Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Laetare - Lent 4 - "That he now takes the five loaves and gives thanks etc., teaches that nothing is too small and insignificant for him to do for his followers, and he can indeed so bless their pittance that they have an abundance, whereas even the rich have not enough with all their riches; as Psalm 34:11 says: “They that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing; but the rich must suffer hunger.”

 

Laetare. Fourth Sunday in Lent. John 6:1-5. Jesus Feeds 5000 People 

LAETARE. FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT


TEXT: John 6:1-15. After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick. And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many? Jesus said, Make the people sit down.

Now there was much grass in the place: So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten. When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world.

Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone.


I. THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND.

1. In today’s Gospel Christ gives us another lesson in faith, that we should not be over-anxious about our daily bread and our temporal existence, and stirs us up by means of a miracle; as though to say by his act what he says by his words in Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” For here we see, since the people followed Christ for the sake of God’s Word and the signs, and thus sought the Kingdom of God, he did not forsake them but richly fed them. He hereby also shows that, rather than those who seek the Kingdom of God should suffer need, the grass in the desert would become wheat, or a crumb of bread would be turned into a thousand loaves; or a morsel of bread would feed as many people and just as satisfactorily as a thousand loaves; in order that the words in Matthew 4:4 might stand firm, that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” And to confirm these words Christ is the first to be concerned about the people, as to what they should eat, and asks Philip, before they complain or ask him; so that we may indeed let him care for us, remembering that he cares more and sooner for us than we do for ourselves.

2. Secondly, he gives an example of great love, and he does this in many ways. First, in that he lets not only the pious, who followed him because of the signs and the Word, enjoy the food; but also the slaves of appetite, who only eat and drink, and seek in him temporal honor; as follows later when they disputed with him at Capernaum about the food, and he said to them in John 6:26: “Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves,” etc., also because they desired to make him king; thus here also he lets his sun shine on the evil and the good, Matthew 5:45.

Secondly, in that he bears with the rudeness and weak faith of his disciples in such a friendly manner. For that he tests Philip, who thus comes with his reason, and Andrew speaks so childishly on the subject, all is done to bring to light the imperfections of the disciples, and on the contrary to set forth his love and dealings with them in a more beautiful and loving light, to encourage us to believe in him, and to give us an example to do likewise; as the members of our body and all God’s creatures in their relation to one another teach us. For these are full of love, so that one bears with the other, helps and preserves what God has created.

3. "That he now takes the five loaves and gives thanks etc., teaches that nothing is too small and insignificant for him to do for his followers, and he can indeed so bless their pittance that they have an abundance, whereas even the rich have not enough with all their riches; as Psalm 34:11 says: “They that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing; but the rich must suffer hunger.” And Mary in her song of praise says: “The hungry he hath filled with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.” Luke 1:53.

Someone Has Discovered Denominations Collapsing - But Forget the Lutherans

 

Don't touch our Thrivent, our NGOs, and US.AID!

Various Sources

While circumstances vary, the March 14 AP News report highlighted a shared pattern among several groups: internal divisions and declining participation often follow moves toward more progressive positions on doctrine and culture.

The United Methodist Church, for example, lost a quarter of its U.S. congregations amid debates over the ordination and marriage of LGBT individuals. Its denominational workforce has shrunk by over a third since 2016.

**

The Episcopal Church is the most recent to announce substantial cuts to its national staff, following years of declining membership and donations, according to AP. Episcopalian Bishop Sean Rowe acknowledged the church is undergoing a transformation, noting the goal is to serve a church that is “becoming something different than it was.”

“It’s creating networks on the ground,” he told AP. “It’s paying attention to what is new and working, and lifting that up.”

**

Scott Thumma of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research credits broader societal factors, including a growing skepticism of institutions and their centralized authority.

“You have people who are still interested in spirituality, some sort of gathering around something higher than themselves, but not in these particular forms,” he told AP. “There are a lot of religious and denominational leaders who realize that, but the question is what forms or structures are going to resonate with those folks.”

GJ

How do I encapsulate so little thought from so many former denominations? They did not even touch on the Lutherans, shrinking faster than cold bacon in a hot frying pan.

