The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #81
Text: Luke 2: 7
Author: Paul Gerhardt, 1653, cento
Titled: O Jesu Christ, dein Kripplein ist
The reason these predictions were made and fulfilled was to build a solid foundation for the New Testament preaching of Christ. It was not as if the Gospel was only for Jews born and raised. Many literate people read the Greek Old Testament and knew the Promises. They were searching for truth just as many of our leaders and celebrities are (mistakenly) looking for insight apart from the Christian Faith.
Knowing this, we can see how Genesis 15:6 matches the language of Paul in Romans 4 - faith being counted or imputed or reckoned as righteousness. God taught that in the Torah, so it is an ancient truth revealed, repeated by Paul - not something Paul invented.
The God of Patience and Consolation
KJV Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
So many temptations rise up before us in these days. Whether on purpose or accidentally, various Lutherans leaders have taken away confidence in the Scriptures in order to make their own organizations an idol to be venerated.
This is a clever trick, to polarize people and make them choose loyalty to the organization. The Pharisees said, "We are children of Abraham." Jesus answered, "Before Abraham was, I AM." That shows how He contrasted loyalty to a group with trust in God.
But the Bible is revealed to us in such a way, that even if all human institutions are swept away, as they seem at times of war and revolution, our confidence remains in the Scriptures and in God.
Let me use a human example. If a farmer has found a way to have great crops, whether he is bothered by flooding or drought, would you listen to him? One farmer in N. Dakota does well with four inches of rain per year. He shows his statistics to anyone who wants to know. Cover crops with deep roots prevent drought damage and also heavy rainfall from wrecking his crops. His credibility comes from showing what he has done. Gabe Brown.
Likewise, to a much greater extent, when all of God's Promises prove to be true and in complete harmony, we know that we can trust God's Word far above all human institutions and only trust human endeavors based on their fidelity to God's Word.
Asked to provide Christian cliches, I told the class, "God helps those who help themselves - a pagan idea." A former cocaine addict said, "True, God helped me when I was helpless." Another said, "That is pagan?" A Google search showed many people trying to rescue it for the Scriptures, but it began with an Aesop Fable about the oxcart - "The gods help those who help themselves." That is a good example of people using an Aesop Fable as if it were Scripture, and a WELS pastor did that on one of their synodical video tapes. Several of us said, "Whaaaat?"
If we are filled with the spiritual wisdom of the Scriptures, we are far less vulnerable to the allures of human customs and practices. Tis funny how quickly they take root. At one mission church, a member said, "The banners have always been displayed this way. Here is a chart to follow." I thought, "Banners are now welded into the liturgical year. Does she know this was popular in the liberal churches decades ago?" I ignored the chart.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The challenge in those days was over meat offered to idols then later sold in the market place. Based on custom, some could not eat that in good conscience. Some felt guilty doing so, and there were conflicts that developed over that. Conflicts developed over people being weak in going against their previous practices and others taunting them about it.
This has been used by the crafty, who say, "You do not like these wonderful methods from Fuller? We should stop them for now, to keep from offending the weak." Most things can be used in this way, to taunt people and then claim Christian freedom. The intent matters, because many do that to break down resistance to the Scriptures.
Step 1 is "We can sing hymns outside of our own hymnal. There are many good hymns that never made it into ours." So they do that, and that is true. Step 2 But soon, they are using music and lyrics that are no better than lounge music with no Scriptural message at all. Step 1.5 Just as bad, some Christian music is popular but associated with confessions that are not in harmony with the Word. Since many are in love with the prosperity and success gospel. the cross-over is easily made.
This is certainly done to perfection with Bible translations. They begin with how awful the KJV is, and "We don't have to use the KJV," which is true. But they do not honestly discuss translations and fail to disclose the gross anti-Means of Grace passages of the NIV. KJV modernizations (including the one we use) are completely off the table for discussion.
Yes, we do not use the exact same KJV as first printed, because spelling and punctuation have changed. There are many updates that can be compared, NKJV, Modern KJV, KJV21, etc. And yet no one in Lutheran leadership mentions them, only the Calvinist edition of the RSV, the ESV! The RSV came from the Marxist apostate National Council of Churches.
