Daily Lutheran Sermon Quote - Rogate - "In Like Manner, St. Paul Says That God’s Ability Is Thus Proved, In That he does exceeding abundantly above and better than we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20.

 

Link to Luther's Rogate Sermon - 

7. In the fifth place, one should so act in this confidence of prayer as not to limit God and specify the day or place, nor designate the way or measure of the prayer’s fulfillment; but leave all to his own will, wisdom and almighty power. Then confidently and cheerfully await the answer, not even wishing to know how and where, how soon, how long, and through whom. His divine wisdom will find far better ways and measures, time and place, than we can devise, even should we perform miracles. So, in the Old Testament, the children of Israel all trusted in God to deliver them while yet there was no possible way before their eyes, nor even in their thoughts; then the Red Sea parted and offered them a way through the waters, and suddenly drowned all their enemies. Exodus 14.

8. Thus Judith, the holy woman, did when she heard that the citizens of Bethulia wished to deliver the city to their enemies within five days if God, in the meantime, did not help. She reproved them and said, Now who are ye, that have tempted God? They are not designs by which one acquires grace; but they awaken more disgrace. Do you wish to set a time for God to show you mercy, and specify a day according to your own pleasure?

Judith 8:10-12. Then the Lord helped her in a wonderful manner, in that she cut off the head of the great Holofernes and dispersed the enemies.

9. In like manner, St. Paul says that God’s ability is thus proved, in that he does exceeding abundantly above and better than we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20. Therefore, we should know that we are too finite to be able to name, picture or designate the time, place, way, measure and other circumstances for that which we ask of God. Let us leave that entirely to him, and immovably and steadfastly believe that he will hear us.

KJV Ephesians 3:20 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 [GJ - dynamo in Greek for power; energy or efficacy for the Greek word for worketh in us - την δυναμιν την ενεργουμενην]

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Daily Lutheran Sermon Quote - "Our Prayers Must Not Be Founded Nor Rest Upon Ourselves Or Their Own Merits, But Upon the Unshakable Truth of the Divine Promise"

 

Link to Luther's Rogate Sermon - 

5. In the fourth place, some say: Yes, I would gladly trust that my prayer would be heard, if I were only worthy and prayed aright. My answer is: If you do not pray until you know and experience that you are fit, then you will never need to pray. As I have said before, our prayers must not be founded nor rest upon ourselves or their own merits, but upon the unshakable truth of the divine promise. Where they are founded upon anything else, they are false, and deceive us, even though the heart break in the midst of its great devotions and we weep drops of blood. The very reason we do pray is because of our unworthiness; and just through the fact that we believe we are unworthy and confidently venture upon God’s faithfulness to his Word do we become worthy to pray and to be heard. Be you as unworthy as you may, only look to it, and with all earnestness accept it as true, that a thousandfold more depends upon this, that you know God’s truth and not change his faithful promise into a lie by your doubting. Your worthiness does not help you, but your unworthiness is no barrier. Disbelief condemns you, and trust makes you worthy and sustains you.

6. Therefore, be on your guard all through life that you may never think yourself worthy or fit to pray or to receive; unless it be that you discover yourself to be a freebold character risking all upon the faithful and sure promises of your gracious God, who thus wishes to reveal to you his mercy and goodness. Just as he, out of pure grace, has promised you, being so unworthy, an unmerited and unasked hearing, so will he also hear you, an unworthy beggar, out of pure grace, to the praise of his truth and promise. This he does in order that you may thank, not your worthiness, but his truth, by which he fulfils his promise, and that you thank his mercy that gave the promise, that the saying in Psalm 25:8-10 may stand: “Good and upright is Jehovah: Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in justice; and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of Jehovah are loving kindness and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” Loving-kindness or mercy in the promise; faithfulness and truth in the fulfilling or hearing of the promises.

And in another Psalm he says: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10. That is, they come together in every work and gift we receive from God through prayer.