When WELS uncovered its shame, the link went cold. They took three congregations and merged them into one parish with two pastors - a win! What can anyone say, except "Church Growth!" 

Best of all, the top-heavy leadership of ELCA-WELS-LCMS works together to speed up their decay with lame excuses and the financial expertise of J. P Morgan. Yes, JPM bought a phantom company for $175 million, student loans without students or loans. Remember, sports fans, the head of JP Morgan Hisself oked the deal - Dimion, or was that Demon? The WELS-ELCA-LCMS could use him in a merger where the excuses are lame and the perks exquisite. 

Here is the test they never use, though I could help them along without fear or favor:

Does the sect read the latest materials from Fuller, Willow Creek, Purpose Driven, and Hour of Power? If so, shred it.

Do we have enough pastors with guts to teach the best and most precise Bible - the King James Version?

Will we give the efficacy of the Word in the Means of Grace the center of attention?

Will we teach Justification by Faith instead of Universal Absolution aka UOJ?

Will we merge all the synod headquarters and shrink them to show how little they do? At one time the WELS headquarters was a desk with Mischke at the bottom of the stairs with his wife as secretary, at NPH.

ELCA's women bishops now outnumber the male bishops, bragging about their same-sex marriages.

Rev. Erwin progressed from university professor to ELCA bishop to president of United (in turmoil) Lutheran Seminary. His only promotion left is ELCA Archbishop.

Yale Divinity School tenured professor. "We've only just begun..."
Erwin even taught at YDS.

Oculi - The Third Sunday in Lent - 2025.

The YouTube version shows up as the latest one here.

Bethany Lutheran Church

Sunday Worship, 10 AM Central

Pastor Gregory Jackson

The Hymn #175      When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

 Introit

Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord: 

for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn Thee unto me and have mercy upon me: 

for I am desolate and afflicted.

Psalm. Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul: 

O my God, I trust in Thee; let me not be ashamed.

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

Collect

We beseech Thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires 

of Thy humble servants and stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty 

to be our defense against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ, 

Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual             Ephesians 5:1-9
The Gospel                                 Luke 11:14-28
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #376                         Rock of Ages

                      A Kingdom Divided

The Hymn #315:1-5          I Come O Savior To Thy Table

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 #568                  We Praise Thee O God        

    

Prayers and Announcements

• Treatment - Sarah Buck, Kermit Way.
• Tuesday and Thursday, 10 AM, Reformation Seminary Lectures
• Wednesday - Vespers at 7 PM.  
• Psalms - after worship.
• Acts - lectures.

Norma A. Boeckler

KJV Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

KJV Luke 11:14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house against a house falleth. 18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

A Kingdom Divided

KJV Luke 11:14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

There is an assumption today that the world is fairly neutral, with only a few who believe in Christ, a few who know about Satan, and the rest neutral or indifferent. However, the situation is like this - the few know and believe Christ while the vast majority are in a slumber ready to oppose faith when it matters to them. Jesus - as the Teacher - saw that they wanted to make fun of Him and force His power and perhaps experience their own fear.

16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house against a house falleth.

There can only be two Kingdoms. One Kingdom belongs to Christ alone. The other belongs to Satan. As Luther teaches in his sermon on this topic, there are no subtle variations, nuances, or divisions except for the two - Christ or Satan.

The quiet ones can imagine they are fine fellows because they do not belong to any side. But they are easily persuaded by their own wit to become hostile to the Savior - or those who talk about the Savior. Then the pitchforks get drawn out with great righteousness. One of the marks today are those who rail and scream about all the "injustice" when someone speaks about faith in Christ.

The last 50 years have seen the development of every Satanic device being used to make sure our society is "perfect." The treatment of the unborn, the babies, the children - all are Satanic in nature and well known to the elites (as they fool themselves). The stories of ancient paganism are no worse than what they promote today. We are worse because we have the instruments to be even more efficiently evil than the ancients.

18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

This is simple and clear. An individual is either with Christ or Satan. Those two verses above perfectly describe the denominations of today - mostly on Satan's side and crumbling fast. LCMS leader Matt Harrison is outraged that his sect would lose money from US.AID, as boasted through Thrivent and his "International" Center. Matt is gathering "his lawyers" now, to fight even harder for more causes of the Left. He is only echoing the threats and fury of Archbishop Liz Eaton (ELCA) who works with LCMS, Thrivent, and US.AID.

