Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Reformation Seminary Lecture - More About Apologetics

 

Starting with the best Bible is essential, not to be replaced for a denomination's profit-margin.


Zoom link is here ->The Zoom connection expired after the live connection was over.


YouTube link is here - 
https://youtu.be/jR037DXctmU

Next lecture - The Two Natures of Christ, Wednesday, 7 PM Central.

Apologetics - Defense of the Gospel - The Two Doctrinal Attacks

The Virgin Birth

KJV Isaiah 7:14 - 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.

New NIV footnote - Isaiah 7:14 Or young woman

RSV - 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman[a] shall conceive and bear[b] a son, and shall call his name Imman′u-el.

  1. Isaiah 7:14 Or virgin
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.
The Ending of Mark's Gospel - Mark 16:9-20
New NIV - [The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]

RSV - 
  1. Mark 16:20 Some of the most ancient authorities bring the book to a close at the end of verse 8. One authority concludes the book by adding after verse 8 the following: But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this, Jesus himself sent out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. Other authorities include the preceding passage and continue with verses 9–20. In most authorities verses 9–20 follow immediately after verse 8; a few authorities insert additional material after verse 14
Christian News (Otten/Hale) - The same excuses as above.

ESV[Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.][a]

NRSV - 
  1. Mark 16:8 Some of the most ancient authorities bring the book to a close at the end of verse 8. One authority concludes the book with the shorter ending; others include the shorter ending and then continue with verses 9–20. In most authorities verses 9–20 follow immediately after verse 8, though in some of these authorities the passage is marked as being doubtful.
The Fall of Constantinople scattered Greek artists and scholars. Erasmus became Europe's first Greek scholar. Luther learned Greek and Melanchthon became Europe's great scholar in Greek. Guess which Bible is closest to Luther's...the KJV. Tyndale is directly associated with the Luther circle of scholars, though much remains unknown.

Knowledge of Greek came just in time for the Reformation.


A Simple Litmus Test For The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic)

 

A chameleon can change colors so easily. This one attended a Thrivent session for The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic). The Thrivent manager told the synod managers, "Relax! We are all unified and at peace."

I recall a synod president saying, "They major in the minors!" That declaration seemed rather vague and yet filled with scorn. He should have praised The Walther Four - LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic), who did so much to covet chameleons, always changing colors, depending on the occasion, longing for big buildings and papal costumes.

I devised this concise doctrinal test -

  1. Do you believe in the Virgin birth of Jesus, predicted in Isaiah 7:14?
  2. Do you believe that Jesus actually rose from the dead?
I asked those questions when a future pastor was talking about how well the Disciples of Christ and Unitarian-Universalists got along at the same seminary. The response was "Those are not important issues. Just medical questions," she said dismissively. 

When a Christian Brother and a priest asked me the same two questions, I said, "Of course!" and they walked away angry saying, "There is no use for you!" That took place at Notre Dame's seminary where we had classes.

The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) have solved the two doctrinal questions one way, and they are united, scratching each other's back, the blind leading the blind.

Their concise conclusion unites them - ANY BIBLE EXCEPT THE KING JAMES VERSION.

The Missouri and the WELS sects jumped on the NIV bandwagon right away. Relatively few use the New KJV or tolerate it. Even then, the NKJV locks the front door and opens the back door, because it offers the apostate variety "translation" in footnotes, always changing.

The RSV - licensed by the National Council of Marxist Churches - demoted the Virgin Birth to "a young woman." In various editions, the Virgin is put back in Isaiah 7:14, with "young woman " in the footnote. The two definitions seem to move up and down. Nevertheless, the footnote concept is used throughout the modern versions, changing the meaning and often eliminating words, phrases, verses, and more.

Christian News promoted the Beck Bible, which questioned the empty tomb and resurrection in Mark 16 - and many more examples - joining the apostate chorus.

This snip and clip Bible has been fashioned to change constantly, always going against the Traditional Text of the Greek New Testament. WELS kicked out the pastors who questioned the precious NIV. Problem solved.




Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Easter Sunday Second Sermoon - "This then is the effect of faith. He who believes that Christ has taken away our sin, is without sin, like Christ himself, and death, the devil and hell are vanquished as far as he is concerned and they can no longer harm him."

 



Complete Sermon - 

Luther's Sermons - Mark 16:1-8.
Easter Sunday. Second Sermon


II. THE FRUITS AND BENEFITS OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

6. St. Paul writes in Romans 4:25 as follows: “Christ was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.” Paul is indeed the man who extols Christ in a masterly manner, telling us exactly why and for what purpose he suffered and how we should conform ourselves to his sufferings, namely, that he died for our sins. This is a correct interpretation of the sufferings of Christ, by which we may profit. And as it is not sufficient to know and believe that Christ has died, so it will not suffice to know and believe that he rose with a transfigured body and is now in a state of joy and blessedness, no longer subject to mortality, for all this would profit me nothing or very little. But when I come to understand the fact that all the works God does in Christ are done for me, nay, they are bestowed upon and given to me, the effect of his resurrection being that I also will arise and live with him; that will cause me to rejoice. This must be brought home to our hearts, and we must not merely hear it with the ears of our body nor merely confess it with our mouth.

7. You have heard in the story of the Passion how Christ is portrayed as our exemplar and helper, and that he who follows him and clings to him receives the Spirit, who will enable him also to suffer. But the words of Paul are more Christian and should come closer home to our hearts and comfort us more, when he says: “Christ was raised for our justification.”

Here the Lamb is truly revealed, of whom John the Baptist testifies, when he says in John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” Here is fulfilled that which was spoken to the serpent: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head,” which means that for all those who believe in him, hell, death, and the devil and sin have been destroyed. In the same manner the promise is fulfilled to-day which God gave to Abraham, when he said in Genesis 22:18: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Here Christ is meant, who takes away our curse and the power of sin, death and the devil.

8. All this is done, I say, by faith. For if you believe that by this seed the serpent has been slain, then it is slain for you; and if you believe that in this seed all nations are to be blessed, then you are also blessed. For each one individually should have crushed the serpent under foot and redeemed himself from the curse, which would have been too difficult, nay impossible for us. But now it has been done easily, namely, by Christ, who has crushed the serpent once, who alone is given as a blessing and benediction, and who has caused this Gospel to be published throughout the world, so that he who believes, accepts it and clings to it, is also in possession of it, and is assured that it is as he believes. For in the heart of such a man the Word becomes so powerful that he will conquer death, the devil, sin and all adversity, like Christ himself did. So mighty is the Word that God himself would sooner be vanquished than that his Word should be conquered.

9. This is the meaning of the words by St. Paul: “Christ was raised for our justification.” Here Paul turns my eyes away from my sins and directs them to Christ, for if I look at my sins, they will destroy me. Therefore I must look unto Christ who has taken my sins upon himself, crushed the head of the serpent and become the blessing. Now they no longer burden my conscience, but rest upon Christ, whom they desire to destroy. Let us see how they treat him. They hurl him to the ground and kill him. O God; where is now my Christ and my Savior? But then God appears, delivers Christ and makes him alive; and not only does he make him alive, but he translates him into heaven and lets him rule over all. What has now become of sin. There it lies under his feet. If I then cling to this, I have a cheerful conscience like Christ, because I am without sin. Now I can defy death, the devil, sin and hell to do me any harm. As I am a child of Adam, they can indeed accomplish it that I must die. But since Christ has taken my sins upon himself, has died for them, has suffered himself to be slain on account of my sins, they can no longer harm me; for Christ is too strong for them, they cannot keep him, he breaks forth and overpowers them, ascends into heaven (takes sin and sorrow captive, Ed. 1531), and rules there over all throughout eternity. Now I have a clear conscience, am joyful and happy and am no longer afraid of this tyrant, for Christ has taken my sins away from me and made them his own. But they cannot remain upon him; what then becomes of them? They must disappear and be destroyed. This then is the effect of faith. He who believes that Christ has taken away our sin, is without sin, like Christ himself, and death, the devil and hell are vanquished as far as he is concerned and they can no longer harm him.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Reformation Seminary - Apologetics Without Apologizing

 


Today - 11 AM - Apologetics - Without Apologizing 10 AM Central

Oops! I did not run the recording.

