Saturday, September 21, 2024

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 Epistle - To guard against such disaster, Christians should be particularly careful to give, in their conduct, no occasion for offense, and to value the name and honor of their God too highly to permit blasphemy of them.

 



Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity.— Exhortation to Live According to the Christian Calling, and in the Unity of the Spirit. Ephesians 4:1-6.


7. To guard against such disaster, Christians should be particularly careful to give, in their conduct, no occasion for offense, and to value the name and honor of their God too highly to permit blasphemy of them. They should prefer to lose their own honor, their wealth, their physical wellbeing, even their lives, rather than that these, their most precious possessions and greatest blessings, should suffer disgrace. Let them remember that upon keeping sacred the name and honor of God depends their own standing before God and men. God promises (1 Samuel 2:30), “Them that honor me I will honor.” But pursuing the opposite course, Christians bring upon themselves God’s sternest wrath and effect their own rejection and shame. For he says further: “They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” And in the second commandment God threatens certain and terrible punishment to abusers of his name; that is, to them who do not employ it to his honor and praise.

8. Well may every Christian examine his own life to see if he is careful to guard against offense to the Gospel and to regulate his words and conduct by God’s first commandment, making them contribute to the honor and praise of the divine name and the holy Gospel. Weighty indeed and well calculated to cause complaint are the sins to which every Christian is liable in this respect; well may he avoid them lest he heap to himself the wrath of God. Especially need we be careful in these last and evil times when the Gospel is everywhere suppressed by great offenses. Man was created to be the image of God, that through this his image God might himself be expressed. God’s image, then, should be reflected in the lives of men as a likeness in a glass, and a Christian can have no higher concern than to live without dishonor to the name of God.

ADMONITION TO SPECIAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUES.

9. Such is the first part of Paul’s admonition concerning the general life of Christians. He goes on to make special mention of several good works which Christians should diligently observe: humility, meekness, longsuffering, preservation of the unity of the Spirit, and so on. These have been specially treated before, in other epistle lessons, particularly those from Peter. Humility, for instance — mentioned in today’s lesson — is taken up the third Sunday after Trinity; patience and meekness, the second Sunday after Easter, and the fifth Sunday after Trinity.



Friday, September 20, 2024

From Boomers to Bust - Shrinking University Results - The Four Waltherian Cults - LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic),

 

The new home for Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, called A School in MotionThe Catholic Theological Union has cleverly bundled together a beehive of academic drones.

Saving Planet Earth while smoking weed.

50.7% of college applicants to Cook County's 98 universities were admitted for fall 2022


Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, University of Illinois Chicago stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 33,747 students.

U.S. college enrollment has been in a downward trend since peaking at around 18.1 million students in 2010. Recent increases offered some relief, but experts project a steeper decline in 2025.

This decline is likely due to two main factors. First, the pool of young adults is shrinking as birth rates have fallen nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022. Second, the rising cost of higher education, including skyrocketing student loan debt. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report shows that more than half of Americans think a four-year degree is not worth the cost.

NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for 19 institutions in Cook County, including Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, National Latino Education Institute and Catholic Theological Union at Chicago.

***

GJ - The registrars know that telling everyone about their enrollment shrinkage will only drive away more potential students. Online studies have also kept many at home to earn money. 

No, I don't follow Notre Dame football.


I drove 100 miles round trip for Notre Dame studies, which were free. Waterloo Seminary was $150 tuition for the first year, and married housing was very inexpensive. LSTC tuition!!!!

WELS and LCMS bragged about their DMin degrees from Fuller Seminary, a higher number than their own seminaries. This accelerated the downfall of both sects - and the ELCA as well.



ELCA Shrinking and Merging Seminaries - 

All in One Internet Promotion

"Brett, we are doing the best we can."


Where Does LCMS Start And End? Holy Mother Synod!

 




From Rolf Preus, Co-Editor of His Father's Justification (by faith) And Rome


"It's not that Concordia doesn't owe some loyalty to the LCMS.  It's rather that the BOR statement spoke of the LCMS in terms that apply only to the one holy, Christian, and apostolic church.  She is the Jerusalem which is above who is our mother.  (Galatians 4:26)  We confess in the Large Catechism, on the Creed, third article (paragraph 42), "For, in the first place, He has a peculiar congregation in the world, which is the mother that begets and bears every Christian through the Word of God, which He reveals and preaches, and through which He illumines and enkindles hearts, that they understand, accept it, cling to it, and persevere in it."  We should not refer to a synod as our mother."   




***

GJ - Rev. Dr. Matt the Fatt Harrison wants to hang onto Concordia University in  Texas, but I would dump that property as soon as possible. CTX! - get it? Missouri hates the Book of Concord, so every little or big synod entity has to be fasioned Concordite.

"We confess in the Large Catechism"

We can overlook the hundred or so Preus boys who have endured the continued inbreeding of Rambach-Stephan-Walther dogma in their synod. Everywhere they look or listen, one of the relatives is singing their favorite hymn (in Norwegian) "How Great We Art."