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

Most people will agree that ancient times were bloodthirsty and horrible, just for starters. I had one book about the Roman Empire that was so vile I threw it away because of its content. Early Christians used the fish sign, scratched on the soil, to indicate the other pilgrim was a believer. One half alone meant nothing. Completing the fish sign meant in Greek - Jesus Christ Son of God Savior. 

23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

This is a warning from Jesus, that a person can be a believer and fall into even worse situations.

27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

The Gospel of John warns readers about over-reaching Mary (at the Cana wedding and at the cross), and this passage is good example of that issue and Jesus' warning - "Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and guard it." Not all downfalls are dramatic. Many drift into errors, especially under dynamic efforts, and find it difficult to leave that special experience.

Liz Eaton and Matt Harrison and Doubtless Mark Schroeder - Propping Up the Immigrant Numbers and Cash

 

Before the hissy-fits begin, please remember that my sainted wife's family came over after WWII. Christina's dad helped Patton's troops. They lived in a Displaced Person camp and flew to America on funds they paid back over time.

ELCA and LCMS are busy declaring their joint disapproval of the elected President and Congress - no doubt with WELS involved. They are deeply involved in big money. Thrivent has bragged about US.AID, which alone is a pot of gold for those who milk the generosity of the posturing helpers.

ELCA

"Without these resources, 6,000 newly arrived refugees we are currently serving may face the prospect of eviction and food insecurity at a time of critical need," said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge. "It is particularly shameful to leave newly arrived Afghan allies to fend for themselves after the tremendous sacrifices they've made in support of American interests. This is the antithesis of what it means for the United States to keep its promise of protection to the allies of America's longest war."

Federal support for resettlement nonprofits is a key driver of community integration. The sudden cessation of these services risks shifting the burden onto local communities ill-equipped to address the urgent needs that are likely to arise from this decision.

"Without this support, towns and cities across the country are poised to face greater responsibility with fewer resources to help families who have resettled here through this longstanding legal pathway," added Vignarajah.

For 85 years, Global Refuge has been a steadfast advocate for refugees, working collaboratively with federal, state, and local governments to provide life-changing services. While this stop work order limits operational capacity, it does not diminish the organization's resolve.

"We are urgently reviewing all legal and operational options to continue supporting the families we serve. We will not abandon our mission or the people who rely on us," Vignarajah emphasized.

Global Refuge urges policymakers to reverse this harmful decision and calls upon all Americans to stand in solidarity with refugee families.

"Refugees enrich our communities and contribute significantly to our economy. Upholding their dignity and ensuring their success is not just a moral imperative; it's a reflection of who we are as a nation," said Vignarajah.

Matt the Fatt at His International Center

As many of you are aware, General Mike Flynn (retired) publicly took to task Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and several other Lutheran social ministry agencies for receiving large federal grants for work with immigrants. That got the attention of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). I was surprised at the dollar amounts involved. The post on X accused LIRS and the other agencies bearing the name Lutheran of “money laundering.” I am writing to provide you with some facts about this complex and confusing situation.

The LCMS is a law-abiding and patriotic church body. We don’t invite or support illegal immigration. We don’t say much to or about the government. We don’t have government contracts. Not one. We leave issues of government to our 1.8 million members and 5,700 active pastors, who act in the civil realm according to their Christian consciences as good citizens. We have spoken as a body to certain issues. The Bible and reason teach us that the unborn have the God-given right to life (Luke 1:39–45). The government has no right to infringe upon religious freedom, including the free exercise of religion. “Thoughts are tax free!” said Martin Luther. All our people are trained from Sunday school and catechism class, and every Sunday sermon, to be good citizens and advocate for just laws, punishment for evildoers and mercy for those in need. Specific views on the details of how the government is involved in this are left to the individual as a citizen.

The LCMS uses legal means to fight for First Amendment rights when those rights are under attack.

***

GJ -  Thrivent, the nursing mother of ELCA-LCMS-WELS, has already published their boasting about working with the corrupt US.AID machine. Clergy love getting on the gravy train when so much of it falls into their laps, pockets, funds, committees, and deluxe world travels.

