All Saints Sunday, 2019
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
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
Nine Blessings - The Problem and Benefits of Pain
Today we remember - Walter Boeckler, who supported Luther's doctrine and independent congregations; Gary Meyer, who participated in our first Ustream services; Brenda Kielher, who with her parents Cliff and Cleo Kiehler, helped start Bethany in New Ulm, Minnesota; and Gladys Jackson Meyer, who supported Bethany from the beginning and enjoyed helping out. Besides these, we have many others we name in our hearts, beloved, deeply missed, children, relatives, friends.
In Our Prayers
- Our President, the Supreme Court, and government.
- Carl Roper and his wife Lynda.
- Pastor K and Doc Lito Cruz - dealing with diabetes.
- Those looking for work and a better income.
- Glen Kotten is visiting the Philippines.
- Pastor Shrader continues his battle with cancer. Pastor Shrader's congregation is in fellowship with us and the Bethany Philippine Mission - they are also contributing to the effort. Pastor Palangyos baptized two families last Sunday.
- Our media ministries - reaching the world in many ways. Media is the Latin word for Means - Means of Grace.
- The Large Print page 15 service is available.
KJV Revelation 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeonwere sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Background for the Gospel Sermon, The Beatitudes, Matthew 5
Here is a test for the English translators, and most have failed. They tried to get around the Beatitudes in the King James/Luther translation. The KJV is really the English version of Luther's translation, with Tyndale translating from the original languages of the Scriptures, guided by Luther's genius-level work. Tyndale and Luther were so talented in language that they established the norm for German among Germans, English for all those in the English speaking world.
The Gospel of Matthew is similar to the US Constitution - but written and inspired for the use of the Christian Church. The Sermon on the Mount is not just a sermon, but the model sermon for all leaders of the Christian Church, clergy and laity alike. I was just given a copy of the Faculty Guide by one university and invited to agree that I would follow the document. I can refer to it whenever I wonder about how to deal with various situations. The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes and ends with warning against false teachers - wolves in sheep's clothing, figs growing on thistles - and the house built on a rock versus one built on sand.
The Sermon on the Mount could be called the Executive Summary of Christianity, so concise and full of detail that one could write a book on these three chapters, Matthew 5 - 7, as some have. So the Beatitudes-introduction serves as the lead and the overview of this Constitution. The introduction must be very important and something we must treat as essential. And these Beatitudes are, because they teach about pain, obstacles, reversals, and heartbreak. Literature based upon the Sermon on the Mount? - The Pilgrim's Progress, by Bunyan.
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| From Pilgrim's Progress - Christian Meets Evangelist |
Nine Blessings - The Problem and Benefits of Pain
The Sermon on the Mount was aimed at the disciples, and the Beatitudes are especially focused on the leadership of the churches, as Lenski observed in his Matthew Commentary.
KJV Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
ALL SAINTS' DAY
O almighty and everlasting God, who through Thine only-begotten and beloved Son, Jesus Christ, wilt sanctify all Thine elected and beloved: Give us grace to follow their faith, hope, and charity, that we together with them may obtain eternal life: through Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Today we remember - Walter Boeckler, who supported Luther's doctrine and independent congregations; Gary Meyer, who participated in our first Ustream services; Brenda Kielher, who with her parents Cliff and Cleo Kiehler, helped start Bethany in New Ulm, Minnesota; and Gladys Jackson Meyer, who supported Bethany from the beginning and enjoyed helping out. Besides these, we have many others we name in our hearts, beloved, deeply missed, children, relatives, friends.
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Goosebumps - Hebrews' unique summary of the Bible.
Hint - this speaks of Abraham's Justification by Faith, Genesis 15.\
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Background for the Gospel Sermon, The Beatitudes, Matthew 5
Here is a test for the English translators, and most have failed. They tried to get around the Beatitudes in the King James/Luther translation. The KJV is really the English version of Luther's translation, with Tyndale translating from the original languages of the Scriptures, guided by Luther's genius-level work. Tyndale and Luther were so talented in language that they established the norm for German among Germans, English for all those in the English speaking world.
The Gospel of Matthew is similar to the US Constitution - but written and inspired for the use of the Christian Church. The Sermon on the Mount is not just a sermon, but the model sermon for all leaders of the Christian Church, clergy and laity alike. I was just given a copy of the Faculty Guide by one university and invited to agree that I would follow the document. I can refer to it whenever I wonder about how to deal with various situations. The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes and ends with warning against false teachers - wolves in sheep's clothing, figs growing on thistles - and the house built on a rock versus one built on sand.
The Sermon on the Mount could be called the Executive Summary of Christianity, so concise and full of detail that one could write a book on these three chapters, Matthew 5 - 7, as some have. So the Beatitudes-introduction serves as the lead and the overview of this Constitution. The introduction must be very important and something we must treat as essential. And these Beatitudes are, because they teach about pain, obstacles, reversals, and heartbreak. Literature based upon the Sermon on the Mount? - The Pilgrim's Progress, by Bunyan.