Another Thursday Rain - How the Rain and Snow Green Up the Landscape

 

 Honeysuckle

Thursday seems to be destined for rain, week after week. A heavy rain means slogging through mud to pull the barrels out to the front. Today is an all day rain, so procrastination is not doing anything more than add to the rain from last night. When the mud gets tough, the tough take the barrels through the kitchen and living room.

I have two honeysuckle vines starting to grow, planted last fall. Or - they are identical weeds in two places, each protected with a plastic collar. My confidence is growing with those two plants. Adults and children consider honeysuckle essential to the South - the edible berries and the intoxicating fragrance

My favorite chore is pouring rainwater on plants that need help or promise to be the most bountiful. A crepe myrtle has been given extra rainwater ever since I planted it, and it will be a great bird sanctuary this summer.

Last year's drought made it seem impossible to keep the plants growing. As bad as the winter was, the struggling plants of last autumn became the superstars of 2023. Root systems grew all winter long, prospering from the snow, rain, and sleet.

Rainwater is life-giving, not only for the moisture needed in all of life, but also for the rain's usable nitrogen compounds. One garden author taught me that ideal soil is a combination of constantly moving, living and dying exchanges of nutrition and water. They are the bank from which all others draw interest and pay dividends. 

Some gardeners argue for carbon, others for nitrogen, still others for manure and earthworms. The garden is a liturgical spectacle where each element takes its turn, delivers the benefit, and humbly departs for the next round of life.

 Enchanted Peace

Many garden sorrows turned into joy this spring. Lilies came up strong. Bee balm spread to serve the butterflies, birds, and hummingbirds. Most roses kept their health and began budding. Joe Pye and Clethra began, shy and late, soon shooting upward from the earlier rain and sun. 

The key pollen producers now are the cat mint and the borage. Two bumble bees work  those flowers all day long - or maybe switch to a new team every hour. The bee team comes up to the porch and circles around, as if there is another source of pollen. Soon the various mints and Clethra will mix their fragrances together for a butterfly jamboree. 

News Briefs - Various Topics

 

They are no longer jolly about their Photoshopped Thrivent picture. "That's my last bishop painted on the wall. I scraped but cannot get her off at all."

WELS has always been  a tiptoe into insolvency, though they do have $100 million+ in the bank. The one thing needful is missing - faith. Shunning and extending the Left Boot of Fellowship - those are not winning strategies, even with millions spent on Church Growth fanaticism. 

Matt the Fatt will be re-elected, which is adequate punishment for ambition without substance.

President ELCA Bishop Liz Eaton is suffering from a perilous pickle. She became a bishop and archbishop by the quota system which was installed when ELCA was born in 1987 unleashed in 2009. Ex-Bishop Megan is now a double or triple victim. She will gain credibility with the most radical, poly-denomination activists. Liz will feel stranded as each executive effort enrages the Far Left she help lead into the abyss.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the fish-hat."

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - "Faith Keeps the Heart Calm and Stable And Makes It Receptive for the Divine Gifts"

 

Link to Luther's Rogate Sermon - 

3. In the third place, if one prays doubting that God will hear him, and only offers his prayers as a venture, whether it be granted or not granted, he is guilty of two wicked deeds. The first is, that he, himself, makes his prayer unavailing and he labors in vain. For Jesus says: “Whoever will ask of God, let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6-7. He means that the heart of such a man does not continue stable, therefore God can give it nothing; but faith keeps the heart calm and stable and makes it receptive for the divine gifts.

4. The other wicked deed is, that he regards his most true and faithful God as a liar and an unstable and doubtful being; as one who can not or will not keep his promise; and thus through his doubt he robs God of his honor and of his name of truth and faithfulness. In this, such a grievous sin is committed that by this sin a Christian becomes a heathen, denying and losing his own God, and thus he remains in his sin, and must be condemned forever, without comfort. Moreover, if he receives that for which he prays, it will be given, not for his salvation, but for his punishment in time and eternity and it is not for the sake of the prayers, but because of his wrath that God rewards the good words which were spoken in sin, unbelief and divine dishonor.