One sob-sister was telling my mother-in-law about how they suffered as a missionary family. I described the current "hardships" in advance. After the missionary lady made her work sound like Purgatory, my mother-in-law mentioned

• Free education for the children
• Cooking and cleaning for the family
• Shopping for the food for the family, and 
• PS - They were totally spoiled and had trouble coming home to reality.

In the Midst of Storms - Hyacinths Treasured by Neighbor

 

The daffodils are in full bloom in the rose garden, the backyard, and anywhere they were planted. My neighbor was not looking for what she already had - daffodils in the front yard. Instead, she walked across the street to find the aroma of another plant. She said, "It was there. Perfume." What she wanted was not appearing, and I was not sure of the invisible plant she remembered.

I kept looking and saw them in a couple of days. Hyacinths! They bloom best the first year, but they maintain a powerful perfume the following years. I put all of them in a plastic cup and left them on my neighbor's porch. The perfume cannot be missed.

Hyacinths are tiny and expensive for bulbs, but they have that one trait. I remain perplexed that so few people spend time, money, and effort with flowers. I have heard this various years: 

1. You have enough roses. 
2. You have enough daffodils. 
3. You have enough Joe Pye Weed.

Long ago, Christina said, "Get rid of the front lawn. Grass is boring. Plant roses." Sassy Sue inspected the first eight holes readied for eight roses. They came from QVC, almost free. Since then people have driven over to spot the wonders, not at all organized but filled with many different plants and weeds.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Lent 3 - Oculi - "But when the stronger man, the Gospel, comes, peace flees, and he rages like a madman, for he resents being condemned, unmasked, punished, and publicly branded. Then he gathers up his armor, the powerful, wise, rich and holy people, and sets them all to attacking God’s Word, as we see in the persecution of the teachers of the Gospel."

 

Oculi. Third Sunday in Lent. Luke 11:14-23. Jesus Casts out a Demon, or Christ’s Defense against his Blasphemers

II. THE ALLEGORICAL OR SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THIS GOSPEL.

14. This dumb, deaf, blind, and demon-possessed man represents all the children of Adam, who through the flesh are possessed of Satan in original sin, so that they must be his slaves and do according to his will. Hence they are also blind, that is, they do not see God. They are deaf, for they do not hear God’s Word, and are not obedient or submissive to it. They are also dumb, for they do not give him one word of thanks or praise, nor do they preach and proclaim Christ and the grace of God. But they are all too talkative about the teachings of the devil and the opinions of men. In these things they see only too well and are wiser than the children of light in their undertakings, opinions, and desires. In these things they hear with both ears and readily adopt the suggestions of flesh and blood. So then, whatever we do, in word and deed, as to both body and soul, is of the devil, whether it be externally good or bad, and must be redeemed through the work of God. We are in his kingdom and therefore we acknowledge him, see, hear, and follow him and praise and proclaim his name. All this takes place through the Spirit of God in his Word, which casts out the devil and his kingdom.

15. The Jews called the chief of the devils Beelzebub. The Hebrew word “sebub” means a fly; “baal” or “beel,” a man or ruler, as a householder.

When the two words form a combination, they mean an arch-fly or chieffly, or, in plain German “Fliegenkoenig oder grosse Hummel,” that is, kingfly or the great drone. They gave Satan this contemptuous epithet as though they were entirely free from him, secure against him, and lords over him. That is the way all conceited, corrupt hypocrites do; they imagine they are so pure and holy, that the devil is a helpless, feeble fly compared with them, and that they do not need the grace of Christ nor the Word of God.

Still they think he is strong enough for others, yet, that whatever godfearing people teach and do must be the devil’s own work, and they consider it such a trifling thing as though it were a dead fly. The devil can well endure such contempt, for by it he is placed above the true God in their hearts.

16. The tyrant in the court or palace is the devil, as I said before. He is in peace, however, as long as God’s Word and finger do not oppose him, and just like this deaf-mute, his people do whatever he wishes, for they know no better. His weapons and armor are the carnal conceit, doctrines and traditions of men, by which he terrifies the conscience and protects himself.

