ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the National Council of Churches.
Mass Immigration in the Name of God: Countering Disinformation About LCMS RSOs
Brief: Matthew Harrison’s February 2025 letter on U.S. immigration and Lutheran organizations attempts to relieve himself and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod body politic of any and all culpability for money laundering. His false statements and use of dissembling rhetoric are examined here, to the conclusion that Harrison and the LCMS are indeed guilty of crimes against the American people, whether a charge of money laundering sticks or not. Indeed, through their facilitation of mass immigration, the LCMS, its Recognized Service Organizations, and the leadership who oversee them both, are all guilty of economic (and otherwise) violence against United States citizens.
In aerial warfare, the two biggest dangers are radar, and your own heat signature; both can be used to direct missiles to your aircraft, and ultimately to bring you down. That is why many aircraft carry two countermeasures when flying into enemy space: chaff, and flares.
Chaff is released in the aircraft’s wake to obscure radar, effectively allowing the aircraft itself to evade radio detection. Flares burn extremely hot for several seconds, enough to fool heat-seeking missiles into chasing them away from the aircraft. Both of these countermeasures are vital for ensuring that the aircraft itself can continue on its mission, unimpeded and intact.
This very strategy of deploying evasive countermeasures was, by analogy, employed by Matthew Harrison, Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) president, this past week in his response to inferences of money laundering operations involving LCMS Recognized Service Organizations. Let me explain.
General Flynn Tweet and Response
On February 1st, 2025, retired General Mike Flynn posted the tweet in the below screenshot, noting that billions of American Government dollars have been directed to various Lutheran Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).
Elon Musk agreed and amplified, noting that the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was on the case.
These statements naturally raised many questions for Lutherans. Many were sure that this was predictable Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) funny business. Others appealed to Lutheran leaders for a statement.
The ELCA statement came immediately, as their Presiding Bishop appeared on video the very next day to rebuke General Flynn and his accusations.
President Harrison of the LCMS, however, had a fortuitously scheduled Council of Presidents meeting from February 3rd through February 6th. That council eventually produced the statement from Harrison’s desk, published on February 6th.
Unfortunately, rather than accepting accountability and owning what amounts to — at best — gross negligence in his duties to oversee matters of the Synod, Harrison chose the path of Deny, Deflect, and Defend. In short, he launched chaff and flares, and embarked on a strategy of evasive countermeasures in an attempt to shake pursuit.
Addressing Harrison’s disinformation, then, is the major objective of this essay.
Roll Up Your Sleeves
Before getting into Harrison’s glaring omissions and half-truths, it behooves us to consider his rhetorical skill as employed in this missive.
He begins with “Grace and peace in Jesus!” followed by a gratuitous block quote from Ephesians 1:15-23, where Paul gives thanks for the believers in Ephesus and extols Christ.
This is an interesting choice for Harrison, who has a track record of getting straight to the meat of what he considers a pressing issue for the Synod. Compare and contrast his opening in his letter on the death of George Floyd.
Please
post this true account of yet another danger threatening my sheep:
Difficult Lambing. This occurred on Saturday April 5 at 10:30 AM.
As
I drove my 4-wheeler across the pasture I noticed one of my best ewes
laboring and heaving to bring a new lamb into this world. Ringo was
worried. He kept looking in her direction. Soon I became concerned too. I
could see my ewe was having trouble and decided to give her one more
hour. An hour went by. My ewe was now in distress, so I gently guided
her into a small lambing pen. To my amazement, Ringo instinctively
helped me get her into the pen. Suddenly I realized she was giving birth
to a huge lamb. One huge hoof was visible so I took a firm hold and
began to gently pull harder and harder and harder. Soon another huge
hoof appeared so I now had a firm grip on both fronts legs. Soon a huge
head appeared and finally a beautiful new ewe lamb was born into this
world. She was alive! I was relieved as this huge new lamb began to
breath and cough up fluid that had gotten into her lungs. Ringo was
whimpering and watching nervously as the new lamb began to struggle to
get onto her feet. My ewe began to call to her new lamb so I gently
pushed her new lamb in front of her, now teetering on wobbly legs. She
began to lick her new lamb clean, murmuring softly and nudging it onto
it's feet with her nose. Ringo was now beside himself with worry,
whimpering and whining. Soon all was well. My ewe had her huge new lamb
nursing at her side.
