Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epiphany 4 Epistle - "We will look at the command to love, in the Law of God. Innumerable, endless, are the books and doctrines produced for the direction of man’s conduct."

 

Link here ->Complete Luther Sermon for the Epiphany 4 Epistle

LOVE FULFILS THE LAW.

“For he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.”

7. Having frequently spoken of the character and fruits of love, it is unnecessary to introduce the subject here. The topic is sufficiently treated in the epistle lesson for the Sunday preceding Lent. We will look at the command to love, in the Law of God. Innumerable, endless, are the books and doctrines produced for the direction of man’s conduct. And there is still no limit to the making of books and laws. Note the ecclesiastical and civil regulations, the spiritual orders and stations. These laws and doctrines might be tolerated, might be received with more favor, if they were founded upon and administered according to the one great law — the one rule or measure — of love; as the Scriptures do, which present many different laws, but all born of love, and comprehended in and subject to it. And these laws must yield, must become invalid, when they conflict with love.

Of Love’s higher authority we find many illustrations in the Scriptures.

Christ makes particular mention of the matter in Matthew 12:3-4, where David and his companions ate the holy showbread. Though a certain law prohibited all but the priests from partaking of this holy food, Love was empress here, and free. Love was over the Law, subjecting it to herself. The Law had to yield for the time being, had to become invalid, when David suffered hunger. The Law had to submit to the sentence: “David hungers and must be relieved, for Love commands, Do good to your needy neighbor. Yield, therefore, thou Law. Prevent not the accomplishment of this good. Rather accomplish it thyself. Serve him in his need. Interpose not thy prohibitions.” In connection with this same incident, Christ teaches that we are to do good to our neighbor on the Sabbath; to minister as necessity demands, whatever the Sabbath restrictions of the Law. For when a brother’s need calls, Love is authority and the Law of the Sabbath is void.

8. Were laws conceived and administered in love, the number of laws would matter little. Though one might not hear or learn all of them, he would learn from the one or two he had knowledge of, the principle of love taught in all. And though he were to know all laws, he might not discover the principle of love any more readily than he would in one. Paul teaches this method of understanding and mastering law when he says: “Owe no man anything, but to love one another”; “He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law”; “If there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”; “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor”; “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” Every word in this epistle lesson proves Love mistress of all law.

9. Further, no greater calamity, wrong and wretchedness is possible on earth than the teaching and enforcing of laws without love. In such case, laws are but a ruinous curse, making true the proverbs, “summum jus, summa injustitia,” “The most strenuous right is the most strenuous wrong”; and again, Solomon’s words ( Ecclesiastes 7:17), “Noli nimium esse justus,” “Be not righteous overmuch.” Here is where we leave unperceived the beam in our own eye and proceed to remove the mote from our neighbor’s eye. Laws without love make the conscience timid and fill it with unreasonable terror and despair, to the great injury of body and soul.

Thus, much trouble and labor are incurred all to no purpose.

10. An illustration in point is the before-mentioned incident of David in his hunger. 1 Samuel 21:6. Had the priest been disposed to refuse David the holy bread, had he blindly insisted on honoring the prohibitions of the Law and failed to perceive the authority of Love, had he denied this food to him who hungered, what would have been the result? So far as the priest’s assistance went, David would have had to perish with hunger, and the priest would have been guilty of murder for the sake of the Law. Here, indeed, “summum jus, summa injustitia” — the most strenuous right would have been the most strenuous wrong. Moreover, on examining the heart of the priest who should be so foolish, you would find there the extreme abomination of making sin where there is no sin, and a matter of conscience where there is no occasion for it. For he holds it a sin to eat the bread, when really it is an act of love and righteousness. Then, too, he regards his act of murder — permitting David to die of hunger — not a sin, but a good work and service to God.

The Brain-Gut Connection with Dr. Emeran Mayer

 

I watched an excellent video about  Human Biomes, in contrast to deserts, forests, grazing land.

The idea, promoted by Dr. Emeran Mayer, is to observe how the brain relates to digestion and how digestion relates to the brain. There is constant interaction, which explains why someone in a foul, depressed, or happy mood can affect how the body is processing food. I was holding the pan for a hospital patient, post-surgery, when she began heave. I almost did myself, a reaction I also had when a cat was having kittens. Nothing happened, as WELSians like to say, but my brain got my heave-ho reactions going anyway.