Nine Blessings - The Problem and Benefits of Pain
KJV Matthew 5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
The Sermon on the Mount was aimed at the disciples, and the Beatitudes are especially focused on the leadership of the churches, as Lenski observed in his Matthew Commentary. This is a real sermon, not a collection of verses, and it was most likely preached at the peak of Jesus' ministry, as Lenski argued.
The lesson of the Beatitudes is one which the unbelieving heart cannot grasp, and it remains mysterious to those who have an arm's-length understanding of the Gospel. However, for those who have suffered greatly and know what pain is, the Beatitudes are the key that unlocks the dungeon door.
People experience pain in many different ways, and I do not mean physical pain. The brain even makes its own pain-killers for physical pain. Emotional pain is the worst, the most debilitating, the hardest to acknowledge and heal. Emotional pain can be a burden added to long-term.
Properly understood, the Beatitudes are the formula for understanding pain and gaining energy from that pain. I do not mean Schuller's Be-Happy-Attitudes approach but bearing the cross, as Jesus taught and Luther praised as "blessed and holy."
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
When I was first cajoled into memorizing the Beatitudes, as a member of the S.S. (Sunday School), I thought they were way off and hard to understand, ending with a take-down, not an uplift. But we have to start with the assumption that all things are in God's hands and His will is gracious. That is a tough lesson, taught over many years, as we can see with the disciples.
Isaiah 66 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
The normal state of man is to be proud, un-contrite, and a judge of God's Word. We can find such confessions everywhere, "I cannot believe in a God who would give up His own Son..." But God asks, as Creator, who is big enough to build a church for Me? Instead, God looks favorably at one who is beggarly of spirit (the opposite of proud, haughty), contrite for his sinful state, and in awe of the majesty and power of God's Word.
The majority of theologians, professors, and church leaders see the Word of God as a toy they can play with, to strike a pose, to manipulate, to use to their advantage. They fear controversy that would deprive them of honors, comforts, and luxuries.
The first blessing to treat pain is - "No matter how bad things are at the moment, God is shaping my future to use that pain for His glory."
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
We have all lost someone, whether at the earliest age, or too young to be acceptable, or very old - that pain never goes away. Our society does not even acknowledge losing a child through miscarriage, let alone in other ways. Because this pain is universal, the answer is especially important. We are comforted by eternal life, not the cartoon version of it, but the fact of knowing that our lives have purpose, and this combination of purpose is God's plan.
I see a lot of loss of life on Facebook, among my friends. People say various things. I write to them, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
Lenski adds that all losses are mourned, such as afflictions caused by loss of homes, property, business, position. When people suffer from, they are in shock over the sudden reversal. Sometimes the mourning is deeply hidden with the story behind the pain.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Meek does not mean timid, but quiet, gentle, kindly.
Psalm 37 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity... 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Looking back 2000 years, when the Roman Empire persecuted Christianity, blamed Christians for Nero burning Rome, and killed most of the apostles - who won? The meek won, through spiritual warfare.
I am teaching about communication online right now, and I hasten to point out how easily people get into flame wars because their words come across 10 times worse when someone can see them in writing that never changes, never goes away, and wounds again, because discussions are frozen as text - and cannot be erased.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Many have confessed to me that they were deceived and confused by various false teachers in the past. They regret the time wasted on such things. But that is also what shocked many of us into asking what was going wrong. The gap between what was claimed and the truth was so great that something had to be done.
The more I studied the history of Lutheran church bodies, the more I realized that the synod where I was ordained was rationalistic Baptist in attitude- embracing the Social Gospel Movement, now called the Social Justice Warriors - with only a nod toward Luther.
Likewise, the professors of the Bible were almost all ones who questioned the truth of the Bible. One exceptional professor died my first semester in seminary, replaced by one more person who doubted the Scriptures. That changed at Yale Divinity, but the real shock was having a baby with a mysterious disorder while serving my first call.
When that happens, the material things in life lose their luster and eternal truths are increasingly attractive. Apparently I needed more training, because I landed in Columbus where the "conservative" pastors had no idea what Biblical, Lutheran doctrine was, except they attacked and ridiculed it at every opportunity. That was the energy that drove me to study the Scriptures, Luther, and the Book of Concord.
When all the voices are confused and confusing, where do we find righteousness - forgiveness of sin and eternal life?
Part 1 - Remove the false doctrine which muddies the issue.
Part 2 - Grace only comes to us through the Means of Grace, the invisible Word of teaching and preaching, the visible Word of Holy Communion and Holy Baptism.