Here
are some pictures of my ewe and her newly born lamb, with Ringo
nervously watching over them. My ewe is just cleaning off her new lamb.
Her lamb will be white when she is finished.
God makes us much whiter than this lamb, clothing us in the righteousness of Christ in our Baptism.
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:26-27
We
are born again by God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in our Baptism.
Here God makes us His children, heirs of eternal life, joint-heirs with
Christ His Son, clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and freely
given the gift of God the Holy Ghost, without our works.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I
am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28:18-20
When
we were helpless infants God gave us forgiveness of all sins and
eternal life without our works. As helpless infants we had nothing to
give to God, but God gave everything to us, even forgiveness of all sin
and eternal life.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7
Christ
our Lord told Nicodemus that everyone must be born again to enter into
the Kingdom of God. This perplexed Nicodemus, so Jesus told him everyone
must be born of water and the Spirit to enter into the Kingdom of God.
The waters of our Baptism hold the incorruptible Word of God and God the
Holy Ghost to give us God's gifts of forgiveness of sins and eternal
life WITHOUT our works.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus
saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the
second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one
that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.
19 And
this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:3-21
Noah's
ark is a picture of our Baptism. The waters of the flood lifted the ark
above the ground that God cursed. So the waters of our Baptism saves us
from our sins by the resurrection of Christ from the dead.
Verse 21 may be placed into three sentences to help us understand:
1. Baptism saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
2. Baptism is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh. I take this to mean our own works of righteousness.
3. Baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God.
18 For
Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened
by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which
sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in
the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is,
eight souls were saved by water.
21 The
like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. 1 Peter 3:18-22
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
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 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 #341Crown Him with Many Crowns
Prayers and Announcements
In our prayers - John Popp, Dr. Kermit Way; Pastor James Shrader and Chris Shrader, Lito Cruz family.
Easter Sunday Holy Communion. 9 or 10 AM.
Thomas Stefan.
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 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.
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.
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, 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.
One of the advantages in the Fourth Gospel - among many - is to see how John gives us essential facts about His Passion. Decades ago I had a member say, "Where is this in John? Why haven't we been told?" Two essential points in John 11 and 12 show how frightened and angered the Jewish leaders were and the importance of Lazarus utterly dead, yet rising from death, joining Jesus, and being at the dinner.
John 11: 47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
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.
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. The royal entrance can be experienced from two perspectives. First is the reference to the Scriptures. Secondly, Jesus is not there to cause riots and boast political authority but to assert His divinity for the benefit of the people and the consternation of the authorities.
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
This is a great battle, between the Messiah and the two enemy forces - the pagan Romans, whose empire was about to start caving in, and Israel, which was soon to be destroyed, only 40 years later.
It was said that no one could defeat Jerusalem because of their position high up, its walls, and its abundance of water from beneath.
The Temple of Jerusalem was the symbol of their literature, their worship, and their holiness. Circumvallation and panic turned glory into slavery.
For Jesus, it was a combination of expanding the Gospel but in the knowledge of the great sorrows to come, for the Savior most of all, but also for the disciples and the women, including His mother.
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.
People came out to meet Jesus and others followed Him from Bethany. People also wanted to see Lazarus, which was a combination of rising from the dead because of Jesus' Word, and proving the miracle for all to see. Lazarus was a wealthy person (note the very expensive grave) and therefore well known. People saw Lazarus and spread the rumor. KJV Romans 10:17 - "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
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 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 Son of David is a great honor, promised centuries before when God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, a miracle - and promised descendants as great as all the stars in the sky and the sands along the sea. King David inherited this faith, even with so many of his blunders and sins. That Promise continued on to Jesus and all of us who believe in Him.