The Epistle of James. JWs Stopped By and Reminded Me of the Tactics of False Teachers. They Own KJVs But Replace the Truth with Their Convenient Opinions

 

Two pleasant ladies came by the house and began talking up the Jehovah's Witnesses without saying so. After some time I got them to confess their own opinions, which were not in harmony with the Word. They kept repudiating the Holy Trinity - their opinion, even though the Trinity is taught from Genesis 1 onward.

I have found the same thing happening with the Epistle of James. There are several obstacles in discussing the Bible and Luther.

1. Everyone likes to take a poke at Luther, often based only what they heard from someone else.
2. Luther may be mentioned here and there, but very few actually study Luther or read him regularly. I have always gained a lot from Luther. That is why I am posting Daily Luther Sermon Quotes, year around.
3. James is not studied much, and yet it is full of great wisdom, likely aimed at pastors and leaders of congregations. I am touching on matters in order, so readers can follow carefully.

False Claims against James

False claim -There is not much Gospel in James. Luther said, "James is a right strawy Epistle."

No, Luther said, "James is a right strawy Epistle, compared to Paul." The second part makes all the difference. 

Luther was saying that Paul is so abundant in teaching faith, grace, and the Gospel that in comparison, James is not so filled with those elements. James is one small epistle with practical advice. Paul has more letters than all the others combined in the New Testament. Therefore, Paul had much more to say.

KJV James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

The above is very much like Luther and Paul, with an emphasis upon faith in God.

KJV James 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

This is a passage about Jesus Christ. He is the perfect gift, the only gift from above - a classic phrase from Jesus speaking in John 3. As the Incarnate Word, Jesus gives us spiritual birth (begat us) and good works - spiritual gifts come from that birth. 

James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Paul often emphasized faith as basic doctrine - Romans and Galatians - James is writing about the natural connection between faith, good works, and the fruits of the Spirit. Faith and works do not oppose one another, and works are not added on (Roman Catholic) to complete or finish salvation.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

The pure and undefiled (Justified by Faith) will naturally visit orphans and widows. There is no gap between willing and doing. 

James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

This is a perfect example of showing the shallowness of saying something and doing nothing. Roman Catholics use this notion to say, "Faith is perfected in love (works)." However, that claim means separating the energy of the Gospel Word from its effects on the believer. The question remains with this emphasis on the Law, "When are the works enough?" That is much more like a burden than a joy.

Believing in Christ turns the labor of life into joy, as so many nurses, mothers, and grandmothers have said. The "mewing and puking babes" (Shakespeare) are a delight. Even as they grow, squabble, run into trouble, and become young adults, they fill parental and grandparental lives with happiness. 

KJV James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

What do you think of a rich man who breaks up his marriage, breaks up another marriage to gain his Bathsheba, and gives millions of dollars away to show his works? Is he not a hypocrite, not only for his actions but also for his example, corrupting the weak and destroying faith?

When people believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, Savior, who died for our sins and rose from the dead, our sins are taken away, drowned in the ocean of God's grace. 

Faith in the Good Shepherd is access to His grace, and the only access. 

Works, however they may glitter - a new library named after the donor, a new chapel made of shiny copper - never gain access to God's grace and forgiveness. Works are the result, not the cause of forgiveness.

The ALPB Lutheran Forum Letter Leads with Their "No ____ Need Apply," Followed by the Megan Rohrer Meltdown, Shemozzle, Collapse

 

 Bishop Randy DeJaynes was followed by ELDONA'S Right Reverend Bishop James Heiser, STM.

Notice the subtle homeplate design of Bishop DeJayne's hat.

ELCA's Reverend Dr. Bishop Megan Rohrer

"The Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer served as the first openly transgender Bishop in a major Christian denomination, Megan is an award winning filmmaker, musician and historian, A controversial activist, Megan preaches and teaches around the world and is known for their advocacy for the homeless and LGBTQ communities.  Megan was a finalist for the Lambda Literary award, received an honorable mention as an Unsung Hero of Compassion by Wisdom in Action, with His Holiness the Dali Lama and as one of 95 individuals celebrated in Wittenberg, Germany during the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation."