Zoom > I will have a new Zoom and recording tomorrow at 11 am Central.

1 Peter 3:15 - 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

15 κυριον δε τον θεον αγιασατε εν ταις καρδιαις υμων ετοιμοι δε αει προς απολογιαν  (apologian) παντι τω αιτουντι υμας λογον περι της εν υμιν ελπιδος μετα πραυτητος και φοβου

Apologetics means defending the faith, not apologizing for faith.

1. Use the brighter passages to illuminate the darker ones. Canaanite woman. Matthew 15:21.

2. Compare the parallel passages for details.

3. Take advantage of parables with explanations. Matthew 13 and Mark 4.

4. Translations are commentaries. Stick with the best one - KJV/Luther's.

5. Avoid most commentaries, most of the time.

6. Learning Greek is very helpful. It is a joke at most seminaries.

7. A Greek New Testament word can be googled with "Thayer" for explanations.

8. Pay attention to Jesus' responses to the opposition.




Upcoming Reformation Seminary Lectures This Week

 


Today - 11 AM - Apologetics - Without Apologizing

Tuesday - 11 AM - Holy Baptism for Infants and Adults

Wednesday - 7 PM - Holy Communion

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Easter and the Holy Sacrament - "What urged these good women to hazard life and body? It was nothing but the great love they bore to the Lord, which had sunk so deeply into their hearts that for his sake they would have risked a thousand lives."

 

Complete Sermon -  Second Sermon - Christ's Resurrection And

Its Benefits


EASTER SUNDAY. SECOND SERMON. MARK 16:1-8.


I. THE STORY OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION.

1. In the first place we shall briefly examine the text of this narrative, and afterwards speak of the benefits of the resurrection of Christ, and how we should build upon it. The text reads: “And when the sabbath was past.”

Here we must remember Mark writes of the sabbath according to the custom of the Hebrews, for according to the Jewish reckoning the day began in the evening and lasted until the evening of the next day, as the first chapter of Genesis says: “And there was evening and there was morning, one day,” “a second day,” “a third day,” and so forth. Thus the first and greatest sabbath began on the evening of the day when Christ was crucified, that is to say at the time of sunset on the evening of Friday. Our reckoning conveys the wrong sense. Yesterday was the great sabbath, when Christ lay in the grave; in addition to this the Jews had seven full days which they celebrated and all of which they called sabbaths, counting them from the first holiday after the great sabbath and calling it prima sabbathorum (first of the sabbaths), and the third holiday secundam sabbathorum (second of the sabbaths), and so forth. On these days they ate only wafers and unleavened bread, for which reason they are also called by the Evangelist the days of unleavened bread. From this we must conclude that Christ rose before sunrise and before the angel descended in the earthquake. Afterwards the angel only came to open the empty grave, etc., as has been clearly described by the Evangelists.

2. The question now arises: How can we say that he rose on the third day, since he lay in the grave only one day and two nights? According to the Jewish calculation it was only a day and a half; how shall we then persist in believing there were three days? To this we reply that he was in the state of death for at least a part of all three days. For he died at about two o’clock on Friday and consequently was dead for about two hours on the first day. After that night he lay in the grave all day, which is the true sabbath. On the third day, which we commemorate now, he rose from the dead and so remained in the state of death a part of this day, just as if we say that something occurred on Easter-day, although it happens in the evening, only a portion of the day. In this sense Paul and the Evangelists say that he rose on the third day.

3. For this period and no longer Christ was to lie in the grave, so that we might suppose that his body remained naturally uncorrupted and that decomposition had not yet set in. He came forth from the grave so soon that we might presume that corruption had not yet taken place according to the course of nature; for a corpse can lie no longer than three days before it begins to decompose. Therefore Christ was to rise on the third day, before he saw corruption.

4. The great longing and love of the women for the Lord must also be particularly noted here, so that unadvised and alone they go early to the grave, not thinking of the great stone which was rolled before the tomb.