8 Foods That Will Give Your Brain a Serotonin Boost Right Now

Another video called Foods That Cure Disease, Plant Based Disease-Free Life, showed up on Amazon's Prime Videos. A few distinguished and very old doctors talked about the relationship between commercial food production and the healing benefits of plant-based nutrition. They offered actual research about groups of people who had maladies improve or get worse, based on their food habits. There is as much nonsense from the food charlatans as among the big industry food producers. The researchers pointed out the conference that launched the Mediterranean Diet and made big money by making people believe olive oil would cure their problems. In fact, the Mediterranean people had lower disease rates because their diets were mostly plants, not olive oil.

The doctors repeatedly emphasized the relationship between animal protein and cancer. America's rates are much higher than other countries, and those who come to America approach the same level of cancers, male and female. The doctors also emphasized the overuse of salt, sugar, and fats of all kind.

One journalist created some meals with much healthier foods (plants, raw and cooked) and asked the doctors questions. 

My vegetable consultant gave me great tips on gathering the food and I responded with the great value of fresh fruits, vegetables, greens, nuts, and seeds. I also began learning anew what herbs and spices can do.

He advised that I get plenty of items that tended to disappear, so I get Cicero beans by the 12-pack. Frozen mushrooms almost disappeared during Christmas, so I get 6 bags to have enough. Tomato paste started showing up in peewee sized cans for the holidays. I suspected Bloody Marys rather than tomato-mania. 

Lately he advised me on teas, which are so much more tempting than coffee beans. He was right in shunning flavored teas but I like a few choices from Bigelow and various basic teas from Britain. 

I suggest going with the plant-based diet overall and a little meat each day, not fish. Based on Dr. Joel Fuhrman and related experts, these food groups should be the most ignored:

1. All processed food because of sugar, salt, and fat. Bye-bye McDonalds and frozen pizzas.
2. All dairy products because of their fat and cancer-causing statistics.
3. All "fruit" which is turned into sugar water and offered as nutritious. Apple sauce too.
4. Reliance on meat because it is used too much and offers so little beyond animal protein and salt.

Her books are classic and often re-read by adult writers on an annual basis. She had a horrible life and shared her genius in the form of hilarious children dealing with real problems.

A Definition from a Book of Concord Illiterate, Posted on an Inept Discussion Blog. They Have Yet To Find Luther on Their Confused Quest, But They Have Pleased Their Father Below.

The Chief Article in the entire Christian doctrine is Justification by Faith, as taught by Luther, Melanchthon, and Martin Chemnitz. Both Martins earned their doctorates and Melanchthon deserved one, but he was judged too young looking.  Walther earned a bachelor's degree only but demanded that everyone obey his Pietistic notions and insights from Martin Stephan, STD.

Calling those who agree with "the entire Christian doctrine" are called "deniers" by Joe Krohn. That means the Apostle Paul was a "denier."

Note that the ludicrous faith-denying F. Pieper gang cut out Romans 4:24 in the sanctified Brief Statement 1932 - so they could chant, as Rolf Preus always did - "raised again for our justification, raised again for our justification." Apparently he used Wite-Out in his studies. 

This works wonders for Romans 4:24. Ask Rolf!

KJV Romans 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

KJV Romans 5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Now we know the LQ story, in just a few words.

"The problem with the deniers is their view of hoi polloi. Try to pin them down and you get obfuscation and diversion. The Greek is quite plain in the objective sense. I would expect to see something along the lines of "oligoi" if OJ were not true. Christ stood in mankind's place and justice was served against sin, death and the devil in God's court." 

Joe Krohn, senior member of the LutherQueasies, Bible illiterate

The cover of Matt Harrison's ghosted campaign book needed some editing, so I helped to make it a bit more honest. Stephan, a Pietist, gave his STD to young women, which Walther worked into a riot to depose the bishop and steal his land, money, books, and personal items. Forcing Stephan across the river was a felony, kidnapping, and so were the thefts. Walther's circle was comprised of Pietists who followed Stephan and kept the secrets.

Epiphany 4 Epistle Sermon - "This, like the two preceding epistle lessons, is admonitory, and directs our attention to the fruits of faith. Here, however, Paul sums up briefly all the fruits of faith, in love."

 

Link here ->Complete Sermon for the Epiphany 4 Epistle

TEXT:

ROMANS 13:8-10. 8 Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

CHRISTIAN LOVE AND THE COMMAND TO LOVE.

1. This, like the two preceding epistle lessons, is admonitory, and directs our attention to the fruits of faith. Here, however, Paul sums up briefly all the fruits of faith, in love. In the verses going before he enjoined subjection to temporal government — the rendering of tribute, custom, fear and honor wherever due — since all governmental power is ordained of God.