In short, though a graduate of Augustana College, Sioux Falls, Megan became ELCA's version of fly paper by her series of dictatorial actions leveraged by a steady stream of self-promotions. ELCA fired her and she is suing ELCA.

If ELCA tried to discipline Megan, who now works for Glide Memorial Church, the legal bills would doubtless grow amid the din of howling activists trained in ELCA's ways, the piccolo section because the majority of believers drifted away ever since the 1987 merger in Columbus, Ohio.

Rev. Dr. Amy Shifrin S.T.S. wrote about other issues in the Letter. She was the president of a teeny-tiny quasi-Episcopal ELCA seminary.

Tom Fisher - The Good Shepherd

 

Dear Pastor Jackson,

All of us can visualize the heart warming picture of a shepherd watching over his flock of sheep. There are many earthly shepherd's who watch over their flocks, but there is only one heavenly shepherd: our Lord Jesus Christ. I am going to begin with earthly shepherd's.

I am a shepherd. I have a small flock of about 40 sheep that I care for. So please join me as I begin chores this morning.  O my! It's already 6 AM. My sheep will be waiting for me. I need to take care of my eight rams first. They are "mowing my lawn" for me. I open the gate to let them in the front yard and start calling them by name. Here Buck! Come on Buttons, Spot, and Browny! They know my voice so they follow me into my overgrown front yard, nibbling on tender clover as they come.

My main flock of ewes and lambs are in the "high pasture" . I call it the "high pasture" because it is across Honey creek at the top of a very steep hill. So I wade across the creek  and begin trudging up the hill. When I reach the top I can see the whole flock bedded down in a bunch, the little lambs nestled close to their mothers. It is cool this morning. I open the gate and begin calling my sheep by name. Here Patches! Come on Smokey, Zebra, Christmas, and Star of Wonder! They know my voice so they start to get up and follow me into the new pasture. Smokey is my best and favorite ewe  She always comes up to me to be petted and scratched. She had a lamb with unusual pin stripes and markings, so I named hér Zebra.  Christmas and Star of Wonder were born in January.  It was bitterly cold but they both had good mothers that kept them warm and well nourished. I notice a ewe all by herself on the other side of the pasture.  As I approach two little white fuzzy heads pop up.  She has twin lambs! I don't want to get too close as it takes about five days for lambs and ewes to " latch on" to each other. After five days lambs and ewes will recognize each other's voice.  It's a miracle to see two little lambs come running when they hear their mother calling them! How they can hear her voice over all the other ewes calling their lambs at the same time is a wonder of God's creation! 

I do have a helper who protects my sheep from vicious packs of coyotes and other predators, even an occasional stray mountain lion. His name is Ringo. He is a huge fluffy Great Pyrenees who stays close to the sheep.  He is very protective of newly born lambs. 

Sometimes lambs stray away from the main flock.  They somehow find a way out, so I always watch for them.  The whole flock is together this morning, so I breathe a sigh of relief.  Lambs can really get lost especially if they wander into the thick woods. 

Doing chores is a good work out. I need a little rest, but I am really writing about rest for my soul that my good shepherd gives me.

To find my good shepherd, I go to some shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. " Luke 2:9-14 So I went with my fellow shepherds toward Bethlehem and the star we had seen in the east went before us and stood over the place where my good shepherd was born. We went in and saw the virgin Mary his mother and her new born son wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. Here is my good Shepherd and only Savior. As I kneel down by the manger, all I want to do is pick up my true God and hold Him close to my heart. God's Holy infant child Jesus shepherds me from his manger. O how this little infant child Jesus brings me back to God my heavenly Father. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

We are his sheep who know and hear his voice. We follow him. So let us follow him to the Jordon river. Here our good Shepherd leads us into a most wonderful pasture for our souls.  Here he opens heaven for us and gives us the gift of the Holy Ghost.

