ιουδαιων

20 τουτον ουν τον τιτλον πολλοι ανεγνωσαν των ιουδαιων οτι εγγυς ην της πολεως ο τοπος οπου εσταυρωθη ο ιησους και ην γεγραμμενον εβραιστι ελληνιστι ρωμαιστι

21 ελεγον ουν τω πιλατω οι αρχιερεις των ιουδαιων μη γραφε ο βασιλευς των ιουδαιων αλλ οτι εκεινος ειπεν βασιλευς ειμι των ιουδαιων

22 απεκριθη ο πιλατος ο γεγραφα γεγραφα

Part II for October 12

23 οι ουν στρατιωται, οτε εσταυρωσαν τον ιησουν, ελαβον τα ιματια αυτου και εποιησαν τεσσαρα μερη - εκαστω στρατιωτη μερος - και τον χιτωνα ην. δε ο χιτων αρραφος εκ των ανωθεν υφαντος δι ολου

χιτων - tunic, worn next to the skin

24 ειπον ουν προς αλληλους μη σχισωμεν αυτον αλλα λαχωμεν περι αυτου - τινος εσται - ινα η γραφη πληρωθη η λεγουσα διεμερισαντο τα ιματια μου εαυτοις και επι τον ιματισμον μου εβαλον κληρον. οι μεν ουν στρατιωται ταυτα εποιησαν

25 ειστηκεισαν δε παρα τω σταυρω του ιησου η μητηρ αυτου και η αδελφη της μητρος αυτου μαρια η του κλωπα και μαρια η μαγδαληνη

Had been standing, pluperfect

26 ιησους ουν ιδων την μητερα και τον μαθητην παρεστωτα ον ηγαπα λεγει τη μητρι αυτου γυναι ιδου ο υιος σου

Jesus addressed his mother as woman here and at the Cana wedding. Both examples anticipate the divinization of Mary after the Council of Ephesus.

27 ειτα λεγει τω μαθητη ιδου η μητηρ σου και απ εκεινης της ωρας ελαβεν αυτην ο μαθητης εις τα ιδια

28 μετα τουτο ειδως ο ιησους οτι παντα ηδη τετελεσται ινα τελειωθη η γραφη λεγει διψω

Double use of fulfilled emphasises the Scriptures fulfilled.

29 σκευος ουν εκειτο οξους μεστον οι δε πλησαντες σπογγον οξους και υσσωπω περιθεντες προσηνεγκαν αυτου τω στοματι

30 οτε ουν ελαβεν το οξος ο ιησους ειπεν τετελεσται και κλινας την κεφαλην παρεδωκεν το πνευμα

31 οι ουν ιουδαιοι - ινα μη μεινη επι του σταυρου τα σωματα εν τω σαββατω - επει παρασκευη ην - ην γαρ μεγαλη η ημερα εκεινου του σαββατου ηρωτησαν τον πιλατον ινα κατεαγωσιν αυτων τα σκελη και αρθωσιν

32 ηλθον ουν οι στρατιωται και του μεν πρωτου κατεαξαν τα σκελη και του αλλου του συσταυρωθεντος αυτω

33 επι δε τον ιησουν ελθοντες ως ειδον αυτον ηδη τεθνηκοτα ου κατεαξαν αυτου τα σκελη

34 αλλ εις των στρατιωτων λογχη αυτου την πλευραν ενυξεν και ευθυς εξηλθεν αιμα και υδωρ

35 και ο εωρακως μεμαρτυρηκεν και αληθινη αυτου εστιν η μαρτυρια κακεινος οιδεν οτι αληθη λεγει ινα υμεις πιστευσητε

36 εγενετο γαρ ταυτα ινα η γραφη πληρωθη οστουν ου συντριβησεται αυτου

37 και παλιν ετερα γραφη λεγει οψονται εις ον εξεκεντησαν

38 μετα δε ταυτα ηρωτησεν τον πιλατον ο ιωσηφ ο απο αριμαθαιας ων μαθητης του ιησου κεκρυμμενος δε δια τον φοβον των ιουδαιων ινα αρη το σωμα του ιησου και επετρεψεν ο πιλατος. ηλθεν ουν και ηρεν το σωμα του ιησου