Then follows our lesson: “Owe no man anything,” etc.

2. I shall ignore the various explanations usually invented for this command, “Owe no man anything, but to love one another.” To me, clearly and simply it means: Not as men, but as Christians, are we under obligations. Our indebtedness should be the free obligation of love. It should not be compulsory and law-prescribed. Paul holds up two forms of obligation: one is inspired by law, the other by love.

Legal obligations make us debtors to men; an instance is when one individual has a claim upon another for debt. The duties and tribute, the obedience and honor, we owe to political government are of this legal character. Though personally these things are not essential to the Christian — they do not justify him nor make him more righteous — yet, because he must live here on earth, he is under obligation, so far as outward conduct is concerned, to put himself on a level with other men in these things, and generally to help maintain temporal order and peace. Christ paid tribute money as a debt ( Matthew 17:27), notwithstanding he had told Peter he was under no obligation to do so and would have committed no sin before God in omitting the act.

3. Another obligation is love, when a Christian voluntarily makes himself a servant of all men. Paul says ( 1 Corinthians 9:19), “For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all.” This is not a requirement of human laws; no one who fails in this duty is censured or punished for neglect of legal obligations. The world is not aware of the commandment to love; of the obligation to submit to and serve a fellowman.

This fact is very apparent. Let one have wealth, and so long as he refrains from disgracing his neighbor’s wife, from appropriating his neighbor’s goods, sullying his honor or injuring his person, he is, in the eyes of the law, righteous. No law punishes him for avarice and penuriousness; for refusing to lend, to give, to aid, and to help his wronged neighbor secure justice. Laws made for restraint of the outward man are directed only toward evil works, which they prohibit and punish. Good works are left to voluntary performance. Civil law does not extort them by threats and punishment, but commends and rewards them, as does the Law of Moses.

4. Paul would teach Christians to so conduct themselves toward men and civil authority as to give no occasion for complaint or censure because of unfulfilled indebtedness to temporal law. He would not have them fail to satisfy the claims of legal obligation, but rather to go beyond its requirements, making themselves debtors voluntarily and serving those who have no claims on them. Relative to this topic, Paul says ( Romans 1:14), “I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians.” Love’s obligation enables a man to do more than is actually required of him. Hence the Christian always willingly renders to the state and to the individual all service exacted by temporal regulations, permitting no claims upon himself in this respect.

LutherQuest Offers Pooled Ignorance about Their Darlings - Objective Justification and Subjective Justification

 

I had to put extra details in this graphic because LCMS-WELS-CLC (sic) babblers write stuff just because they have MS Word. A scholar I know found the Knapp book in English, which was a best-seller among many denominations for many decades. The translator was a Calvinist. The Great Walther arrived in 1839, years after the English translation was printed in America. A WELS essay stated that Walther came to like the terms and the English description carried itself to Germany where it became translated there. WELS is infallible, so that must be true. I own a copy of Knapp and verified that this is an exact explanatory footnote by the Calvinist translator - Woods. One ELS pastor was bent out of shape because I did not put everything in the graphic, so that made me the bad guy.

If fingers need to be waggled, they should be pointed at F. Pieper for cleverly blending Objective Justification, Subjective Justification, and Justification by Faith. I am afraid that the young scholars do not read Knapp or Pieper or a good translation - the King James Version. 

Most people who blindly read the New NIV fail to recognize that Objective Justification is injected into Romans 3. The added "all"

New NIV Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all [<- added all] are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

Paul is quite clear about this, contrary to the New NIV, LCMS, WELS, ELS, CLC (sic)

King James Version Romans 5

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Erich Heidenreich (Erich) Senior Member Username: Erich Post Number: 1716 Registered: 12-2004

Posted on Thursday, January 25, 2024 - 10:15 am:       In A Lively Legacy: Essays In Honor Of Robert Preus, Tom Hardt writes on page 65: quote: Another expression of considerable repute connected with Walther's theology on Easter and justification is "objective justification" versus "subjective justification." It has been investigated as to when this terminology was first used by Walther or men like him. It seems, as far as the investigations for this article permit us to see, that the terms were made known to Walther through an article in a theological paper in Germany, printed in 1867. I was able to find this paper by Pastor H. Messerschmidt, Die christliche Lehre von der Rechtfertigung vor Gott in ihrer hohen Bedeutung für das sittliche Leben. (The Christian doctrine of justification before God in its great importance for moral life.) I thought the entire article might be of interest to some if they can read German better than I can (Pastor Rolf Preus?). On page 66, Messerschmidt writes:

The Great Walther and the Great Valleskey are both heretics.