"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleasèd." Luke 3:21,22. Here our good Shepherd is clothed with our sins to give us His righteousness in our baptism.  Here Christ opens heaven for us and gives us the gift of the Holy Ghost in our baptism. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:26,27 Baptism is God's work.  "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7 Let's not rush past these words of God.  We are justified by grace in our baptism. 

Christ our Good Shepherd carries us into pastures of rest for our souls.  Luther says, "For I was baptized in Him and have received in the Gospel a letter and seal, that I am His dear lamb, and that He is my good Shepherd, who seeks His lost lamb and deals with me in no legalistic way. He demands nothing of me, neither does He drive me on; He does not threaten, neither does He frighten me, but He shows me His sweet grace, and lowers Himself to me, even beneath me, and takes me upon Himself, so that now I lie on His back and am carried by Him. Why then should I be afraid at the quaking and thundering of Moses or even of the devil? I am under the protection of the Man who has given me His saintliness and all that He has, who supports me and upholds me that I cannot be lost so long as I remain His lamb and do not doubt Him or willfully fall away from Him." (Martin Luther, Day By Day We Magnify Thee, Fortress Press, pg. 182)

So let us rejoice in the faith of professor Nils Dahl, PhD: "The text! The text! We have the text!" (Gregory L Jackson, PhD, The King James Version, pg 189 footnote) God has chosen the Greek TEXTUS RECEPTUS and exact translations of it (King James Bible, Luther's Bible etc.). God has rejected the corrupt Vaticanus family (Nestle Aland Text, United Bible Society Text ) and the corrupt translations sprouting from them (ESV, NIV, RSV, NKJV etc.)

I have more to write, but will save it for the next time.

Happy trails to you! Until we meet again! Roy Rogers sang this nice song.

Tom Fisher

Listen Up! Sons and Daughters, Grandsons and Granddaughters, Great-Grands Too!

 

I remember taking Christina to the Norman Rockwell Museum. Decades later we saw his best work brought to this area for a temporary exhibit. Over 100,000 visitors came to see the originals, which we once took for granted, often displayed on covers of the Saturday Evening Post, mailed to our home each week.

Mother's Day is so well promoted that no one can miss the upcoming event. I can also add a simple and undebatable fact - mothers, step-mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers enjoy the recognition, the expressions of thankfulness, and tokens of love.

Years ago, I started our rose garden with some hybrid teas and Knockouts, the later prolific in flower production. I stealthily plotted a way to unite the neighborhood with a rose on each doorstep, early Sunday morning. 

Ranger Bob said, "There was a rose on my door. Yours?" 

I responded, "How many roses are growing on this cul-de-sac? It was Mother's Day." 

He said, "I am not a mother." 

I said, "But you had a mother, and this is in recognition of her, in memory and honor of her, for putting up with you and your brother." He teared up a bit, because he adored his mother, and remembered how much she did for her children.

The mother of four daughters got a cup with four roses. Every house received one or more roses. 

Facebook friends reminded me of this simple truth - "I would give anything to have 10 minutes with my mother again." That is the great mystery, how we go from taking that time and that love for granted and suddenly realizing the opportunity has moved to another realm and time. 

I suspect that Heaven has many more faithful mothers than grateful children. But it is not too late to make this Sunday very special for mothers, step-mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers. Often the smallest token has the greatest value, and time together is the greatest gift of all.

Zadok the Priest - Handel's Glorious Coronation Anthem

 

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - "Never Doubt the Pledge And Promise of the True And Faithful God"

 

Link to Luther's Rogate Sermon - 

Five Requirements for True Prayer

2. In the second place, it is necessary that we never doubt the pledge and promise of the true and faithful God. For even to this end did God pledge himself to hear, yea, commanded us to pray, in order that we may always have a sure and firm faith that we will be heard; as Jesus says in Matthew 21:22: “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Christ says in Luke 11:9-13: “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” With this and like promises and commands we must consolingly exercise ourselves and pray in true confidence.

