Trinity 17 - Healing the Dropsical Man

 

Bethany Lutheran Church

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Vimeo for Trinity 17, 2023

The Hymn #198    He's Risen, He's Risen             

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Righteous art Thou, O Lord: and upright are Thy judgments.

Deal with Thy servant: according to Thy mercy.

Psalm. Blessed are the undefiled in the way: 

who walk in the Law of the Lord.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Lord, we beseech Thee, grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations 

of the devil and with pure hearts and minds to follow Thee, the only God; 

through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual       

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: 

and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.

V. By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made: 

and all the host of them by the Breath of His mouth. 

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. Hallelujah!

The Gospel              

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

The Sermon Hymn #457         What a Friend We Have

 Access through Faith in Him

The Communion Hymn #315:8-11      I Come O Savior       

8. By faith I call Thy holy Table

The testament of Thy deep love;

For, lo, thereby I now am able

To see how love Thy heart doth move.

9. What higher gift can we inherit?

It is faith's bond and solid base;

It is the strength of heart and spirit,

The covenant of hope and grace.

10. This feast is manna, wealth abounding

Unto the poor, to weak ones power,

To angels joy, to hell confounding,

And life for us in death's dark hour.

11. Thy body, given for me, O Savior,

Thy blood which Thou for me didst shed,

These are my life and strength forever,

By them my hungry soul is fed. 

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 # 361                  O Jesus, King

                      In Our Prayers 

• Those dealing with diabetes and metabolic disorders; Sarah Buck, Lori Howell, Randy Anderson, Kermit Way, . 
• Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris went to Columbus, Ohio, for the funeral of his sister Charlotte.
• Brett and Amy Meyer celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary on October 7th.

              

 Norma A. Boeckler's Christian art books

KJV Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

KJV Luke 14:1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer him again to these things. 7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity

Lord God, heavenly Father: We beseech Thee so to guide and direct us by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not exalt ourselves, but humbly fear Thee, with our whole hearts hear and keep Thy word, and hallow the Lord's day, that we also may be hallowed by Thy word; help us, first, to place our hope and confidence in Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who alone is our righteousness and Redeemer, and, then, so to amend and better our lives in accordance with Thy word, that we may avoid all offenses and finally obtain eternal salvation, through Thy grace in Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God. world without end. Amen.

Access through Faith in Him

KJV Luke 14:1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

Two things worked against Jesus, in the eyes of the Pharisees. One was His popularity with the crowds, based on His healing miracles and His teaching. The other problem was His way of refuting salvation based upon works of the Law. According to Lenski, Jesus came because of the invitation, and this was a meal, not just eating some bread. We still use the term "break bread" as a term for a large meal. Jesus came because the Gospel is the opposite of the Law, and His work was to oppose the false notions of salvation by the Law.

Although many talk about, teach, and advocate grace and forgiveness, our society is dominated by the works of the Law. People will warn others against walking on linoleum of the school's emblem - even funnier - barriers are around this sacred symbol so all know - do not put your unclean shoes on this sacred letter. Meanwhile, all kinds of things happen and they are excused by "we are known for our shenanigans." Modern Pharisees watch to make sure their one law is observed 100%.

2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

As we will be exploring on Vimeos, there are good ways to understand and appreciate details in the Scriptures. In this case, the emphasis is not on the  man and his thoughts, but on the Pharisees observing the scene. Jesus makes a point about their Law.

3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

From this verse we can see that this is a large gathering of people and leaders. It was normal for Jesus to heal people who were very sick, and this took place in various ways. Rather than just healing the man, Jesus asked a religious question. Is it against the Torah to heal this man on the Sabbath?

4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 

This should have created a yes or no answer from the leaders because that is the nature of Jewish law, to have discussions and decisions. They had a sizeable crowd and a good audience to hear and to observe.

5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

The Law crowd could not answer because they knew how everyone felt about having an animal fall in a pit. On the other hand, they prided themselves on their strict observance of the Law. Jesus not only healed miraculously but also showed His power in front of the Law salesmen. So this is clearly an event where Jesus emphasized the meaning of His work and Word while others were afraid to be on one side or the other, knowing their Law attitude would make the crowd very upset.

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luther:

24. The Papists have commented on these verses in their own way and twisted this Gospel, saying: Yea, the Pope is to be the least or youngest, sitting at the foot and serving others; but that is to take place in the heart.