No wonder ELCA works so well with LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) - They are united by the dogma of their Father Below, but don't tell nobody that Knapp was a Pietist, trained at Halle University, and an influential professor there. His dogmatics book in English was popular and circulated in America.

Another Refuge Church - The Fragrance of Fuller Seminary Is in the Air

 

"BRENTON & RACHEL FESSLER are leading the RefugeOC movement. They have three cool kids:
Aubrey (b. 2006), Micah (b. 2008), and Hannah (b. 2010).

Brenton earned a bachelor's degree in Pastoral Leadership from Vanguard University (Costa Mesa) in 2002, a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena) in 2010, and is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Theological Ministry from Northern Baptist Seminary (Chicago, IL). [Didn't Sig Becker go there too? Yes, he did.]

Rachel also went to Vanguard University, graduated with a Liberal Studies degree and a teaching credential, and has been teaching elementary school since 2002. She currently teaches Kindergarten.

After spending nearly 12 years on staff at a great church in north Orange County, they learned the value of a local church and how to love and pastor a community. In 2014, Brenton & Rachel began to dream and wonder about one day starting a new church... because there is still good news to share!"

Advent Church in Oxford Massachusetts (Refuge Church) - Liberty Baptist University

WELS also dabbles in the Unstuck Church, one of the lamest ideas in church history.

Readers can bet that LCMS and ELCA are also tossing money and manpower at this new trend.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epiphany 4 - "John 16:8: “The spirit will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment;” he says that he will not only preach, but that he will convict the whole world and what is in the world. But it is this convicting that causes such tempests and dangers to this ship."

 

Complete Sermon - 

Luther's Sermons - Matthew 8:23-27.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.
Christ stilling the Tempest, or Faith and Unbelief, and Love

12. But what does this Gospel say? There was a violent tempest on the lake when Christ and his disciples were in the ship. The sea and the wind allowed the other ships to sail in calm weather; but this ship had to suffer distress because of Christ being in it. The world can indeed tolerate all kinds of preaching except the preaching of Christ. Hence whenever he comes and wherever he is, there he preaches that he only is right and reproves all others; as he says in Matthew 12:30: “He that is not with me is against me”, and again, John 16:8: “The spirit will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment;” he says that he will not only preach, but that he will convict the whole world and what is in the world. But it is this convicting that causes such tempests and dangers to this ship. Should he preach that he would allow the world to go unpunished and to continue in its old ways, he would have kept quiet before and never have entered the world; for if the world is good and is not to be convicted then there would never have been any need of him coming into the world.

13. Now it is the consolation of Christians, and especially of preachers, to be sure and ponder well that when they present and preach Christ, that they must suffer persecution, and nothing can prevent it; and that it is a very good sign of the preaching being truly Christian, when they are thus persecuted, especially by the great, the saintly, the learned and the wise.

And on the other hand that their preaching is not right, when it is praised and honored, as Christ says in Luke 6:22-26: “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you; for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake; in the same manner did their fathers to the prophets.” Behold our preachers, how their teachings are esteemed; the wealth, honor and power of the world have them fully under their control, and still they wish to be Christian teachers, and whosoever praises and preaches their ideas, lives in honor and luxury.

14. Hence, people have here an example where they are to seek their comfort and help, not in the world; they are not to guard the wisdom and power of men, but Christ himself and him alone; they are to cleave to him and depend on him in every need with all faithfulness and confidence as the disciples, do in our text. For had they not believed that he would help them, they would not have awakened him and called upon him. True their faith was weak and was mingled with much unbelief, so that they did not perfectly and freely surrender themselves to Christ and risk their life with him, nor did they believe he could rescue them in the midst of the sea and save them from death. Thus it is ordained that the Word of God has no master nor judge, no protector or patron can be given it besides God himself. It is his Word. Therefore, as he left it go forth without any merit or counsel of men, so will he himself without any human help and strength administer and defend it. And whoever seeks protection and comfort in these things among men, will both fall and fail, and be forsaken by both God and man.