Darth Schroeder Is Reduced to Begging for New Buildings To Prop Up the Schools

 

 The Death Star is a felt need in WELS-LCMS.

"We have pacified this WELS circuit, time to move on,  so much more work to be done."

"Nobody in WELS went to Fuller Seminary for a DMin or any other kind of training, so turn around the diploma on the wall, OK?"

Bee Friendly

 

Currently, the favorite plant name is pollinator. That term includes the many varieties of bees, their relatives, hummingbirds, and butterflies. The early weeds, which do not bloom long, are perfect for the bees trying to earn their reputation for hard work. Ajuga is a purplish mint and stickyweed is another. 

Instead of a hummingbird showing up at its feeder, a woodpecker is stopping by for some sips. Tiny butterflies are flitting about the Rose Garden already. The most fun and relaxing visitors are the bees. The patio is open, shaded overhead, and only inches above the garden. 

A hummingbird can be watched from inches away as it checks out its food supply from the feeder. Bees do the same wherever the flowers are blooming. Beneficial flower flies are always around but wary of windy days. 

Some of the emerging plants for this three-ring circus of pollinators are:

1. Bee balm 
2. Butterfly weed
3. Roses
4. Joe Pye Weed and Little Joe Pye Weed
5. Poke Weed
6. Clethra - total nine cinnamony shrubs, front and backyards
7. Allium
8. Mountain Mint
9. Dandelions
10. Clover
11. A wide variety of hosta
12. Crepe Myrtle

Shallow water is always present, either from watering or from the air conditioner.

 Crepe Myrtle is a favorite with robins, cardinals, bees, and butterflies.

Daily Lutheran Sermon Quote - Requirements for True Prayer

 

Link to Luther's Rogate Sermon - Five Requirements for True Prayer

A SERMON ON PRAYER.

1. First we note that in order for a prayer to be really right and to be heard five things are required. The first is, that we have from God his promise or his permission to speak to him, and that we remember the same before we pray and remind God of it, thereby encouraging ourselves to pray in a calm and confident frame of mind. Had God not told us to pray, and pledged himself to hear us, none of his creatures could ever, with all their prayers, obtain so much as a grain of corn. From this, then, there follows that no one receives anything from God by virtue of his own merit or that of his prayer. His answer comes by virtue of the divine goodness alone, which precedes every prayer and desire, which moves us, through his gracious promise and call, to pray and to desire, in order that we may learn how much he cares for us, and how he is more ready to give than we are to receive. He would have us seek to become bold, to pray in a calm and confident spirit, since he offers all, and even more, than we are able to ask.

Cantate - The Fourth Sunday after Easter, 2023

 

Vimeo Link to the 

Cantate Service

Cantate, The Fourth Sunday after Easter, 2023

Luther's Best Sermon on This Text

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

 

Bethany Lutheran Church, 

10 AM Central Daylight Time

The Hymn #419        O'er Jerusalem Thou Weepest                    

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Oh, sing (cantate) unto the Lord a new song: 

for He hath done marvelous things.

The Lord hath made known His salvation: 

His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

Psalm. His right hand and His holy arm hath gotten Him the victory.

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

Collect

O God, who makest the minds of the faithful to be of one will, grant unto Thy people that they may love what Thou commandest and desire what Thou dost promise, that among the manifold changes of this world our hearts may there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual 

Gradual

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. The right hand of the Lord is exalted: 

the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. Hallelujah!

V. Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more: 

death hath no more dominion over Him. Hallelujah!

    

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #296      Speak O Lord           

Because They Did Not...