Rolf should know better, because he is listed as an editor of Justification and Rome. ELS loyaltists thought it was Just A Vacation in Rome. That shows how devoid of scholarship the Little Norwegians are.

Rolf Hisself continues to argue against the book he edited, more importantly - against the Book of Concord, which always teaches Justification by Faith in harmony with the Scriptures. 

The windbags of the deceased Synodical Conference (LCMS-ELS-WELS-Fuller) are blind to the Scriptures and enchanted by the Enthusiasts. They even have their own Fuller-lite training facility in WELS, some of the worst examples charging money for their own clergy to be more like them.

This relative of the Preus clan was a seminary professor for CFW Walther - his book still a classic in Objective Faithless Justification humor. Ed Preuss looked for a vision and saw a brilliant red sky, so he joined the Church of Rome and became a famous scholar for them. And yet The Four Waltherian Cults - LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) continue to honor Mr. Ed.



Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry - Alec Satin - New Releases

 


Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 Epistle - "The ground of all doctrine, of all right living, the supreme and eternal treasure of him who is a Christian in the sight of God, is faith in Christ. It alone secures forgiveness o£ sins and makes us children of God. Now, where this faith is, fruits should follow as evidence that Christians in their lives honor and obey God."

 


Seventeenth Sunday After Trinity.— Exhortation to Live According to the Christian Calling, and in the Unity of the Spirit. Ephesians 4:1-6.


TEXT:

EPHESIANS 4:1-6. 1 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

THE CHRISTIAN CALLING AND UNITY.

1. This, too, is a beautiful sermon, delivered by Paul to the Ephesians, concerning the good works of Christians, who believe and are obedient to the doctrine of the Gospel. In the knowledge of good works Paul desires Christians to grow and increase, as we learned in the epistle for last Sunday. The ground of all doctrine, of all right living, the supreme and eternal treasure of him who is a Christian in the sight of God, is faith in Christ. It alone secures forgiveness o£ sins and makes us children of God. Now, where this faith is, fruits should follow as evidence that Christians in their lives honor and obey God. They are necessary for God’s glory and for the Christian’s own honor and eternal reward before him.

2. Paul, remembering the imprisonment and tribulations he suffered because of the Gospel and for the advantage, as he before said, of the Ephesians, gives the admonition here. He would have them, in return for his sufferings, honor the Gospel in their lives. First he names a general rule of life for Christians. “To walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called.”

THE CHRISTIAN CALLING.

3. The chief thing that should influence a Christian’s outward walk is the remembrance of his calling and appointment by God. He should be mindful of why he is called a Christian, and live consistently. He must shine before the world; that is, through his life and God’s work, the Word and the name of Christ the Lord must be exalted. Christ exhorts his disciples: “Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

4. Similarly, Paul would say: “You have received God’s grace and his Word and are a blessed people. In Christ all your needs are blessedly supplied. Be mindful of this and remember you are called to a far different and vastly higher life than others know. Show by your manner of living that you seek a higher good than the world seeks — indeed, that you have received far greater blessings. Let your lives honor and glorify the Lord who has given you such blessings. Give no occasion for dishonoring your treasured faith, or for scorning his Word. Rather, influence men by your godly walk and good works to believe in Christ and to glorify him.”

5. Let the Christian know his earthly life is not unto himself, nor for his own sake; his life and work here belong to Christ, his Lord. Hence must his walk be such as shall contribute to the honor and glory of his Master, whom he should so serve that he may be able to say with Paul, not only with respect to the spiritual life — the life of faith and of righteousness by grace — but also with respect to its fruits — the outward conduct: “It is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me.” Galatians 2:20. The Christian’s manner of life may be styled “walking in Christ”; yes, as Paul elsewhere has it (Romans 13:14), “putting on” the Lord Jesus Christ, like a garment or an ornament. The world is to recognize Christ by his shining in us.

6. But the so-called Christian life that does not honor Christ makes its sin the more heinous for the name it bears. Every sin the people of God commit is a provocation of Jehovah; not only in the act of disobedience itself, but also in the transgression of the second commandment. The enormity of the sin is magnified by the conditions that make it a blasphemy of God’s name and an occasion of offense to others. Paul says in Romans 2:24: “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” So a Christian should, in his life, by all means guard the honor of God — of Christ. He must take heed that he be not guilty of blaspheming that name and of doing wickedness. The devil, aided by the world, construes every act, when possible, to reflect upon God’s honor and glory. His purpose is to manifest his bitter hatred against Christ and the Word; also to injure the Church by charging offenses, thus deterring unbelievers from embracing the Gospel and causing the weak to fall away.



Thursday, September 19, 2024

Reformation Seminary - John 6 First Part

YouTube




KJV John 6

1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. 4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.


5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.


8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle ["sign" from God] that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.


15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. 16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,


17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. 18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; [I AM] be not afraid. 21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 - "All this is intended to help and strengthen our hearts and consciences. In this way our Lord himself teaches us how we should humble ourselves and be subject one to another."