So we can see how this controversy in the early Church is used to promote anti-Christian trends.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
This word "receive" is also translated "welcome". The concept of "receive" is used for faith in Christ in John 1 - as many as received Him.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
We can see that received is doubly worthwhile, because it is not the same as "making a decision for... I would say that Paul's admonition includes this, plus another insight. Christ has welcomed us with all our weaknesses, so welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us into His family.
That is one of the long-held errors of sects - that one must be fully qualified to be worthy of membership. More than one person has been kept away by these falsehoods because they imagine God only welcomes the perfect, the DNA approved, the strong, wealthy, and popular. In truth, those were the ones who resented the Savior, because their righteousness was within them - they opposed the righteousness of faith in Jesus. However, the rest were attracted to Him because of His gracious, welcoming attitude.
The apostates look people over to see if they are good enough. Rauschenbusch said this in his Social Gospel lectures at Yale. He wanted the right kind of people to join the congregation, which became more restrictive over time so that no one is left except the Leftist fringe. And that Leftist fringe is very happy in the driver's seat of the LCMS-ELS-WELS. As they spiral downward, they will repudiate the Gospel so clearly that ELCA will welcome them, weeping, hoping the terms of reconciliation will not be too harsh. That sounds strange, but they have been on the same path for decades, ELCA completely content to tutor their smaller brethren and lead them gently along, the blind leading the clueless.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. 10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Paul was most zealous for the Jews, to convert them, and also for the Gentiles. He might have favored one over the other, but he maintained the difficult mission of serving both groups and keeping them together. I served Jewish Christians before and do so in this congregation as well.
One would think this Pauline attitude would take hold. Just last night, someone identified a family marriage to "a name." Ah, the pedigree comes out, where someone is known for being related to ... Unfortunately, that works best when the entire family structure is known.
The unifying factor is Christ, not something within us. Therefore, the magnet is not us but the Gospel.
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
84. Paul concludes this passage with a noble prayer, desiring the Romans to be filled with joy and peace. He calls upon the “God of hope,” referring to the hope God alone gives through Christ and in Christ.
85. The way we possess peace and joy we have before spoken of; the secret is in perceiving the will of God, how he gave Christ to bear our sins, which we are under obligation to believe. The more clearly we perceive his will, the stronger will be our faith, our hope and love. Hence we must continually preach the Gospel - receive it and meditate upon it. For faith comes through no other medium than the Gospel.
The apostle says, in effect; “May God, who through the Gospel effects hope, grant you grace, enabling you to appropriate the Gospel and believe.
Through believing, you first perceive Christ. Thereupon follow perfect peace and an assured conscience. These are blessings common to all, and you will have harmony among yourselves.” The Christian’s peace and joy is something received, not as the gift of the world is received, through mortal sense, but through faith. He who is the source of your good, and from whom you derive your peace and joy, is not recognized by sight or touch. However, in the world you will have disquietude and grief. But learn that Christ is the common blessing of all and you will enjoy blessed peace. For all being alike rich, no one can begrudge another anything. This is what it means to have peace and joy through faith or in faith.
86. “That ye may abound in hope,” continues the prayer. In other words, “that your hope may ever increase.” Now, suffering and persecution contribute to the increase of hope. We are not given increased hope to decrease adversity; no, adversity is increased that hope may not rely on human power, but be established through the power of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit aids us, fortifying our hope and enabling us not to fear nor to flee from the disasters of the world; but to stand firm even unto death, and to overcome all evil; so that evil must flee from us and cease its attacks. Remember, it is hope in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in human weakness, that must do all this through the medium of the Gospel.
Thus the power of the Gospel is outside of us, but we receive it through the Means of Grace. We know from the Word that this is true and we experience it ourselves. How can we meet Christ without an effect? - impossible. It can be angry rejection - which I have seen in the audience (as a guest elsewhere). And it can be agreement, harmony, appreciation, thankfulness.