Communion Hymn #297     The Gospel Shows the Father's Grace - by M. Loy, Cap Seminary President, Author

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 #657                        Beautiful Savior                     

In Our Prayers -

• Treatment and recovery - Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Callie and her mother Peggy; Dr. Cruz, his wife Lyne, his daughter Thea, and Felix. Dr. Kermit Way and his wife Maria. Pray for those suffering from emotional stress.
• Glen Kotten and his bride Esther are in the Philippines for several weeks.
• Pray for our country as the major trials continue. Victory is approaching for the duly elected President.
• "The Bethany Lutheran Hymnal texts are finished. All the hymns have their own pages. Norma A. Boeckler is providing art for them. Typo alerts are welcome." That was three years ago! - 44,125 views have been recorded, as of today, 10k more than last year.
• Mother's Day is next Sunday, a great opportunity to show appreciation, gratitude, and love. Roses will be plentiful, on the altar, in our neighborhood, and everywhere.

   

        

Fourth Sunday After Easter

Lord God, heavenly Father, who didst through Thy Son promise us Thy Holy Spirit, that He should convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: We beseech Thee, enlighten our hearts, that we may confess our sins, through faith in Christ obtain everlasting righteousness, and in all our trials and temptations retain this consolation, that Christ is Lord over the devil and death, and all things, and that He will graciously deliver us out of all our afflictions, and make us forever partakers of eternal salvation, through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle

KJV James 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.

The Gospel

KJV John 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

John 16

8 και ελθων εκεινος ελεγξει τον κοσμον περι αμαρτιας και περι δικαιοσυνης και περι κρισεως

9 περι αμαρτιας μεν οτι ου πιστευουσιν εις εμε

10 περι δικαιοσυνης δε οτι προς τον πατερα μου υπαγω και ουκ ετι θεωρειτε με

11 περι δε κρισεως οτι ο αρχων του κοσμου τουτου κεκριται

Because They Did Not...

KJV John 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

The setting describes the disciples feeling great sorrow, because their three years with Jesus were about to end. Jesus was about to leave, so they were numbed and confused by the loss. Major events are difficult enough, but this was catastrophic. To the disciples - it was as if everything was being taken away. In the midst of their pain and grief, they were unlikely to ask for even more details.

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

This is the signal of the local mission being turned into one which is world-wide. Jesus traveled among Jews and Gentiles establishing faith in Him through teaching and performing miracles. He even said to the audiences, "If you do not believe My Word, at least believe in the miracles." That was a way of saying that the message might confuse them, even enrage them, but their eyes saw and their ears heard the miracles, basic, without any chance of it being a dream or mirage. In the miraculous feedings, they were hungry and yet fed so much that they could not eat any more. Stomachs do not lie, food is not an illusion. 

Why did the crowds become upset and disciples uncertain? The Old Adam - with Satan's help - denies and rejects the Word of God. Jesus spent three years establishing faith among the people, the Jewish leaders (who helped in His burial), and some outsiders like the Canaanite woman. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, the Apostles had a base from which to start. By spreading out, instead of following One Leader, the Apostles reached out in many directions at the same time, persecution speeding their work, the Holy Spirit guiding them. The growth of the Early Christian Church was miraculous, the converts impossible to stop, the copies of the New Testament carefully duplicated and translated in enormous numbers - nothing like it anywhere in ancient literature.

Why do we not have copies of the New Testament with dates like 80 AD on them? They were used until they wore out, copied, and then the dilapidated copies were burned so heretics could not use them for promoting false doctrine. (A few did, but the true copies and the Faith overwhelmed the fakes.) Scholars even call these old copies "witnesses." When you open your KJV, you are reading the Masoretic Jewish tradition - extreme perfection - in the Old Testament, and the Apostolic text in the New Testament.

When you buy and use the Evil Four + One (NIV, ESV, RSV, NRSV) and the Beck, you are holding a fake text invented by whoever put it together. The fake texts do not agree with each other, and there is not one complete New Testament for the Evil Four + One because their precious "scientific" Greek text is made up from erased words and phrases, and - the Great Erasure - the ending of Mark with the Empty Tomb narrative.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would remind them of all that He taught, so the perfection of the New Testament was and is a miracle, the only way to explain the harmony of the Gospels and the relationships between the Gospels and the Epistles.