17. But when the stronger man, the Gospel, comes, peace flees, and he rages like a madman, for he resents being condemned, unmasked, punished, and publicly branded. Then he gathers up his armor, the powerful, wise, rich and holy people, and sets them all to attacking God’s Word, as we see in the persecution of the teachers of the Gospel. Such rage and persecution signify that the devil retires very unwillingly and raves in his whole body; for as he acts in the body and its members when he must depart, so he also behaves in the whole world, resisting with all his power when he is to give place to the Gospel; but it is all in vain, he must be expelled.

18. For a Stronger One, that is, Christ, comes and overpowers him and takes away his whole armor, that is, he converts some of those same persecutors, and to that extent makes him weaker, and his own kingdom stronger. He divides the spoils too, that is, those he converts he uses for various offices, graces, and works in Christendom, of which Paul writes in Romans 12:6. He is also in the court yard or ante-room of the palace, for the devil’s kingdom consists in outward appearances and pretences of wisdom, holiness, and strength; but when it is captured by the Gospel it is found to consist of pure folly, sin and weakness.

19. The text continues, “When the unclean spirit has gone out, he wanders through dry places, seeking rest,” etc. This means as much as the saying, “The devil never takes a vacation” and “The devil never sleeps,” for he is seeking how he may devour man. “Dry places” are not the hearts of the ungodly, for in such he rests and dwells like a mighty tyrant, as the Gospel here says; but there are dry and waste places here and there in the country where no people live, as forests and wildernesses. To these he flees in wicked rage because he is driven out. You will remember that the devil found Christ in the wilderness. Now, in Judea, there is not much water, hence we read that it contains many arid wastes. In other countries, however, as in our own, which are well watered, the devils stay in rivers and lakes, and there they sometimes drown those who bathe or sail upon them. Furthermore, at some places there are water spirits, who entice the children from the shores into the water and drown them. These are all devils.

20. That he comes again and finds the house swept and garnished (Matthew adds “empty”) signifies that the man is sanctified and adorned with beautiful spiritual gifts, and that the evil spirit clearly sees that he can do nothing there with his familiar tricks, for he is too well known. Thus when the worship of idols was driven from the heathen, he never attacked the world with that device again. But what did he do then? He tried something else, went out, took with him seven spirits, more evil than himself, and entered in with them and dwelt there, and the last state of that man was worse than the first. So he has dealt with us. When Christ had become known in the world and the devil’s former kingdom with its idol worship had been destroyed, he adopted another plan and attacked us with heresy and introduced and established the papacy, in which Christ was entirely forgotten, and men became worse heathen under the name of Christ than before he was preached, as we can see now with our own eyes.

Such also was the lot of the Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the Greeks under the Turks. And so all will fare, who at first hear the Word of God and afterwards become secure and weary of it. St. Matthew says, in Matthew 12:14, that Satan finds the house empty. And in Matthew 13:25, he sowed tares among the wheat, by night, while men slept. Therefore it is necessary for us to watch as the apostles always admonish us, especially St. Peter in 1 Peter 5:3: “Brethren, be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”; for wherever he overthrows faith, he easily restores again all former vices.

Stanley Hauerwas - From Yale and Augustana to Bricklayer Theologian, Notre Dame and Duke University

 

Hauerwas was born in 1940 and began work as a bricklayer for his father's business. His academic life was Yale, Augustana, Notre Dame, Duke.

Jesus Changes Everything: A New World Made Possible (Plough Spiritual Guides) Paperback – March 11, 2025

by Stanley Hauerwas (Author), Charles E. Moore (Editor), Tish Harrison Warren (Foreword)

A new Hauerwas book popped up this morning, so I decided to list a few coincidences. His first teaching job was at Augustana College in Rock Island, and I met him very briefly. He was fired (not re-hired after the initial three-year hitch) and went on to Notre Dame, where he was paid even less. 

We talked in the windowless basement of the Notre Dame library some years later. My sister-in-law babysat his son - once - and that was the connection that led me into the Notre Dame PhD program in theology. 1975. Christina and I moved only an hour away from Notre Dame for a number of years to get that done. 

Charles Caldwell and I were in the same Pastoral Theology program. He was a conservative Episcopalian who had a lot of quips about the far-Left Episcopalian priests. Caldwell was like one of those angel characters in movies, coming up with other-worldly commentary. 

