Stopping Child and Drug Trafficking

I taught a lot of nursing students in Tucson and Marines in Yuma (plus Army Rangers, SEALs).

Cool

 

I will never be as cool as Joe Biden reading texts on his Apple watch, or picking up audio signals, or reading his speech from contact lenses. Pure speculation, of course.

Christina Jackson News

Photofunia by Norma A. Boeckler

Christina Jackson had PET and CAT scans Wednesday, an appointment with the oncologist today.

She has a small growth on her spine and will get a little more radiation, the appointment set for tomorrow. She tolerates the super pill now and will have a higher dose. She has been gradually increasing the dose. The oncologist is very optimistic about the future.

Marcus Manthey on Facebook - Only Two Misspelled Words

WELS MLS Cheerleaders

Marcus Manthey  You are free, Greg, to continue to regurgitate your anti-Gospel bile. But to exploit this family photo to illustrate your screed is not only lazy. It's loveless. The ladies in the photo have nothing to do with the thelogical (sic) point you're trying to make. They no more deserve to be dragged into your pulic (sic) posturing than your family members do. You embarrass yourself with this. Do better.

Answering this article on Denying Justification by Faith

The Justification by Faith Deniers

 

 This is the Chief Article which the false prophets, below, reject.

 Moldstad, Schroeder, Eaton, and Harrison teach Universal Justification, and they support abortion through their devotion and joint-work through Thrivent.

 Hale, the cub editor of Christian News, fulminates against the Chief Article, and, like his Father Below, cannot say the words of the Holy Spirit - Justification by Faith.

 Cascione has been corrected about his false reporting of the facts many times, but like his OJ pals, he cannot get the truth out, due to his homage to his hoofed Master.

McCain's slander is the highest possible commendation. Sometimes he is so dumb, he is funny. He accused me of broadcasting from the "spare room of a rented house." Can Paul name any precedents?

Bivens, a Fuller alumnus, borrowed Zarling's daring OJ/JFBA switch.

Brenner is another OJ Salesman at Mequon.

Like Bivens, Valleskey didn't go to Fuller Seminary too.
His UOJ is breathtakingly stupid.

Jay Webber, supported by WELS DP Buchholz,
proclaimed OJ as Luther's doctrine at a tiny Emmaus Conference. Somehow, he skipped over Luther's Galatians, almost an Olympic sport among OJists.

The CLC (sic) claims The Brief Statement, 1932, on a level with the Book of Concord. No! It is above the Scriptures and the Book of Concord - and against both.

Walther's War Against Faith - Upcoming Book

 Walther's Predestination War was really a promotion of Justification without Faith.
John Brenner wrote his dissertation on that era.

This section of the Formula of Concord, Election, #11, Solid Declaration, Book of Concord, should be read and considered carefully, especially in light of the elevated, quasi-inspired Brief Statement, 1932, of the Missouri Synod. The Brief Statement is a doctrinal fiasco, yet elevated to quia status by the misnamed Church of the Lutheran Church, a statement honored and yet not understood by the WELS and the ELS.

Martin Chemnitz wrote this section of the Formula of Concord himself, not because it was an issue, but to prevent error from arising later, as it did with CFW Walther himself. Walther ignored this warning –

13. Therefore, if we wish to think or speak correctly and profitably concerning eternal election, or the predestination and ordination of the children of God to eternal life, we should accustom ourselves not to speculate concerning the bare, secret, concealed, inscrutable foreknowledge of God, but how the counsel, purpose, and ordination of God in Christ Jesus, who is the true Book of Life, is revealed to us through the Word…[1]

If people pay attention to the word-play of Walther and his acolytes, the Election of Grace is nothing more than a cover for his claim for grace in Justification, pitting grace against faith in both topics.

The straw man fallacy in both cases is faith. To this day, Synodical Conference loyalists warn the innocent, “Do not make faith a work of man.” That assumes faith is a work of man, making faith something to condemn. They imagine that making faith disappear elevates the role of grace. Ironically, many believe this with righteous certainty – and they are the leaders of the mainline denominations. They are Calvinistic heirs of rationalism, so they naturally sink into Universalism, all people being saved - without faith - due to God’s overwhelming grace.

Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Denying faith in Justification makes forgiveness a product of the Law, not grace. Divorcing election from faith continues that error.

This is my speculation, based on extensive reading about this topic, starting with Augustine, Calvin, the Molinists, LCMS history, and related issues –

Walther taught the Justification of the Halle Pietists that he learned from Bishop Stephan. He never deviated from that position. However, the Lutheran leaders of the 19^th century were not easily fooled. The Missouri Synod’s official position was Justification for a considerable period and the Wisconsin Synod was no different. Proof of the Wisconsin heritage, only recently abandoned, is the number of people raised with the Gausewitz Catechism, taught Justification by Faith. The perpetrator of the Kokomo conflict in WELS admitted he had never heard of Objective Justification until he reached the seminary at Mequon.

But now the clergy are easily fooled. The burning and shining lights of their synods call themselves “Doctor” and insist on that title because they paid Fuller Seminary for a drive-by DMin degree.

Walther wanted his dogma to prevail and used Election for that purpose. He wanted Loy to sign onto a paper at a conference. Loy reported that he could not, and that Walther was so enraged by this that he withdrew that essay from the conference. Was that Walther’s precious Election without Faith argument? I believe so.

The so-called Grace War was really Walther’s attempt to get rid of those dissenting from his false doctrine and to rule the survivors as the Number One Theologian. He issued a call to Loy to be a seminary professor, and Loy turned it down. Was that an attempt to neutralize a German-speaking, brilliant theologian and hymn-writer?