15. That Jesus slept indicates the condition of their hearts, namely, that they had a weak, sleepy faith, but especially that at the time of persecution Christ withdraws and acts as though he were asleep, and gives neither strength nor power, neither peace nor rest, but lets us worry and labor in our weakness, and permits us to experience that we are nothing at all and that all depends upon his grace and power, as Paul confesses in Corinthians 1:9, that he had to suffer great affliction, so as to learn to trust not in himself but in God, who raised the dead. Such a sleeping on the part of God David often experienced and refers to it in many places, as when he says in Psalm 44:23: “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off forever.”

16. The summary of this Gospel is this, it gives us two comforting, defying proverbs, that when persecution for the sake of God’s Word arises, we may say: I indeed thought Christ was in the ship, therefore the sea and wind rage, and the waves dash over us and threaten to sink us; but let them rage, it is ordained that the wind and sea obey his will. The persecutions will not continue longer than is his pleasure; and although they overwhelm us, yet they must be subject to him; he is Lord over all, therefore nothing will harm us. May he only give us his help that we may not despair in unbelief. Amen.

17. That the people marveled and praised the Lord that the wind and sea were subject to him, signifies that the Gospel, God’s Word, spreads farther through persecution, it thus becomes stronger and faith increases; and this is also a paradoxical characteristic of the Gospel compared with all worldly things which decrease through every misfortune and opposition, and increase through prosperity and peace. Christ’s kingdom grows through tribulations and declines in times of peace, ease and luxury, as St. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My power is made perfect in weakness, etc.” To this end help us God! Amen.

WELS - Refuge Churches - Almost as Bad as Unstuck

 

I found this one

Pastor Andy Westra - Refuge Church

They want to call it Christ Our Refuge, avoiding the toxic name Lutheran. Oh boy, if their refugees find out about physical abuse and other maladies in the WELS sect, no one will stay. They will become Unstuck, another one of the fads picked up earlier.

Here are two more of the churches.

 I like this jingle because it is such an earworm.

Lutheran Seminaries Teach - Sadistic Mockery of the Scriptures and the Reformation

  

The Scriptures - Her Version

ELCA is the prime example, with their sadistic mockery of -

• The Scriptures,  
• The Luther-Melanchthon-Chemnitz Reformation. 

However, 99% of the rest are simply trying to catch up - LCMS, WELS, ELS, CLC (sic), ELDONA.

Christian News, Inc has grabbed a fortune through selling the Bogus Beck Bible, a massive deception for the few subscribers left. The goal of the 1881 Revision of the KJV was to eliminate faith in Jesus Christ by removing His divinity and the concept of faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Questioning or eliminating Mark 16:9-20 is the escape hatch for apostates, and Beck was eager to question the ending of Mark - no empty tomb, no resurrection. "Scholars are divided." The modern paraphrases (dubiously described as translations) follow the same distorted readings of the utterly fake Codex Vaticanus and the Pope's favorite Codex Vaticanus. One dirty hand washes the other, so the self-described text scholars use a few fake or heretical manuscripts to overshadow, erasing the 5,000 readings  comprising the Apostolic text, used by Luther and the KJV.

KJV Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

Lutheran managers have given themselves permission to ape as many errors of the heretics as possible, cursing anyone who would quote the majestic and precise King James Bible.

Seminary Failures - No Faith in the Savior

Synods teach themselves, except ELCA where they cannot figure out who their fathers are. The synod cry and look for their real fathers, which are either in Rome or Pasadena. 

The Synodical Conference managers (LCMS-WELS-ELS) strut about how great their forefathers were and endlessly drool over the sanctity of CFW Walther, BA. The joke is on their members, who listen to the stories of synod saintliness and their own DNA kin. But they ignore the fact that they began with Justification by Faith and ended with the dogma of Martin Stephan, STD. 

One can easily argue that LCMS and WELS had good, Justification by Faith catechisms, such as Schwan (not the ice cream Schwan) and Glausewitz. The ELS, if I recall right, wanted Objective Justification only - no matter, they are the canary in coal mine. The LCMS-WELS attempt at catechisms is profoundly obnoxious and deliberately toxic. 

No matter how papal they get, the gigantic leap of seminary tomfoolery is their rejection of faith in Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, miracle worker and Teacher, the Lord of Creation walking on water, crucified and risen from the dead, ascending to Heaven to guide the invisible Christian Church.

They laugh at the traditional KJV in favor of a zillion, ignorant transmutations.

They cannot mock the text of the Bible and claim the results are the true Word of God, preserved forever.