They might have thought of this and taken a man with them. But they act like timid and sorrowing persons, and therefore they go on their way without even thinking of the most necessary things. They do not even think of the watchers who were clad in armor, nor of the wrath of Pilate and the Jews, but boldly they freely risk it and alone they venture on their way.

What urged these good women to hazard life and body? It was nothing but the great love they bore to the Lord, which had sunk so deeply into their hearts that for his sake they would have risked a thousand lives. Such courage they had not of themselves, but here the power of the resurrection of Christ was revealed, whose Spirit makes these women, who by nature are timid, so bold and courageous that they venture to do things which might have daunted a man.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Response for the First Reformation Seminary Lecture

 



Dear Pastor Greg,

Sure appreciated your first seminary class, and what a great way to start. I was late in finding out it had been scheduled so I had to watch it later, I shouldn't make the same mistake tomorrow. 

There is no doubt in my mind that Luther's teachings on the efficacy of the word and sacraments are an apt and ongoing example to the the Roman and Orthodox churches that they still don't know the half of what they have been given. At least the Orthodox don't withhold the cup at times. 

This Lutheran lesson should also alert Episcopalians or Anglicans (and all who may call themselves reformed) notice that the Bible itself gives no excuse for their teachings on the same. 

In any case, thank you for this seminary (and Thy Strong Word) and I will take notes and try to make these classes whenever you schedule them, good Lord willing. Right now, I should be able to attend either those during the day and/or night. --God bless you

***

Each lecture will start with Zoom, get converted into YouTube, and shared on Ichabod and also the Reformation Semiary blog.

Grand Canyon University Is Getting Lots of Attention in Basketball.

 


More links about GCU can be found on the CitizenFreePress site.

Palm Sunday, 2024.




Bethany Lutheran Church
Springdale, Arkansas
Worship, 10  AM Central
YouTube link will be here ->https://youtu.be/4YGW7CfyQfU

The Hymn #160         All Glory, Laud             
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution

The Introit p. 16

Be not Thou far from me, O Lord: O my Strength, haste Thee to help me.

Save me from the lion’s mouth: and deliver me from the horns of the unicorns.

Psalm. My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? Why art Thou so far from helping Me?

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

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast sent Thy Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross that all mankind should follow the example of His great humility, mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of His patience and also be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual 
Gradual
Thou hast holden me by my right hand: Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory.

V. Truly, God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart: but as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped; for I was grieved at the ungodly.

Tract. My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

V. Why art Thou so far from helping Me: and from the words of My roaring?

V. I am a worm and no man: a reproach of men and despised of the people.

V. Be not Thou far from Me, O Lord; O My Strength, haste Thee to help Me.

V. I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee. 

V. They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born: that He hath done this. 

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

The Sermon Hymn # 292                 Lord Jesus Christ With Us Abide                


 Between Light and Darkness


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 #341              Crown Him with Many Crowns                          



Prayers and Announcements
  • Medical care - Randy Anderson, Dr. Kermit Way; Lori Howell, Sarah Buck, Pastor James Shrader and Chris Shrader, Callie and her mother Peggy.
  • Reformation Seminary Lecture - Monday at 11 AM
  • Reformation Seminary Lecture - Tuesday at 11 AM
  • Reformation Seminary Lecture - Wednesday 7 PM
  • Maundy Thursday Holy Communion, 7 PM Central Time.
  • Good Friday Vespers, 7 PM.
  • Easter Sunday Holy Communion. 10 AM.

KJV Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes t hat went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Palm Sunday

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast caused Thy beloved Son to take our nature upon Himself, that He might give all mankind the example of humility and suffer death upon the cross for our sins: Mercifully grant us a believing knowledge of this, and that, following the example of His patience, we may be made partakers of the benefits of His sacred passion and death, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
  

Between Light and Darkness


KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

When Jesus said He would go see His ailing friend Lazarus, fear and dread entered the mind of Thomas. 
KJV John 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

The disciples were perplexed about the plans of Jesus, which were a combination of light and darkness. They arrived late at the funeral of Lazarus, but Jesus knew what to happen. He went to the tomb, connecting the two graves - KJV John 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid...Lazarus emerged from the grave when Jesus called him to life. Jesus and Lazarus were together at Bethany and approaching Jerusalem.