They pretended to sit at the foot and to serve others as the humblest; but withal they lorded it over all emperors, kings and princes, yea, trampled them in the dust; just as if emperors, kings, princes and rulers should not also possess in their hearts the humility of which the Lord here treats. They thus put on airs and make a show of their carnal interpretation. If they had any humility in their hearts their lives would bear testimony to it. Christ speaks here not of outward humility alone, for the inner is the source of the outer; if it is not in the heart it will hardly be manifest in the body.

25. Therefore the Gospel aims at making all of us humble, whatever and whoever we may be, that none may exalt himself, unless urged and elevated by regular authority. That is what the Lord wants to inculcate by this parable, directing it to all, be they high or low. In this spirit he reproves the Pharisees and others who desire high places and are ambitious to get ahead of others. They may accept honors when regularly elected and forced to accept high places. I make these remarks to contravene and discredit their false spiritual interpretations.

This parable not only describes the Church of Rome, with so many men pretending to be humble while parading their humility, but also the acts of being in charge of everything, demanding honor, and making sure of one's place in life. Even the disciples argued over who would be first when Jesus reigned over the world.

The Gospels prove that the most important part of Jesus' earthly ministry was His suffering and pain on the way of the cross, not only the horrible punishment, but also the mockery and shame. The Beatitudes are the opposite of human behavior because they are the teaching of the Savior.

The last Beatitude is the ultimate cause for joy (rejoice) because it was Jesus' work in giving us eternal life - 

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.

Then we are blessed and rejoice because the prophets were persecuted the same way.

Faith in the Savior

Our basic response to needs is the law rather than faith in Christ. People want honor, security, and a peaceful life. The path is not trust in the material things - and honors - but trust in the Savior. 

The Gospel comes to us, because nobody would make this up for themselves. In various ways, either from baptism or being taught, the meaning of Christ grows in us the way yeast grows in dough. Without the yeast, the dough may be baked, but it is hard as a rock, more like a brick or a weapon and having no taste. But with the introduction of yeast, the mix lifts itself up on bubbles and creates a delicious food that fills the room. Some are thinking about it now and saying, "That's a baker talking."

Faith Is Access to Christ

But the point is - faith in the Savior. That is access to God's grace, the meeting place with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, miracle worker, one who raised people from the dead, and rose Himself after dying from the cross and ascending to Heaven.

Whenever possible, I make a point of meeting famous people. My first was Richard Nixon during his first campaign. In Walmart-land I made a point of meeting two Chief Executive Officers and some others. The CEOs were a bit shocked and not welcoming that I walked up to THEM and shook their hands. I really thought that was funny, because one CEO kept saying to his workers at the meetings, "The customers are paying your checks." And I got to know one of the Walton heirs, supposedly worth $50 billion. She asked me to take a group picture of the heirs, so I did that, and took my own picture.

Compare that to total access to grace through Jesus Christ, any time, any place. That is so often overlooked by people - or even denied. Each one of us can call on the Savior and He will answer. He gives more than we can imagine and begins His help before we even think to ask. That is why we teach children to pray, to encourage that access to grace as they grow. Our daughters could not speak, but when the nurses tried to teach them about Jesus, the girls made it clear that they already knew. 

The End

Biblical Doctrine - Part 1

 

The Link to Biblical Doctrine - Part 1

Book of Concord - Quia Fakes and Inerrancy Quakes.How the Lutherans Became Unitarians

WELS, ELS, and LCMS claim to have a quia subscription to the Book of Concord, but their allegiance really belongs to Understanding Church Growth. They mourn Peter Drucker!

The professors ridiculed the Apostolic KJV into the archives, using ridicule, while selling the Bad Bibles for their own profit - RSV, NRSV, NIV, ESV, Beck. 

Those who teach and confess the Book of Concord, using the KJV, are shunned, excommunicated, or - sob - forced to study the works of Waldo Vermin and Peter Drucker.

A few would rather have the truth of the Scriptures instead of cushy jobs, a fat retirement, and a building named after them.

The Reformation began with little more than the Apostles, but they also knew the power of God's Word.

Even the Great Commission is poisoned by their crypto-Unitarian slogans. Jesus commissioned the disciples to teach all nations through the Means of Grace, not recruit members for the Praise Band.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 - “For which is the greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat! But I am in the midst of you as he that serveth.”