39 ηλθεν δε και νικοδημος ο ελθων προς τον ιησουν νυκτος το πρωτον φερων μιγμα σμυρνης και αλοης ωσει λιτρας εκατον

40 ελαβον ουν το σωμα του ιησου και εδησαν αυτο οθονιοις μετα των αρωματων καθως εθος εστιν τοις ιουδαιοις ενταφιαζειν

41 ην δε εν τω τοπω οπου εσταυρωθη κηπος και εν τω κηπω μνημειον καινον εν ω ουδεπω ουδεις ετεθη

42 εκει ουν δια την παρασκευην των ιουδαιων οτι εγγυς ην το μνημειον εθηκαν τον ιησουν

Lawyers Send Cease and Desist Order to Ichabod

This just arrived by special courier -

Our attorneys received a link to your slanderous blog post - The Harvey Weinstein Synods Worry about Tuxes. Our legal research department has examined your blog thoroughly. This is a formal demand that you cease and desist publishing that post, erase it, and remove all evidence of it - for the following reasons.

Mr. Weinstein is a distinguished entertainment executive. He has received many honors from his profession, from various charities, and from academia.

He has never murdered any of his wives, so we think calling these Lutheran groups Harvey Weinstein Synods is especially repugnant, since your fellow rabbis have done this, with few legal consequences.
If something so horrible had happened at Miramax or any other Weinstein company, we would have disclosed it at once, and not covered it up, as your Chief Rabbis have.
We employ the finest CPA firms to audit our books, so we would never have so many cases of embezzlement, especially at our own headquarters. Can you say the same? No.
We have never had the FBI raid our headquarters and seize computer equipment for the crime of dealing in gay child porn. And even if, heaven forbid, that happened, we would not excuse, pardon, and absolve the felon for the sake of good PR.

Therefore, we order you to stop comparing your out-of-control synods to our client.

You have 24 hours to comply or we will seek additional legal action.

Cordially,

Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe
Attorneys at Law
New York City
(satire)

Mr. Weinstein is seeking treatment
at a secure and undisclosed location.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

The Harvey Weinstein Synods Worry about Tuxes

David Jay Webber allied himself with the Harvey Weinstein of Columbus -
for the money,
Kovo the Church Growth Guru,
and UOJ,
but worries publicly about tuxes.

David Jay Webber is feeling sad.

October 8 at 8:04pm

Someone posted this elsewhere on Facebook today. I'm hearing this kind of thing more and more often, and it both embarrasses me and breaks my heart - although this is the first time I have heard of a WELS pastor wearing a tuxedo instead of church vestments. Don't think that this kind of thing is not chasing good people away. It is.

"Went to a WELS church today after leaving ELCA. What I noticed ... no traditional worship service, only contemporary worship. Pastor wore a tux instead of traditional attire. Sermon was good but I honestly felt like it was a non-denom. over a Lutheran church. Even the ELCA had more of a traditional service than them.(sic)"

LikeShow more reactions

Jeffery Clark and 37 others

Comments

Matthias Leyrer The WELS really needs to take an official, hardline stance on this nonsense

LikeShow more reactions

Martin Luther Sermons

Bethany Lutheran Church P.O. Box 6561Springdale AR 72766Reformation Seminary LecturesUSA, Canada, Australia, Philippines10 AM Central - Sunday ServiceWe use The Lutheran Hymnal and the King James Version

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Friday, October 13, 2017

Thursday, October 12, 2017

ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 191550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

David Jay Webber is feeling sad.

Comments

Bethany Lutheran Church P.O. Box 6561Springdale AR 72766Reformation Seminary LecturesUSA, Canada, Australia, Philippines10 AM Central - Sunday Service
**We use The Lutheran Hymnal and the King James Version**