John 12:17 shows us that Lazarus, as the star, came with Jesus to Jerusalem, the crowds following them from the funeral and empty grave, being met by others coming out of Jerusalem, hearing the news about the risen Lazarus. 

2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

These events go together, to show that the raising of Lazarus revealed the divine power of Jesus, who would enter Jerusalem as the ultimate miracle-worker, the Messiah. The Promises of the Old Testament were coming to light. Jesus arrived as the salvation of Jerusalem, so great that the religious leaders were terrified of the consequences and what Rome would do. (John 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.) The raising of Lazarus, the trip to Jerusalem, and the clamor of the crowd made the entry into Jerusalem the ultimate sign of His reign, though people only saw the glory and the triumph.

3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. (Zechariah 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.)

So many prophesies are a puzzle to us, when we read the Old Testament by itself. But when we see how it was fulfilled, the story is clearer than ever. The Old Testament is an enormous collection of Messianic Promises for the future, but they are often seen here and there, overlooked. The modernists have their own theories, trying to remove such thoughts from the Bible. A lot of the "experts" have difficulty reading and interpreting, because they have an agenda. The best interpreter of the Bible is the Bible - that is, the more we read with open eyes, the clearer everything becomes.

6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

This begins the greater part of His triumphal entry. He rode in with crowds following Him from Bethany and crowds coming out of Jerusalem to meet Him. He was surrounded by all these people shouting out their praises and putting down palm branches.

8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 
We are so young as a nation. King David's reign was around 1,000 BC. That kind of time is difficult to imagine. Creation was much earlier, the Promise of the Savior issued in Genesis 3:15, as they were expelled from Paradise. Many of the Promises were not clear to everyone at the time, but they certainly came into focus when Jesus died and rose again, as Lazarus did.

The Palm Sunday celebration was filled with light and darkness. People realized and saw the Messiah in their midst. Jesus knew what was next. They shouted phrases from the Scriptures and He knew what was also portrayed, in such passages as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. In Matthew, as in John, some went overboard about Mary, foreshadowing what would develop after the Apostles.

9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

The crowds encircled Jesus and joined in their shouts of triumph. It was a mixture of light and darkness - the Son of David revealing Himself at the temporary grave of Lazarus,  and soon placed in His momentous stone grave. Both showed the power of God over death. The vexing part about Lazarus is that people generally ignore that part of Holy Week, and Jesus is emphasized so much that his friend is overshadowed.
Another way to look at it is to consider how important it was to have the funeral crowd in mourning and a greater crowd forming both from Lazarus and from Jesus Christ Himself, explaining God's power and soon exhibiting Himself in all His glory.

Light and darkness are basic in Holy Week, developed extensively to teach us about  the difficulties of life and the glory of eternal life. Luther expressed that in terms of spiritual assaults (Anfectungen). He went through years of anguish escaping the errors of Medieval papal traditions versus the Scriptures. When a Bible in the German language was developed by Luther and his colleagues, that outraged the opponents even more.

Luther's writings are so significant to people today because of his anguish. We contribute to the Christian Faith by understanding his work and the true Scriptures. Darkness and light are different. A  darkroom - for photography the old-fashioned way - must be sealed up so that no light can come in and ruin the film. The darker the room, the more the individual sees little beams of light identifying parts of that room. The darkness is not complete, light is still peeking in. We have the same potential, to share the light of Jesus' Gospel in this world of confusion and darkness. The true Light that illuminates the world cannot be extinguished, because the Messiah is King, eternal, worthy of 50 or more titles of majesty in the Scriptures.


Saturday, March 23, 2024

Look at the Pile of Committees, Commissions, and Task Forces
We Have Marshalled To Fix Our Previous Genius Efforts!
The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) at Work!

Conrad Bergendoff - Dreams and schemes are never enough.