 

Complete Sermon on the Dropsical Man. Trinity 17.

17. As Christ here treats of the law relating to the Sabbath and makes it subserve the needs of man, so we should treat laws of that kind and keep them only so far as they accord with love. If laws do not serve love, they may be annulled at once, be they God’s or man’s commands. Take an illustration from our former darkness and sorrow under the Papacy.

Suppose someone had vowed to visit St. Jacob, and he remembers the words: “Pay that which thou vowest,” Ecclesiastes 5:4. He may have a wife, children or household to care for. What should such an one do?

Should he proceed to St. Jacob, or remain at home and support his family?

There, decide for yourselves which would be most needful and what harmonizes best with the spirit of love. I regard it best for him to remain home at work and attend to the care of his family. For his pilgrimage to St.

Jacob, even if that were not idolatrous and wrong in itself, would be of little profit to him, yea, he would spend and lose more than he could gain.

18. Another example. A mother is about to bear a child, who vowed to eat no flesh on Wednesdays, as many foolish women do. And perhaps because of this vow the mother may injure her offspring and her own body. Then the foolish confessional fathers come and say: Dear daughter, it is written in the Scriptures, what one vows, that must be kept; it is God’s command and thou must at any peril keep thy vow. Thus the good woman is soon taken captive and chained by her conscience, goes and fulfills her vow, and does harm both to herself and her offspring. Hence both have sinned, those who taught her thus, and the woman in that she did not esteem her love more than her vow, by which she neither served nor pleased God; yea, more than this, she thus provoked God to anger by keeping her vow.

Therefore we should say to such a foolish mother: Behold, thou art about to bear a child, and thou must serve it and desist from this foolish thing, so that great harm may not spring from it; for all laws find their end in love.

19. We should act in like manner toward the false priests, monks and nuns.

When they say: Yea, we have vowed so and so, and it is written: “Vow, and pay unto Jehovah your God,” Psalm 76:11, then say to them: Look, there is also a command: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” But in your vocation it is impossible to serve your neighbor, nor can you continue in it without sin. Therefore, forsake it openly and enter a state in which you are not so apt to sin, but where you may serve your fellow-man, help and counsel him; and do not bother about a vow which you did not give to God your Lord, but to the devil; not for the salvation of souls and blessedness, but for damnation and ruin of both soul and body.

20. If you are a Christian you have power to dispense with all commandments so far as they hinder you in the practice of love, even as Christ here teaches. He goes right on, although it is the Sabbath day, helps this sick man and gives a satisfactory and clear reason for his Sabbath work.

21. There is yet another thought in this Gospel about taking a prominent seat at feasts, which we must consider. When the Lord noticed how the guests, the Pharisees, chose to sit in the first seats, he gave them the following parable to ponder: “When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage least, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lower place. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee.”

22. This parable is aimed at the laws and precepts of the Pharisees and scribes which provide that honor should be paid to the great and powerful, giving them the preference and allowing them to sit at the head. Christ here reverses the order and says: “He that would be the greatest, let him take the lowest seat.” Not that a peasant should be placed above a prince; that is not what Christ means, nor would that be proper. But our Lord does not speak here of worldly, but of spiritual things, where humility is specially commended. Let rulers follow the custom of occupying the uppermost seats at festive boards, we have to do here with matters of the heart. Christ does not appoint burgomasters, judges, princes, lords; these stations in life he ignores as subject to civil order and the dictates of reason. There must be rulers and to them honors are due because of their position; but the spiritual government requires that its participants humble themselves, in order that they may be exalted.

23. Therefore the Lord said to his disciples when they disputed as to who should be the greatest among them: “The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them, and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors. But ye shall not be so; but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve,” Luke 22:25-27. He then speaks of himself as an illustration, asking: “For which is the greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat! But I am in the midst of you as he that serveth.”

And in another place, Matthew 20:26-28, he said: “Whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

24. The Papists have commented on these verses in their own way and twisted this Gospel, saying: Yea, the Pope is to be the least or youngest, sitting at the foot and serving others; but that is to take place in the heart.