The seminaries are the bastard children of Fuller Seminary, Trinity Divinity, and furtive papal wannabees - eight of them schooled by the Jesuits (fast, easy cheap PhDs). No one admits to the basic doctrinal structure borrowed from Fuller and the Hail Mary style of developing Roman worship for Lutherans.

They love incense but are never incensed by the corruption and decline of Biblical doctrine, best articulated by Luther-Melanchthon-Chemnitz but energized today by their Father Below.

WELS warned their members against the snip-and-clip new "translations," but the District Presidents (minus one) endorsed the New NIV, which is even worse than the original botch.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epiphany 4 - "Christ pictured to us in this narrative the Christian life, especially the office of the ministry. The ship signifies Christendom; the sea, the world; the wind, Satan; his disciples are the preachers and pious Christians; Christ is the truth, the Gospel, and faith."

 

Complete Sermon - 

Luther's Sermons - Matthew 8:23-27.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.
Christ stilling the Tempest, or Faith and Unbelief, and Love

II. OF LOVE.

9. The second part of our text, treating of love, shows forth Christ in that he rises, breaks his sleep for their sake, takes to heart their need as though it were his own, and ministers to them help out of free love without any merit on their part. He neither receives nor seeks any reward for his help, but permits them to enjoy and use his power and resources. For as we have often heard it is characteristic of Christian love to do all freely and gratuitously, to the praise and honor of God, that a Christian lives upon the earth for the sake of such love, just as Christ lived solely for the purpose of doing good; as he himself says: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” Matthew 20:28.

III. THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THIS NARRATIVE.

10. Christ pictured to us in this narrative the Christian life, especially the office of the ministry. The ship signifies Christendom; the sea, the world; the wind, Satan; his disciples are the preachers and pious Christians; Christ is the truth, the Gospel, and faith.

11. Now, before Christ entered the ship with his disciples the sea and the wind were calm; but when Christ with his disciples entered, then the storm began, as he himself says, Matthew 10:34: “Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace but a sword.” So, if Christ had left the world in peace and never punished its works, then it would indeed have been quiet. But since he preaches that the wise are fools, the saints are sinners and the rich are lost, they become wild and raging; just as at present some critics think it would be fine if we merely preached the Gospel and allowed the office of the ministry to continue in its old way. This they would indeed tolerate; but that all their doings should be rebuked and avail nothing, that they call preaching discontent and revolution, and is not Christian teaching.

12. But what does this Gospel say? There was a violent tempest on the lake when Christ and his disciples were in the ship. The sea and the wind allowed the other ships to sail in calm weather; but this ship had to suffer distress because of Christ being in it. The world can indeed tolerate all kinds of preaching except the preaching of Christ. Hence whenever he comes and wherever he is, there he preaches that he only is right and reproves all others; as he says in Matthew 12:30: “He that is not with me is against me”, and again, John 16:8: “The spirit will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment;” he says that he will not only preach, but that he will convict the whole world and what is in the world. But it is this convicting that causes such tempests and dangers to this ship. Should he preach that he would allow the world to go unpunished and to continue in its old ways, he would have kept quiet before and never have entered the world; for if the world is good and is not to be convicted then there would never have been any need of him coming into the world.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epiphany 4 - Asleep in the Storm - "Therefore this Gospel is a comforting example and doctrine, how we should conduct ourselves, so that we may not despair in the agony of sin, in the peril of death, and in the tumult of the world..."

 

Complete Sermon - 

Luther's Sermons - Matthew 8:23-27.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.
Christ stilling the Tempest, or Faith and Unbelief, and Love

7. As it went here, so it goes and must go in all other temptations of sin, Satan, etc. We must experience how sin has taken captive the conscience and nothing but wrath and perdition wish to reign, and how we must be eternally lost. Satan must start so many things by his error and false teaching that it appears God’s Word must fall to the ground and the world must glory in falsehood. Likewise the world must rage and persecute to such an extent that it appears no one can stand or be saved, or even confess his faith; but Cain will rule alone and will not rest until his brother is dead, so that he may never be in his way. But we must not judge and act according to appearance and our experience, but according to our faith.

8. Therefore this Gospel is a comforting example and doctrine, how we should conduct ourselves, so that we may not despair in the agony of sin, in the peril of death, and in the tumult of the world; but be assured that we are not lost, although the waves at once overwhelm our little boat; that we will not perish, although we experience in our evil conscience sin, wrath, and the lack of grace; that we will not die, although the whole world hates and persecutes us, although it opens its jaws as wide as the rosy dawn of the morning. These are all waves that fall over your little bark, cause to despair, and force you to cry out: “Save, Lord; we perish”. Thus you have here the first part of this Gospel, faith, how it should thrive and succeed, and besides, how incapable and fainthearted unbelief is.