Anything written about the Wisconsin Sect's demise is equally true about the Missouri Sect. The tales of woe are quite similar because they both idolize their own synods. The Big Five are failing rapidly, thanks in part to Big Brother Thrivent watching over them, coaxing them with money, and keeping the Drucker Business Model in mind. 

If anyone asked me "Who is destroying the denominations?" I would say, "Their Father Below - Satan - is doing the work of an army of laborers, sowing weed seed, proclaiming their glorious future under his dark reign."

The Lutheran Church in America (born 1962, reborn as ELCA in 1987) was fashioned after General Motors' business model. Franklin Clark Fry demanded central power because "the Swedes are demanding it." No one could blame Fry when the Swedes were the problem. That reminds me, that Conrad Bergendoff (Augustana Synod - I had many talks with him) - always wanted the local seminary, Augustana College Seminary, to be located near his beloved University of Chicago, where he earned his PhD. That dream turned into a slo-mo nightmare as the combination semiary - LSTC - went steadily downhill and limped away to a rental spot from the Roman Catholics. Likewise, his other dream - uniting the Gettysburg and Philadelphia seminaries - went sour with the United Lutheran Seminary - wracked with division from the start. If you read the ULS link conveniently place in the previous sentence, you will be appalled and dismayed. Even the liberal bishops of ELCA were disgusted by the famous Vote.

The One Thing Needful, is stated by the Savior - 

KJV Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

The passage is directly related to the True Vine of John 15, which is the source of fruitfulness. The modernists and activists worship the outcome of fruitfulness but not the source. That is why WELS and Missouri are just as toxic as ELCA - imagining that results are proof of their claims.

An alternative view - alien to the modernist activists - is dwelling on the Scriptures, teaching the Word of God as it is, without shading, trimming, or butchering.

This is the real Bible, not unlike Luther's German Bible.


This is The Big Five Bible - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic), plus the money-making Bogus Beck Bible from Christian News.



Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Epistle Sermon for Palm Sunday - "He simply did not affect a divine appearance and dazzle us by its splendor; rather he served us with that divinity. He performed miracles. And during his suffering on the cross he, with divine power, gave to the murderer the promise of Paradise."

 



Epistle Sermon for Palm Sunday ->Complete Epistle Sermon Here


16. What follows concerning Christ, now that we understand the meaning or “form of God” and “form of a servant,” is surely plain. In fact, Paul himself tells us what he means by “form of a servant.” First: He makes the explanation that Christ disrobed, or divested himself; that is, appeared to lay aside his divinity in that he divested himself of its benefit and glory. Not that he did, or could, divest himself of his divine nature; but that he laid aside the form of divine majesty — did not act as the God he truly was.

Nor did he divest himself of the divine form to the extent of making it unfelt and invisible; in that case there would have been no divine form left.

He simply did not affect a divine appearance and dazzle us by its splendor; rather he served us with that divinity. He performed miracles. And during his suffering on the cross he, with divine power, gave to the murderer the promise of Paradise. Luke 23:43. And in the garden, similarly, he repelled the multitude by a word. John 18:6.

Hence Paul does not say that Christ was divested by some outside power; he says Christ “made himself” of no repute. Just so the wise man does not in a literal way lay aside wisdom and the appearance of wisdom, but discards them for the purpose of serving the simple-minded who might fittingly serve him. Such man makes himself of no reputation when he divests himself of his wisdom and the appearance of wisdom.

17. Second: Christ assumed the form of a servant, even while remaining God and having the form of God; he was God, and his divine words and works were spoken and wrought for our benefit. As a servant, he served us with these. He did not require us to serve him in compensation for them, as in the capacity of a Lord he had a just right to do. He sought not honor or profit thereby, but our benefit and salvation. It was a willing service and gratuitously performed, for the good of men. It was a service unspeakably great, because of the ineffable greatness of the minister and servant — God eternal, whom all angels and creatures serve. He who is not by this example heartily constrained to serve his fellows, is justly condemned. He is harder than stone, darker than hell and utterly without excuse.