They pretended to sit at the foot and to serve others as the humblest; but withal they lorded it over all emperors, kings and princes, yea, trampled them in the dust; just as if emperors, kings, princes and rulers should not also possess in their hearts the humility of which the Lord here treats. They thus put on airs and make a show of their carnal interpretation. If they had any humility in their hearts their lives would bear testimony to it. Christ speaks here not of outward humility alone, for the inner is the source of the outer; if it is not in the heart it will hardly be manifest in the body.

Efficacy - The Cure That Dare Not Speak Its Name - 1 Thess 2:13 - "13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."

The Smells and Belles bishops have left a profound, bad impression on ELCA, scattering the flock, electing more she-wolves, Liz Eaton even supplanting the bishop who was ahead of her Ken Sauer.

KJV 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 δια τουτο (On account of this) και ημεις ευχαριστουμεν τω θεω (we also thank God) αδιαλειπτως (without ceasing)  οτι παραλαβοντες λογον ακοης (which when receiving the Word-of-hearing) παρ ημων του θεου εδεξασθε (you received of God from us) ου λογον ανθρωπων (not the word of man)  αλλα καθως εστιν αληθως (BUT as it truly is)  λογον θεου (the Word of God)  ος και ενεργειται (which is also effective - energized)  εν υμιν τοις πιστευουσιν (in you who are believers). Jackson Interlinear NT For Seminarians Who Slept Through Greek and Became Professors/Fuller Graduates.

    More than one person has told me, even among others, "I never heard of the efficacy of the Word until I came upon your blog." I was not shocked, because in searching for the disgusting origins of Church Growth, the efficacy of the Word was central and yet missing from Biblical and Lutheran scholarship. Although the words for efficacy are found repeatedly in the Greek New Testament - even giving us the origin of the word "energy" - the concept barely exists in all the literature, in Kittel or the dictionaries.

    Efficacy is not just a word-group, but a central doctrine of Bible - from Genesis 1 and Isaiah 55 - to John 16 and all references to the Spirit at work in the Word of God. Needless to say - but I will anyway - efficacy is absent in Calvinism and the Church of Rome. Those who have read and studied F. Pieper realize that he was a hybrid, a Calvinist adopting the words of Luther but adoring the soul of Halle Pietism (Calvinism for the ignorant).

    Luther, Melanchthon, Chemnitz, and the Book of Concord are saturated with the efficacy of the Word, simply because they were Biblical theologians, not dogma tyrants (Walther, Pieper, Waldo Werning, Otten, Hale). Hale even declares that I once embraced his beloved Objective Faithless Justification, dreaming of an apostasy that belongs to him and his crew alone.

    The Lutherans of various stripes, secret codes, and GA graduation will never get out of their spiraling abyss until they repudiate their shameful dogma. Some fly to Pasadena, others to 

monasteries where the quiet is profound and the monks handsy.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 - "One ought to give him sneeze-wort to purge his brain."

 

Complete Sermon on the Dropsical Man. Trinity 17.

10. And thus we should apply every law, even as love suggests, that it be executed where it is helpful to a fellow-man, and dispensed with where it does harm. Take a common illustration: If there were a housekeeper who made the rule in his home to serve now fish, then meat, now wine, then beer, even as it suits him; but perchance some one of his household took sick and could not drink beer or wine, nor eat meat or fish, and the housekeeper would not give him anything else, but say: No, my rules and regulations prescribe thus; I cannot give you anything else: what kind of a housekeeper would such an one be? One ought to give him sneeze-wort to purge his brain. For if he were a sensible man he would say: It is indeed true that my rules and regulations prescribe meat or fish for the table today, yet since this diet does not agree with you, you may eat what you like.

See how a housekeeper may adjust his own rules and make them conform to the love he entertains for his household. Thus all law must be applied as love toward a fellow-man may dictate.

11. Therefore, since the Mosaic law was not understood nor modified by love in the Old Testament, God promised the people through Moses that he would raise up a prophet who should interpret the law to them. For thus Moses says in Deuteronomy 18:15: “Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall harken.” God raised up prophets from time to time to explain the law and apply it, not in its rigor, but in love. Of this Moses himself is an example. He led the children of Israel out of Egypt for forty years hither and thither through the desert. Abraham had been commanded in Genesis 17:12, to circumcise every male on the eighth day. This commandment was plain enough that all had to observe it, yet Moses neglected it and circumcised no one the whole forty years.