II. OF LOVE.

9. The second part of our text, treating of love, shows forth Christ in that he rises, breaks his sleep for their sake, takes to heart their need as though it were his own, and ministers to them help out of free love without any merit on their part. He neither receives nor seeks any reward for his help, but permits them to enjoy and use his power and resources. For as we have often heard it is characteristic of Christian love to do all freely and gratuitously, to the praise and honor of God, that a Christian lives upon the earth for the sake of such love, just as Christ lived solely for the purpose of doing good; as he himself says: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” Matthew 20:28.

Nutrition - Bad and Good: Brief List

 

 DQ - while others were posing for a photo, I struck.

Bad Nutrition Metrics Can Be Photographed at WalMart, 

Any Major Grocery Store, Fast Food, Or Delivery

"The perfect commodity - make them for pennies, sell them for dollars, and they are addicting." Donuts and ice cream, not to mention cigarettes. 

1. All milk products are loaded with fat, and some (like cheese) also with salt. That includes cottage cheese, yogurt of all kinds, "skim milk." Ice cream and DQ are high in fat and sugar. 
2. Breads and rolls are mostly white flour, which like white rice and sugar, offer quick energy, quick hunger, and quick fast.
3. The stores do their best to promote impulse items facing them - candies, diet candies, chocolates, cheap chocolates, sugar-based candies and caramels, chips of every flavor with tons of salt - white flour - and fat.
4. The grocery workers laugh at families who buy breakfast cereal, colorful and sweet, loaded with white flour, enchanting with the artwork grabbing the attention of the kids riding first class in the cart. New baby mothers buy little sweet puff balls and other mouth opiates. French fries are ideal in the car, with the trifecta of potatoes, fat, and salt, matching the muffins and sandwiches. 
5. The grocery store equation adds so much more with aisles packed with soft drinks and "diet" soft drinks of all types, a magnificent display, including salty fizzy water, very much like the colas but without taste.
6. The chips aisle is also a display of our contempt for the fatty treats, the salty treats, and the fatty salty treats cooked in grease - or baked - so fulfilling every few hours.
7. The pharmacy - a big money-maker - treats symptoms, seldom the disorder. They like to sell expensive protein and milk products with questionable results.
8. Meat is essential, but it can be overdone in various ways. 

The Edible Pharmacy - 

Greens, Beans, Mushrooms, Vegetables, Fruit, Nuts, Seeds

Produce is necessarily healthy, and the frozen greens, beans, and fruit are exception in nutritional value.

• The smallest part of a grocery store, missing at fast food places, bakeries, and candy stores, is nutrition.
• Chopped frozen greens are incredibly powerful in reducing hunger, slowing down digestion with fiber, and unleashing a powerful blend (varying) of nutritional benefits. Popular chopped frozen greens are: spinach, turnip greens, kale, and collards. They are quadruplets with four different blends of nutrition. 
• People laugh about beans, even though the great orator Cicero was named Chick Pea in Latin. Beans are packed with protein, fiber, and a variety of nutrition. Some of my favorites are chick peas, lima beans, and kidney beans. They are low fat (unless bacon is added) and low salt (watch the labels).
• Lunch for Charlie Sue and me - greens, chick peas, walnuts, lima beans, flax seed, blue berries, onions and peppers, and sliced sausage. Charlie Sue only eats the sausage.
• In produce I buy apples, bananas, blue berries, oranges, pears, pineapples - not all at the same time. I aim at 4 to 6 fresh fruits a day.
• Walnuts are the inexpensive statins I use (no prescription required), and I have some ground flax seed each lunch.
• Dr. Joel Fuhrman's works have encouraged me to have daily doses of greens, beans, fruits, nuts, and seeds. I also have mushrooms for each meal.

 Many roses grow hips, which are fruiting pods filled with Vitamin C.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epiphany 4 - Asleep in the Storm - "This Gospel, as a narrative, gives us an example of faith and unbelief, in order that we may learn how mighty the power of faith is, and that it of necessity has to do with great and terrible things and that it accomplishes nothing but wonders; and that on the other hand unbelief is so fainthearted, shamefaced and trembling with fear that it can do nothing whatever."

 

Complete Sermon - 

Luther's Sermons - Matthew 8:23-27.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.
Christ stilling the Tempest, or Faith and Unbelief, and Love

TEXT:

Matthew 8:23-27. And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves; but he was asleep. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord; we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, 0 ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?


I. OF FAITH AND UNBELIEF.

1. This Gospel, as a narrative, gives us an example of faith and unbelief, in order that we may learn how mighty the power of faith is, and that it of necessity has to do with great and terrible things and that it accomplishes nothing but wonders; and that on the other hand unbelief is so fainthearted, shamefaced and trembling with fear that it can do nothing whatever. An illustration of this we see in this experience of the disciples, which shows the real state of their hearts. First, as they in company with Christ entered the ship, all was calm and they experienced nothing unusual, and had any one asked them then if they believed, they would have answered, Yes. But they were not conscious of how their hearts trusted in the calm sea and the signs for fair weather, and that thus their faith was founded upon what their natural eyes saw. But when the tempest comes and the waves fill the boat, their faith vanishes; because the calm and peace in which they trusted took wings and flew away, therefore they fly with the calm and peace, and nothing is left but unbelief.

2. But what is this unbelief able to do? It sees nothing but what it experiences. It does not experience life, salvation and safety; but instead the waves coming into the boat and the sea threatening them with death and every danger. And because they experience these things and give heed to them and turn not their fear from them, trembling and despair can not be suppressed. Yea, the more they see and experience it the harder death and despair torment them and every moment threatens to devour them. But unbelief cannot avoid such experiences and cannot think otherwise even for a second. For it has nothing besides to which it can hold and comfort itself, and therefore it has no peace or rest for a single minute. And thus will it also be in perdition, where there will be nothing but despair, trembling and fear, and that without end.

3. But had they had faith, it would have driven the wind and the waves of the sea out of their minds, and pictured before their eyes in place of the wind and tempest the power and grace of God, promised in his Word; and it would have relied upon that Word, as though anchored to an immovable rock and would not float on the water, and as though the sun shined brightly and all was calm and no storm was raging. For it is the great characteristic and power of faith to see what is not visible, and not to see what is visible, yea, that which at the time drives and oppresses us; just as unbelief can see only what is visible and can not in the least cleave to what is invisible.

4. Therefore God bestows faith to the end that it should deal not with ordinary things, but with things no human being can master as death, sin, the world and Satan. For the whole world united is unable to stand before death, but flees from and is terrified by it, and is also conquered by it; but faith stands firm, opposes death that devours everything, and triumphs over it and even swallows the insatiable devourer of life. In like manner no one can control or subdue the flesh, but it reigns everywhere in the world, and what it wills must be done, so that the whole world thereby is carnal; but faith lays hold of the flesh and subdues and bridles it, so that it must become a servant. And in like manner no one can endure the rage, persecution, and blasphemy, infamy, hatred and envy of the world; every one retreats and falls back exhausted before it, it gets the upper hand over all and triumphs; and if they are without faith it mocks them besides and treads all under its feet, and takes pleasure and delight in doing so.

5. Further, who could conquer Satan with his innumerable, subtle suggestions and temptations, by which he hinders the truth and God’s Word, faith and hope, and starts so many false doctrines, sects, seductions, heresies, doubts, superstitions and innumerable abominations? The whole world compared with him is like a spark of fire compared with a fountain of water. All must be here subject to him; as we also see, hear and understand. But it is faith that keeps him busy, and it not only stands before him invulnerable, but also reveals his roguery and puts him to shame, so that his deception fails and he faints and falls; as now takes place with his indulgences and his papacy. Just so no one can allay and quiet the least sin, but it bites and devours the conscience, so that nothing avails even if the whole world were to comfort and support such a person, he must be cast down into perdition. Here faith is a hero, it appeases all sins, even if they were as many as the whole world had committed.

6. Is there now not something almighty and inexpressible about faith that it can withstand all our powerful enemies and gain the victory, so that St. John says in his first Epistle 1 John 5:4: “This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith?” Not that this is done in peace and by quietly resting; for it is a battle that is carried on not with out wounds and shedding of blood. Yea, the heart so severely experiences in this battle sin and death, the flesh, Satan and the world, that it has no other thought than that it is lost, that sin and death have triumphed, and that Satan holds the field of battle. The power of faith however experiences but little of that. This is set forth in our narrative, when the waves not only dashed into the boat, but even covered it, so that it was about to go under and sink, and Christ was lying asleep. Just then there was no hope of life, death had the upper hand and had triumphed; life was lying prostrate and was lost.