18. Third: “Being made in the likeness of men.” Born of Mary, Christ’s nature became human. But even in that humanity he might have exalted himself above all men and served none. But he forbore and became as other men. And by “likeness of men” we must understand just ordinary humanity without special privilege whatever. Now, without special privilege there is no disparity among men. Understand, then, Paul says in effect: Christ was made as any other man who has neither riches, honor, power nor advantage above his fellows; for many inherit power, honor and property by birth. So lowly did Christ become, and with such humility did he conduct himself, that no mortal is too lowly to be his equal, even servants and the poor. At the same time, Christ was sound, without bodily infirmities, as man in his natural condition might be expected to be.

19. Fourth. “And being found in fashion as a man.” That is, he followed the customs and habits of men, eating and drinking, sleeping and waking, walking and standing, hungering and thirsting, enduring cold and heat, knowing labor and weariness, needing clothing and shelter, feeling the necessity of prayer, and having the same experience as any other man in his relation to God and the world. He had power to avoid these conditions; as God he might have demeaned and borne himself quite differently. But in becoming man, as above stated, he fared as a human being, and be accepted the necessities of ordinary mortals while all the time he manifested the divine form which expressed his true self.

20. Fifth: “He humbled himself,” or debased himself. In addition to manifesting his servant form in becoming man and faring as an ordinary human being, he went farther and made himself lower than any man. He abased himself to serve all men with the supreme service — the gift of his life in our behalf.

21. Sixth: He not only made himself subject to men, but also to sin, death and the devil, and bore it all for us. He accepted the most ignominious death, the death on the cross, dying not as a man but as a worm (Psalm 22:6); yes, as an arch-knave, a knave above all knaves, in that he lost even what favor, recognition and honor were due to the assumed servant form in which he had revealed himself, and perished altogether.

22. Seventh: All this Christ surely did not do because we were worthy of it.

Who could be worthy such service from such a one? Obedience to the Father moved him. Here Paul with one word unlocks heaven and permits us to look into the unfathomable abyss of divine majesty and to behold the ineffable love of the Fatherly heart toward us — his gracious will for us.

He shows us how from eternity it has been God’s pleasure that Christ, the glorious one who has wrought all this, should do it for us. What human heart would not melt at the joy-inspiring thought? Who would not love, praise and thank God and in return for his goodness, not only be ready to serve the world, but gladly to embrace the extremity of humility? Who would not so do when he is aware that God himself has such precious regard for him, and points to the obedience of his Son as the pouring out and evidence of his Fatherly will. Oh, the significance of the words Paul here uses! such words as he uses in no other place! He must certainly have burned with joy and cheer. To gain such a glimpse of God — surely this must be coming to the Father through Christ. Here is truly illustrated the truth that no one comes to Christ except the Father draw him; and with what power, what delicious sweetness, the Father allures! How many are the preachers of the faith who imagine they know it all, when they have received not even an odor or taste of these things! How soon are they become masters who have never been disciples! Not having tasted God’s love, they cannot impart it; hence they remain unprofitable babblers. “Wherefore also God highly exalted him.”

23. As Christ was cast to the lowest depths and subjected to all devils, in obeying God and serving us, so has God exalted him Lord over all angels and creatures, and over death and hell. Christ now has completely divested himself of the servant form — laid it aside. Henceforth he exists in the divine form, glorified, proclaimed, confessed, honored and recognized as God.

While it is not wholly apparent to us that “all things are put in subjection” to Christ, as Paul says (1 Corinthians 15:27), the trouble is merely with our perception of the fact. It is true that Christ is thus exalted in person and seated on high in the fullness of power and might, executing everywhere his will; though few believe the order of events is for the sake of Christ.

Freely the events order themselves, and the Lord sits enthroned free from all restrictions. But our eyes are as yet blinded. We do not perceive him there nor recognize that all things obey his will. The last day, however, will reveal it. Then we shall comprehend present mysteries; how Christ laid aside his divine form, was made man, and so on; how he also laid aside the form of a servant and resumed the divine likeness; how as God he appeared in glory; and how he is now Lord of life and death, and the King of Glory.

This must suffice on the text. For how we, too, should come down from our eminence and serve others has been sufficiently treated of in other postils. Remember, God desires us to serve one another with body, property, honor, spirit and soul, even as his Son served us.