 



Luther's Sermons - Luke 14:1-11.
Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity



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

26. But now they go and mingle and confuse spiritual and worldly things, and claim it is enough if they be humble in heart when they strive for the chief seats. Nay, dear friends, heart-humility must manifest itself in outer conduct, or it is false. All should therefore he willing to take a lower seat, even to throw themselves at the feet of others, and not move up higher, until urged to do so. Anyone who regards this rule, will do well; but he who disregards it will come to grief by so doing. That is what our Lord desires to impress upon his hearers as he closes this parable. “For every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

27. St. Augustine adds a comment here which I wish he had not made, for it savors of vanity, when he says: “A ruler must not abase himself too much, lest his authority be weakened thereby.” This is heathenish and worldly, not Christian; but we can pardon it in such a man, for even the saints on earth are not yet entirely perfect.

28. The sum of this Gospel then is: Love and necessity control all law; and there should be no law that cannot be enforced and applied in love. If it cannot, then let it be done away with, even though an angel from heaven had promulgated it. All this is intended to help and strengthen our hearts and consciences. In this way our Lord himself teaches us how we should humble ourselves and be subject one to another. [However concerning this virtue, what true humility is, I have said enough in former Postils c.] Let this suffice on to-day’s Gospel.

The Four Walther sects do not know this either! so they should repent, go on a diet, shave their heads, and give up their fat salaries.


Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 - "Therefore the Gospel aims at making all of us humble, whatever and whoever we may be, that none may exalt himself, unless urged and elevated by regular authority. That is what the Lord wants to inculcate by this parable, directing it to all, be they high or low. In this spirit he reproves the Pharisees and others who desire high places and are ambitious to get ahead of others."

 



Luther's Sermons - Luke 14:1-11.
Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity



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

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

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

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Reformation Seminary - John 5:28-47

YouTube



 Mary and Martha - Medieval priests reversed Jesus' statement.
Mary chose the noble (agathos) part.
Luke 10

John 5:28-47

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,


29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.


30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.


31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.


32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.


33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.


34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.


35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.


36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.


37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.


38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.


39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.


40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.


41 I receive not honour from men.


42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.


43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.


44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?


45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.


46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.


47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 17 - "In this manner the most sanctimonious monks and Carthusians act; they observe their rules and statutes so rigorously that, although they saw a poor man breathing his last breath and could help him so easily, yet they will not do it."

 



Luther's Sermons - Luke 14:1-11.
Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity



5. Later we have here pictured to us also the love in Christ that goes forth and bears fruit, not for itself but for others, as is the nature of true love to do. This is now said on the first part of to-day’s Gospel.

6. However, this Pericope especially teaches us in the second place a necessary doctrine we must possess, if we are to make use of the laws that order the outward and temporal matters and affairs, which the church is to observe. Here we must act wisely and gently, if we wish to do the right thing, especially when weak and timid consciences are concerned. For there is nothing more tender in heaven and on earth, and nothing can bear less trifling, than the conscience. The eye is spoken of as a sensitive member, but conscience is much more sensitive. Hence we notice how gently the Apostles dealt with conscience in divers matters, lest it be burdened with human ordinances.

7. But as we cannot live without law and order, and as it is dangerous to deal with law since it is too apt to ensnare the conscience, we must say a little about human laws and ordinances and how far they are to be observed. The proverb says: “Everything depends upon having a good interpreter.” That is particularly true here where human ordinances are concerned. Where there is no one to interpret and explain the law rightly it is difficult and dangerous to have anything to do with it. Take, for example, a ruler who acts like a tyrant and abuses his authority. If he makes a law and urgently insists on the law being executed, he treats conscience as if he had a sword in his hand and were intent on killing. We have experienced this in the tyrannical laws of popery, how consciences were tormented and hurled into hell and damnation. Yea, there is great danger where one does not know how to temper and apply the laws.

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

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

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

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

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

Traitors Betrayed By Their Own Folly

 

Paul L. Holmer taught at Yale University, but he would not be accepted as a student today.


I suggest reading the statements coming from The Big Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic). I could add the ELDONUTS to make it The Sickening Six, because the writing has been on their wall a long time.

Emphasizing the good-good-goodness* of the safe sects, they continue to parse the exquisite wisdom of their declarations. I produce the Daily Luther Sermon Quote because the exercise is good for everyone, easy to find, and essential to remain a believer in the waning light of truth.

This is a scavenger hunt, a game to see if an official statement can be judged as an offal example. 

Scavenger Hunt - try to find a clear statement from the sect - that teaches 

  1. Faith in Jesus Christ, 
  2. born of the Virgin Mary, 
  3. baptized by John, 
  4. tempted by Satan, 
  5. teaching faith and performing miracles, 
  6. gathering disciples, 
  7. enduring torture and the cross, 
  8. dying for the sins of the world, 
  9. rising from the dead, 
  10. ascending to Heaven.
No managers in the Sickening Six can do this, because they are intent on covering up the offal and praising themselves (i.e. dodging questions, paying their friends' bail, defenestrating the faithful).

The test is simple but pure torture for them. Do their publications cause and nurture faith in Jesus Christ? 

"What is truth?" said scoffing Pilate and would not stay for an answer.


Lutheran Librarian - Alec Satin - Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry