Friday, December 13, 2024

The Augsburg Confession: A Brief Review and Interpretation by Juergen Ludwig Neve. - Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry - Alec Satin - Lutheran Librarian.

 





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📅 NEW PUBLICATIONS AND UPDATES

The Augsburg Confession: A Brief Review and Interpretation by Juergen Ludwig Neve

“The main stress in the book… is upon the interpretation of its text… It is prefaced by a chapter with simple talks on confessional questions… The second part… tell(s) the story of the Confession in a readable way.. The third part, with its interpretation of the articles of the Confession, forms the main part of this book… the effort has been made to write in such a way that a layman… can follow the discussions.” -from the Preface by J L Neve. Level of Difficulty: Primer: No prior subject ...

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Life's Golden Lamp: A Treasury of Texts from the Words of Christ by Robert Offord

This daily devotional is made up of short messages based on Scriptural texts. Each has been written by a different minister of the Gospel. ‘May the Lord whose words are the vital portion of the book grant that as these are read from day to day… they may not return to him void!’ - from the Preface Level of Difficulty: Primer: No prior subject matter knowledge needed. Contents About the Lutheran Library Titlepage Preface These Sayings of ...

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An Easy Guide to Scripture Animals by Vernon Morwood

“An Easy Guide to Scripture Animals, being a description of all the animals mentioned in the Bible, with the Scripture References, numerous anecdotes, etc. For home use and for day and Sunday schools.” Level of Difficulty: Primer: No prior subject matter knowledge needed. Contents About the Lutheran Library Original Cover Titlepage Presented to Frontispiece Preface Contents Vocabulary Scripture ...

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How I Found the True Faith by Samuel McGerald

“The story of a remarkable conversion from Roman Catholicism, with additional chapters on subjects vital and fundamental.” Level of Difficulty: Primer: No prior subject matter knowledge needed. Contents About the Lutheran Library Titlepage What’s said about the book by Distinguished Men of Both Continents Autograph Frontispiece Epigraph Contents Foreword 1 My Early Years 2 Boyhood Experiences 3 Coming to America 4 A Turning Point in My Life 5 Reading the Sealed Book 6 The Word Winning Its ...

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Reasons Why I Cannot Return to the Church of Rome by Samuel McGerald

“In view of the persistent and unflagging efforts of my friends to win or force me back to the Roman faith, I am led to give the following reaosns why I cannot return to the church I broke away from sixty-five years ago…” -From the Foreword Level of Difficulty: Primer: No prior subject matter knowledge needed. Contents About the Lutheran Library Titlepage Frontispiece Contents Introduction Epigraph Foreword 1 The Glories of Mary 2 Rome an Apostate Church 3 The Roman Church Founded on ...

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Handbook to the Controversy with Rome by Karl von Hase

“This Handbook… has been fitly called indispensable for a knowledge of the Roman controversy, and a masterpiece of Protestant theology, both in form and contents, unrefuted and irrefutable.” - The Translator Level of Difficulty: Intermediate: Some prior subject matter knowledge helpful. Contents About the Lutheran Library Titlepage Contents of Volume 1 Note Analysis of the Argument Translator’s Preface Prefaces Book 1. The Church 1 Catholicism A Unity B Infallibility C The Sole Means of ...

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WELS Husband Faked Death To Be With His Mistress Overseas

 

Borgwardt was seen shuffling into court in handcuffs following his dramatic return to the US on Wednesday. His return comes four months after he was initially thought to have drowned in Green Lake while out kayaking.

Ryan Borgwardt's wife is a teacher in one of the WELS schools in Watertown, Wisconsin.

Ryan faked his death, went to Canada, and traveled to be with a lady in Uzbek. He came back from death by mishandling his own photo, which showed up by mistake in his equipment back home.



They Are Selling - Not Teaching, Because Gospel Teaching Embarrasses Them

 

In this sermon, Luther emphasized that Jesus was primarily a teacher rather than a miracle worker. The miracles were not the end game (contrary to the squeamish rationalists of today) but the method by which the Son of God taught them the essential truths. The centurion - knew and spoke with great clarity - the Word is efficacious. "Just say the Word and my assistant will be healed, not dead."

One of our members brought Justification by Faith books to a Lutheran Free Conference, which meant anyone could participate in sharing materials. Matt the Fatt came by and picked up a book. "What are you selling?" The member said, "We are not selling anything. These are free." The supposed Doctor said, "Looks like you are selling something" and walked away. Pretty soon the so-called "Free Conference" defenestrated the Justification by Faith table. LCMS-WELS-ELS stood (or rather cowered) against Justification by Faith and would not allow it.

The LutherQueasies, unaware of their follies, call us OJ-Deniers. 

The Big Five Apostates - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) do not teach at all. They sell the current, pre-packaged products, which must be sold in their perfection of perfidy. For example, some have been sold on Unstuck, so they are required to follow the Unstuck model.






The Unstuck Group | Consulting & Leadership Coaching

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Advent 3 - "For it has always been preached unto the whole world, as Christ says, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole creation,” Mark 16:15. Surely these poor are not the beggars and the bodily poor, but the spiritually poor, namely, those who do not covet and love earthly goods; yes, rather those poor, broken-hearted ones who in the agony of their conscience seek and desire help and consolation so ardently that they covet neither riches nor honor. Nothing will be of help to them, unless they have a merciful God. Here is true spiritual weakness."

 

Jesus is the Good Samaritan


Third Sunday in Advent, Matthew 11:2-10. John in Prison: or Christ’s Answer to John’s Question; His Praise of John; and the Application of This Gospel


Therefore, hold to this distinction, and no matter what books you have before you, be they of the Old or of the New Testament, read them with a discrimination so as to observe that when promises are made in a book, it is a Gospel-book; when commandments are given, it is a law-book. But because in the New Testament the promises are found so abundantly, and in the Old Testament so many laws, the former is called the Gospel, and the latter the Book of the Law. We now come back to our text. “And the poor have good tidings preached unto them.”

30. From what has just been said it is easily understood that among the works of Christ none is greater than preaching the Gospel to the poor. This means nothing else than that to the poor the divine promise of grace and consolation in and through Christ is preached, offered and presented, so that to him who believes all his sins are forgiven, the law is fulfilled, conscience is appeased and at last life eternal is bestowed upon him. What more joyful tidings could a poor sorrowful heart and a troubled conscience hear than this? How could the heart become more bold and courageous than by such consoling, blissful words of promise? Sin, death, hell, the world and the devil and every evil are scorned, when a poor heart receives and believes this consolation of the divine promise. To give sight to the blind and to raise up the dead are but insignificant deeds, compared with preaching the Gospel to the poor. Therefore Christ mentions it as the greatest and best among these works.

31. But it must be observed that Christ says: “The Gospel is preached to none but to the poor only, thus without doubt intending it to be a message for the poor only. For it has always been preached unto the whole world, as Christ says, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to the whole creation,” Mark 16:15. Surely these poor are not the beggars and the bodily poor, but the spiritually poor, namely, those who do not covet and love earthly goods; yes, rather those poor, broken-hearted ones who in the agony of their conscience seek and desire help and consolation so ardently that they covet neither riches nor honor. Nothing will be of help to them, unless they have a merciful God. Here is true spiritual weakness.

They are those for whom such a message is intended, and in their hearts they are delighted with it. They feel that they have been delivered from hell and death.

32. Therefore, though the Gospel is heard by all the world, yet it is not accepted but by the poor only. Moreover, it is to be preached and proclaimed to all the world, that it is a message only for the poor, and that the rich men can not receive it. Whosoever would receive it must first become poor, as Christ says, Matthew 9:13, that he came not to call the righteous but only sinners, although he called all the world. But his calling was such that he desired to be accepted only by sinners, and all he called should become sinners. This they resented. In like manner all should become poor who heard the Gospel, that they might be worthy of the Gospel; but this they also resented. Therefore the Gospel remained only for the poor. Thus God’s grace was also preached before all the world to the humble, in order that all might become humble, but they would not be humble.

33. Hence you see who are the greatest enemies of the Gospel, namely, the work-righteous saints, who are self-conceited, as has been said before. For the Gospel has not the least in common with them. They want to be rich in works, but the Gospel wills that they are to become poor. They will not yield, neither can the Gospel yield, as it is the unchangeable word of God.

Thus they and the Gospel clash, one with another, as Christ says, “And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.” Matthew 21:44.

Again, they condemn the Gospel as being error and heresy; and we observe it comes to pass daily, as it has from the beginning of the world, that between the Gospel and the work-righteous saints there is no peace, no good will and no reconciliation. But meanwhile Christ must suffer himself to be crucified anew, for he and those that are his must place themselves, as it were, into this vise, namely, between the Gospel and the work-righteous saints, and thus be pressed and crushed like the wheat between the upper and nether millstones. But the lower stone is the quiet, peaceable and immovable Gospel, while the upper stone is the works and their masters, who are ranting and raging.

34. With all this John contradicts strongly the fleshly and worldly opinion his disciples entertained concerning Christ’s coming. They thought that the great king. whom John extolled so highly, namely, that the latchet of whose shoe he was not worthy to unloose (John 1:27), would enter in such splendor that everything would be gold and costly ornaments, and immediately the streets would be spread with pearls and silks. As they lifted up their eyes so high and looked for such splendor, Christ turns their look downward and holds before them the blind, lame, deaf, dumb, poor and everything that conflicts with such splendor, and contrariwise he presents himself in the state of a common servant rather than that of a great king, whose shoe’s latchet John considered himself unworthy to unloose, as though Christ would say to them: “Banish your high expectations, look not to my person and state, but to the works I do. Worldly lords, because they rule by force, must be accompanied by rich, high, healthy, strong, wise and able men. With them they have to associate, and they need them, or their kingdom could not exist; hence they can never attend to the blind, lame, deaf, dumb, dead, lepers and the poor.

But my kingdom, because it seeks not its own advantage, but rather bestows benefits upon others, is sufficient of itself and needs no one’s help; therefore, I can not bear to be surrounded by such as are already sufficient of themselves, such as are healthy, rich, strong, pure, active, pious, and able in every respect. To such I am of no benefit; they obtain nothing from me. Yea, they would be a disgrace to me, because it would seem that I needed them and were benefited by them, as worldly rulers are by their subjects. Therefore, I must do otherwise and keep to those who can become partakers of me, and I must associate with the blind, the lame, the dumb, and all kinds of afflicted ones. This the character and nature of my kingdom demand. For this reason I must appear in a way that such people can feel at home in my company.

35. And now very aptly follow the words, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.” Why? Because Christ’s humble appearance and John’s excellent testimony of Christ seemed to disagree with each other. Human reason could not make them rhyme. Now all the Scriptures pointed to Christ, and there was danger of misinterpreting them.

Reason spoke thus: Can this be the Christ, of whom all the Scriptures speak? Should he be the one, whose shoe’s latchet John thought himself unworthy to unloose, though I scarcely consider him worthy to clean my shoes? Therefore, it is surely true that it is a great blessing not to find occasion of stumbling in Christ, and there is here no other help or remedy than to look at his works and compare them with the Scriptures. Otherwise it is impossible to keep from being offended at Christ.