12. Now, who authorized Moses to violate this commandment, given to Abraham by God himself? His authority was vested in his knowledge of the law’s spirit; he knew how to interpret and apply it in brotherly love, namely, that the law was to be serviceable to the people, and not the reverse. For, if during their journey they had to be ready day by day for warfare, circumcision would have hindered them, and he therefore omitted it, saying in effect: Although this law is given and should be observed, yet we will apply it in the spirit of love, and suspend its operation until we come to the end of our journey. Likewise should all laws be interpreted and applied as love and necessity may demand. Hence the importance of a good interpreter.

13. It was the same in the case of David when he partook of the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for anyone to eat, except the priest, Samuel 21:6; as Christ himself makes use of this example in Matthew 12:3. David was not consecrated, nor were his servants. When he was hungry he went to Ahimelech and asked for himself and men something to eat. Ahimelech answered: I have indeed nothing to give; the shew-bread of the tabernacle is for holy use. Then David and his men helped themselves and ate freely of it. Did David sin in the face of God’s ordinance? No. Why not? Because necessity compelled him, seeing there was nothing else to eat. It is in this way that necessity and love may override law.

14. That is what Christ also does in our Gospel, when he heals the suffering man on the Sabbath, although he well knew how strictly the Old Testament required the observance of the Sabbath. But see what the Pharisees do! They stand by watching the Lord. They would not have helped the sick man with a spoonful of wine, even if they could have done so. But Christ handles the law even at the risk of violating it, freely helps the poor man sick with the dropsy and gives the public a reason for his action, when he says, in effect: It is indeed commanded to keep the Sabbath day, yet where love requires it, there the law may be set aside.

This he follows up with an illustration from everyday life, then dismisses them in a way they must commend, and they answer him not a word. He says: “Which of you shall have an ox or an ass fallen into a well and will not straightway draw him up on the Sabbath day?”

15. As if to say: Ye fools, are ye not mad and stupid! If you act thus in the case of saving an ox or an ass which may perhaps be valued at a few dollars, how much rather should one do the same to a neighbor, helping him to his health, whether it be the Sabbath or not! For the Sabbath, as he says elsewhere, was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So that the son of man is lord even of the Sabbath, Mark 2:27.

16. Among the Jews there was a rigorous enforcement of the law, even their kings insisted on its strict observance. When the prophets came and explained the law in the spirit of love, saying: This is what Moses means, thus the law is to be understood, then there were false prophets at hand to side with the kings, insisting on the literal text and saying: There, so it is written; it is God’s Word; one must not interpret it otherwise. Thereupon the kings proceeded to kill one prophet after another. In the same way the Papists, priests and monks act now. If anyone says: We need not observe their laws literally, but we should rather interpret them in love; then they immediately cry, Heretic! Heretic!! and if they could they would kill him; yea, they do so already quite lustily.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 - "For if I love my neighbor, I help him, protect him, hold him in honor, and do what I would have done to me."

 

Complete Sermon on the Dropsical Man. Trinity 17.

8. Therefore we conclude that all law, divine and human, treating of outward conduct, should not bind any further than love goes. Love is to be the interpreter of law. Where there is no love, these things are meaningless, and law begins to do harm; as is also written in the Pope’s book: “If a law or ordinance runs counter to love, it will soon come to an end.” This is in brief spoken of divine and human laws. The reason for enacting all laws and ordinances is only to establish love, as Paul says, Romans 13:10: “Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.” Likewise verse 8: “Owe no man anything, save to love one another.” For if I love my neighbor, I help him, protect him, hold him in honor, and do what I would have done to me.

9. Since then all law exists to promote love, law must soon cease where it is in conflict with love. Therefore, everything depends upon a good leader or ruler to direct and interpret the law in accordance with love.

Take the example of the priests and monks. They have drawn up laws that they will say mass and do their praying and juggle with God in other ways at given hours according to the clock. If now a poor man should call and ask for a service at an hour when they were to hold mass or repeat their prayers, they might say: “Go your way; I must now read mass, must attend to my prayers,” and thus they would fail to serve the poor man, even if he should die. In this manner the most sanctimonious monks and Carthusians act; they observe their rules and statutes so rigorously that, although they saw a poor man breathing his last breath and could help him so easily, yet they will not do it. But the good people, if they were Christians, ought to explain the laws and statutes in harmony with love, and say: Let the mass go, let the sacraments, prayers, and the ordinances all go; I will dispense with works, I will serve my neighbor; love put in practice in serving my neighbor is golden in comparison with such human works.

10. And thus we should apply every law, even as love suggests, that it be executed where it is helpful to a fellow-man, and dispensed with where it does harm. Take a common illustration: If there were a housekeeper who made the rule in his home to serve now fish, then meat, now wine, then beer, even as it suits him; but perchance some one of his household took sick and could not drink beer or wine, nor eat meat or fish, and the housekeeper would not give him anything else, but say: No, my rules and regulations prescribe thus; I cannot give you anything else: what kind of a housekeeper would such an one be? One ought to give him sneeze-wort to purge his brain. For if he were a sensible man he would say: It is indeed true that my rules and regulations prescribe meat or fish for the table today, yet since this diet does not agree with you, you may eat what you like.

See how a housekeeper may adjust his own rules and make them conform to the love he entertains for his household. Thus all law must be applied as love toward a fellow-man may dictate.

Two More Months of Therapy - Hyperbaric O2 Treatments

 

Bob will have 8 weeks more of treatment, this time with oxygen.

1972 Graduation - Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Ontario. WLS Is Now Martin Lutheran University College

Waterloo Lutheran Seminary graduates and faculty members in the Seminary chapel. Left to right, back row: Delton Glebe (d. 2011), Eric Howes, Dr. David Granskou (d. 2016), Dr. Ragnar Teigen, Dr. Eduard Riegert (d. 2022) and Richard Crossman. Centre row: Greg Jackson and Gil Scharf (d. 2004). Front row: Guenter Dahle, Laurie Van Kleek, Paul Schweitzer, Bill Wade, Ronald Mulberger (d. 2011) and Dave Hardy. Dr. Aarne Siirala is not in this photo (d. 1991).

ELCA in Canada broke off in 1986 to become ELCiC. Susan Johnson attended WLS and became a staffer for the Eastern Canada Synod. She was voted in as ELCiC bishop in 2007. 

The WLS Chapel is used for Doggy Drop-In

Lo, A Great and Effective Sword Is Aimed Against Entertainment Evangelism, Gimmicks, Door Prizes, Soft Drinks and Popcorn, Pagan Music, Lupine Pastors and Jennies!

 

The Sword of the Holy Spirit 

in the Word

KJV Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The Sword of the Holy Spirit in the Word is powerful and effective against all false doctrine and false teachers.

Many clergy lick their lips as they dine sumptuously every day with their belly-bursting friends. The money wasted confirms their self-esteem and extends the Left Boot of Fellowship.

What belongs to God alone the Holy Spirit taking from the Father and the Son and teaching them to us through the Scriptures and faithful pastors. The dogmaticians - not just Bishop Stephan, founder of the LCMS - chase their girlfriends around the study and pretend they have Christianity in a package. Many clergy follow the same idea with their "community churches" and subsequent lawsuits.

The wolves (lupine) and jennies (female pastors) are happy to avoid the cross of Christ. They also want, and even demand, that their followers shun the old-fashioned ideas of the King James Bible. The franchise owner of Willow Creek Community Church would not allow a Bible in his cross-less church unless it was a gen-oo-wine feminist version.

The modern Bibles are excellent in their inclusion of all ideas except for the truth. The Virgin Birth of Christ in Isaiah 7 has the evil king asking for miracle directly from God Himself. 

KJV 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

The wizards of modern Bibles do whatever they want, even zig-zagging on the Virgin Birth in the main text or the footnote, or reversing which is the main one. Their stance on the Scriptures show us that they are farces, especially the paid-for scholars of the NIV, ESV, RSV, NRSV, Beck, and other abominations. 

CEB

Therefore, the Lord will give you a sign. The young woman is pregnant and is about to give birth to a son, and she will name him Immanuel.

CJB

Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman* will become pregnant, bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us].

ERV

But the Lord will still show you this sign: The young woman is pregnant and will give birth to a son. She will name him Immanuel.

ERV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel.

For this reason the Lord himself will give you a confirming sign. Look, this young woman is about to conceive and will give birth to a son. You, young woman, will name him Immanuel.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. NIV [but "a young woman" in the footnote]

A jenny is a female donkey.