The Notre Dame theology department was rather small in those days. Some Protestants were teaching there - and married. Various denominations were well known and expected to produce books and articles. 

For written finals (which would qualify us to start writing a dissertation) we were locked in small rooms and given a limited amount of time. I brought my electric typewriter and plugged it in - the only one. That was about 50 years ago. 

Yes, we brought nickels to the library to copy journal articles from Xerox machines.

Now I set up Zoom broadcasts, blogging the post, sending a file around. The broadcast converts to a YouTube, and the YouTubes increase in number. Now the old guys beg the younger ones to explain the technology.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Oculi - Lent 3 - "By this he testifies also that no one but God can overcome the devil, so that again no man can boast of being able of himself to drive out either sin or the devil. Notice how he pictures the devil! He calls him a mighty giant who guards his court and home, that is, the devil not only possesses the world as his own domain, but he has garrisoned and fortified it, so that no one can take it from him."

 

Oculi. Third Sunday in Lent. Luke 11:14-23. Jesus Casts out a Demon, or Christ’s Defense against his Blasphemers

10. He answers them in the third place, by a comparison taken from life, namely that of a strong man overcome by one stronger, and robbed of all his armor and goods etc. By this he testifies also that no one but God can overcome the devil, so that again no man can boast of being able of himself to drive out either sin or the devil. Notice how he pictures the devil! He calls him a mighty giant who guards his court and home, that is, the devil not only possesses the world as his own domain, but he has garrisoned and fortified it, so that no one can take it from him. He rules it also with undisputed sway, so that it does whatever he commands. Just as little as a house or court may withstand or contend against the tyrant who is its master, can man’s free will and natural powers oppose sin and Satan, that is, not at all; but they are subject to them. And as that house must be conquered by a stronger man and thus wrested from the tyrant, so must man also be ransomed through Christ and wrested from Satan. We see again, therefore, that our works and righteousness contribute absolutely nothing toward our salvation; it is effected alone by the grace of God.

11. He answers them fourthly, with pointed proverbs and teachings, as: “He that is not with me is against me,” and, “He that gathereth not with me, scattereth.” “The devil is not with me for I drive him out, hence he must of necessity be against me.” But this saying does not apply to the devil alone, but also to the blasphemers whom he here convicts and condemns, as being against him since they are not for him. “To be with Christ” is to have the same mind and purpose as Christ, that is, to believe in Christ that his works save us and not our own, for this is what Christ holds and teaches. But “to gather with Christ” is to do good out of love to him, and to become rich in good works. He that does not believe is, by his own free will, not with Christ but against him, because he depends upon his own works. Therefore, he that does not love, does not gather with Christ, but by fruitless works becomes only more sinful and drifts farther and farther from the faith.

12. In the fifth place, he answers with a threat, namely, that the last state always is worse than the first. Therefore we should take heed that we not only refrain from blaspheming the Gospel and Christ, who does such great things for us and drives the devil out of us; but with zeal and fear hold fast to them, in order that we may not become possessed of seven worse devils whereas one possessed us before. For thus it was with the Jews, who had never been so wicked as while the Gospel was being preached to them. So also under the papacy, we have become seven times, (that is, many times) worse heathen under the name of Christ than we ever had been before as St. Peter says: “The last state is become worse with them than the first.” 2 Peter 2:20. And if we neglect the great light which we now have, it will come to pass in our case also, that we shall become worse than we were before, for the devil does not slumber. This should be sufficient warning.

13. Finally, when the woman cries out to Christ and praises him, saying, “Blessed is the mother that bore such a son,” etc., he opposes her carnal worship and takes occasion to teach all of us the substance of this Gospel, namely, that we should not go gaping after the works or merits of the saints but rather see to it that we hear and keep the Word of God. For it does not concern or profit us in the least to know how holy and honorable the mother of this child might be, nor how noble this Son of hers may be; but rather what this Son has done for us, namely that, by grace, without any merit or worthiness on our part, he has redeemed us from the devil.

This fact is proclaimed to us through the Word of God, and this we are to hear and hold in firm faith; then shall we too be blessed like this mother and her child.

Although such a Word and work will be blasphemed, we should suffer it and give an answer with meekness, as St. Peter teaches, for the improvement of others.