When the modernists took away the 

1. miraculous in the Greek text and 
2. passages about faith in Jesus Christ

they deliberately created the Unitarian view of the Bible, barring that, the Bible subordinated to the Church of Rome.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove [Lenski - convict] the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

This falls into the category - Completely Mysterious - until with study and meditation and prayer we come to - Perfectly Clear, all three parts. There are three uses - of - and three uses - because. That is simple and eloquent, so obvious that most people pass by the verses. And yet, verse 9 is the entire Bible in a few words. Those who do not know that are doomed to misunderstand the Bible 

The first and most important part is convicting. It is like saying 

1. "You do not know what sin is."
2. "You do not know what righteousness is."
3. "You do not know what judgment is."

Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Sin goes through the mind with such thoughts as carnal sin, sins of the heart, disobedience, breaking the law, and betraying a person or country or military position.

The foundational sin is not all these and worse. The unbelieving world is convicted for one thing only - not believing in Christ. The sin against the Holy Spirit, which puzzles so many?...Not believing in Christ, because the Spirit acts upon us with the Word of God. If we hear or read or remember the Scriptures and ignore them, we are sinning against the Spirit and against Christ.

That makes many stumble, so they ignore and pass by this topic.

Believing in Christ is too simple, so people are pulled away from this by rationalizing the miracles, by converting the Gospel to social activism, by being good in one way or another, by creating an alternate religion which bears some resemblance of Christianity. I asked the Mormon visitors, "Are there three separate gods?" They said yes. I countered, "But you agree with the Bible, where it says - Here O Israel, the Lord our God is one God." They became angry! The Spirit convicted them of unbelief, and they left, yelling at me.

The Beauty of This Phrase

So many are burdened by their efforts of being perfect, or at least pretty good, honored by the Lion's Club, praised by local leaders, chairman of the building expansion. The righteousness of works becomes a burden and it becomes difficult to find peace, forgiveness of sin. That only comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Denial of the Trinity - no faith.

Denial of His divinity - no faith.

Denial of His miracles - no faith.

Denial of the Atonement - no faith.

Denial of the Resurrection - no faith.

One could add the Virgin Birth and the Ascension.

Science will often unleash its sour countenance and become ecstatic about the ability of a plant or a simple animal to do astonishing things, almost a miracle, maybe even a miracle. We should not quarrel about such things, which are true, such as millions of earthworms aerating and feeding our soil, billions of bacteria feeding the higher life forms, springtails out-numbering all life on the planet. (Not sure on springtails - lost the count halfway through)

All those miracles of Creation - dare I say it? - are nothing compared to the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, true man and true God. Faith gives us access to His grace, and therefore forgiveness of all sin, from the tiniest to the great and terrible sins.

The saddest spectacle involves all the people who imagine they are glorifying God when they spend more on temples, cathedrals, universities. Or when they count their numbers. Or their high standing in the world. All kinds of things are counted but they do not count anything significant when they do not believe in Jesus Christ.

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father 

and ye see me no more;

This is quite simple when we realize righteousness is not tangible or honored by mankind - but the righteousness of faith in the Savior. Jesus is going to His Father because He is leaving behind the Apostles and the Word to guide people in righteousness through Him.

If you have a chance and discernment, look at the church organization reports. They are about everything except faith in Christ.  Proof comes from 60+ essays (!?) in the WELS library of essays on - righteousness without faith - Universal Objective Faithless Justification. Their argument goes back to Calvinism, Pietism, Walther and his Bishop, Martin Stephan.

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged

Satan is already defeated and raving against the Kingdom of God. Nothing on earth can keep us from faith in Jesus Christ, and Satan cannot harm us. We are either with the Savior or against Him.

We know from the Scriptures that faith in our Good Shepherd will nourish us and also guard us. The victory is our faith, and God showers us with His grace, forgiveness, and compassion.