Part 3 - God is only at work in the Word, because the Holy Spirit never works apart from the Word, and the Word never works apart from the Spirit.
Our little congregation is made up of people who have had the false doctrines of the Age of Apostasy shaken loose. That has left people craving real spiritual food, just as gardeners and farmers and athletes crave a real meal after hours of exertion. They know Dream Whip desserts will not satisfy, but real food will.
The righteousness of faith in Christ, also the faith of Christ, is always satisfying and never deceptive.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Lenski, Matthew, p. 191
"The first four beatitudes look toward God, the next three toward men. These treat of three virtues which mark the godly as blessed. "The merciful" are, of course, the same persons as those referred to in the previous beatitudes. Luther well says that in all the beatitudes faith is presupposed as the tree on which all the fruit of blessedness grows. This, then, is not mere natural mercy as it is occasion ally found among men generally but the mercy growing out of our personal experience of the mercy of God."
Mercy from God means mercy channeled toward our fellows. One can be upset and condemning about every wrong, however we view it, but Gospel mercy is provided through faith so it can multiply. That is often mistaken as "anything goes," but it means knowing our sins forgiven through contrition and faith, knowing we should be as gracious and merciful as God is, the very reason the deplorables were attracted to Jesus.
I have often experienced the savage need for revenge found in various leaders, clergy and lay alike, who must extract a penalty from those who have offended them in any way. Yet they are doing God's work in a way they do not comprehend. The good flour must be separated from the wormy flour or all of it will be wormy. The hatred of sound (hygienic) doctrine drives people away from sick doctrine so that sound doctrine may grow.
If I find canned vegetables marked "best if sold before 2003" then I would be foolish to open them because they look good on the outside.
That is how sound doctrine grows, by being separated out so it can thrive and build up faithful believers. However, when persecution leads to shunning, slander, and persecution, even extending the Left Foot of Fellowship, then the Gospel has a new place to grow.
I have to say to clergy in WELS, LCMS, CLC (
sic) - thank you for making me famished for sound doctrine. Thank you for placing me on the Net, in the spare room of a rented house, where the Word can reach the world. Thank you for sending volunteers to help in media ministries - art, printed books, ebooks, and the spoken Word.
That is why faithful Lutherans should welcome others to learn about sound doctrine rather than join in the Pietistic game of shunning. And within our friendships and households, forgiveness begets forgiveness.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Psalm 24 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This often applies to children, who only have faith and have not acquired the adult skill in rejecting God's Word.
But it also applies to all who believe in God and His Word without equivocation. The worldly wise among Lutherans question the text, the authors of the Bible, the meaning of the Word - and lead people into the confusion cast into their absorbent minds in seminary, where they learn hot theories rather than Biblical truths. Few are the clergy who can get ordained without many serious viruses in their brains. Leaders hate parish work and strive for cushy jobs where they promote their fads.
This is a great blessing, to read Genesis 1 - to see the Holy Trinity Creating and to know - As much as I can grasp this, I know how the world started and Who designed such perfection.
My wife and I have blind areas in our eyes, thanks to age and glaucoma, different in each eye so we do not see blackness. I said to the eye doctor, "Good design."
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Peace and forgiveness go together. So, if our soul is at peace because of faith in God's grace, through Jesus, then we will naturally be peacemakers rather than disturbers of the peace. The supernatural result of the Gospel is to create peaceful people who live in peace, even among very disturbed people.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
This is the longest Beatitude and the worst recruiting tool ever! When I was a lad, I wondered, "What kind of ending is this? Promising persecution and calling it blessed?"
But first - look at the primary reason - for righteousness' sake. The righteousness of the Bible is Justification by Faith. The righteous are Justified by Faith.
Luther described the three categories of heresy as -
- Against the Humanity of Christ,
- Against the Divinity of Christ,
- Against Justification.
Lenski's parents were kicked out of their church for believing Justification by Faith. OJ is actually a new fad in the LCMS-WELS. Both groups taught it from the start, but the Walther-Pieper gang imposed their Calvinistic Pietism on Lutherdom.
Was that terrible what was done to his parents? Yes, no doubt they grieved over it. Lost friends, lost relationships, branded as false teachers for teaching the truth.
But God blessed that with a son, the pastor, professor, and DP who devoted himself to commentaries on the entire New Testament. And their son is still insulted on a daily basis as "not good on justification."
The last Beatitudes may be the worst to endure but they are also the best for energizing the individual, especially when considering that "energize" reflects the Greek word for effective. Only one thing is marked as effective in the New Testament - the Word.
Personality is not effective. Corner lots are not effective. Marble altars and gold communion ware are not effective. Fish hats and incense are not effective.
Only the Word is effective, and it blinds and hardens those who obstinately reject it. But it enlightens and converts those who receive it patiently with sincere hearts.