John Brenner wrote a PhD dissertation on this era and agrees that the Grace or Election War was a way to shore up Walther’s Objective Justification.

---

[1] Election, #11, Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Book of Concord.

The Future First Gentleman?

Emhoff-Harris

https://twitter.com/realjameswoods/status/1319057179949764609?s=21

The Reformation issue of Calvinist News Hails the Brief Confession for Dumping the Chief Article of Christianity

OK, they still call it Christian News, for its pan-denominational coverage, but OJ is Calvinism.

The Reformation issue is devoted to the Brief Statement, the last belch of the Pieper Era.

OJ Pastor Emeritus Steve Flo thinks he is in a battle to protect Lutherdom, but from what? He only knows Objective Justification (without Faith) and does not comprehend Romans 4, not at all.

B.S. 1932

Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25;

This Brief Statement is the black heart and tortured soul of the LCMS and its siblings, the ELS, WELS, and the CLC (sic).

It was bad enough to pass this piece of political tripe (which includes Election without Faith), but generations of people with Hebrew, Greek, and the KJV have completely overlooked how crooked the above passage is.

Romans 4 uses Abraham as the example of Justification by Faith. The conclusion in the chapter is Romans 4:24-25, not the half-verse. That is the exegetical equivalent of "the dog ate my homework."

Romans 4: 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he [Abraham] was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The Apostle Paul summarized Romans 4, as a transition, to state clearly what he meant in his Abraham example. OJ fanatics, because they are liars, will not use the term Justification by Faith.

I have been following CN this year - mostly out of curiosity - and have found almost no examples of "Justification by Faith" in all those wasted pages. The "Means of Grace", as a term, is also missing. So is the "efficacy of the Word". The CN authors slobber and drool for OJ, but cannot name the Biblical words or confess the Chief Article - from the Book of Concord.

Luther, Melanchthon, and Chemnitz agreed on Justification by Faith, the Chief Article.

But WELS genius professors Mark Zarling and Frosty Bivens imagine and bray that OJ is "the Chief Article. OJ is the Master and Prince - the lord, the ruler, and the judge!"

So Zarling and Bivens quote Luther to reject Luther and the Scriptures. What devilish games they learn in their secret GA initiation rites!

 The Formula of Concord editors admonished readers to study Luther's Galatians for additional insights about Justification by Faith. Has Phil Hale? No. Has Steve Flo? No? Has Dave Scaer? No. Has Matt the Fatt? No. Has Mirthless Mark Schroeder? No. Has Pope John the Malefactor? No.

Today Is the Lutheran Librarian's Birthday

These are a few of the Lutheran Librarian's print books.

Lutheran Librarian Print Books

Forget the Snuggie - a real librarian uses this!

Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry - 

over 240 Free PDFs

 Niagara Falls? Grand Canyon? Nothing compares to this view - the wisdom of the ages.

But wait, there's more...

Walther, The American Calvin: A Synod Built on Felonies

Part Two: Election without Faith, Walther Usurping the Book of Concord

Walther’s final move toward Calvinism also expressed his domineering personality, not unlike Stephan’s. Just as Stephan insisted he was the only Means of Grace in Germany, which was thus entirely lacking grace when he was gone, so Walther became the ultimate authority in his synod and those he could control. The Missouri Synod continues to treat Walther as the one who “answers all questions.” But they also partake in the crafts and assaults of modern apostate Biblical criticism and theology. Seminex won their battle because the foundation of the synod was poor in the beginning, like the creaking and leaning Millennial Tower in San Francisco.

Some indications of this trait are when Walther:

1.     Became the enforcer for Stephan, so he meted out punishment when the other pastors and teachers offended the future bishop.

2.     Decided a woman should divorce her husband, causing a lot of conflict in the parish.

3.     Kidnapped his niece and nephew from his father’s parsonage, to take them along to America, “because they wanted to go.”

4.     Used Stephan’s lawyers and Walther’s future mother-in-law to hide the children, letting the mother-in-law go to jail while he evaded the police warrant. She was not allowed on the ship by Stephan, who made her come with the later group.

5.     Signed the paper to make Stephan the bishop.

6.     Organized the St. Louis mob to arrive in Perryville to drive away Bishop Stephan.

7.     Used the real estate agent to conduct the kangaroo court dismissing Stephan.

8.     Robbed the bishop of all his land (120 acres), books, personal possessions, and gold, which gave the sect a library and a small fortune to avoid bankruptcy.

9.     Created division with his Calvinistic Election without Faith on the topic of Election, against the expressed statement written by Martin Chemnitz and supported by the editors and signers of the Book of Concord.[1]

---

[1] Walther’s Easter Absolution of the World is supported by the Pietist Rambach and Jay Webber, by opposed by Martin Chemnitz exegesis of 1 Timoth 3:16. Walther is consist in his error of going against Chemnitz – and the Scriptures – here.

Repent

Lutheran Hymnal Website - Which We Once Used - Is Back

 

Not long ago, the source for all our hymn lyrics went ka-flooey. I used the Wayback Machine to capture what they had posted before they all went away.

I forgot to link a hymn correctly for Sunday and got http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/

That link leads to the lyrics for The Lutheran Hymnal.

That was and is a priceless tool for using The Lutheran Hymnal. I hope it stays online.

Meanwhile we will continue to build The Bethany Lutheran Hymnal Blog, which has almost 11,000 views. (The is pronounced Thee in honor of Thee Ohio State University and its fans.)

Our planned features are - 

1. Graphics for the hymns, from Norma Boeckler,
2. Links to the melodies for each hymn,
3. Pictures of the hymn writers and links to their bios.
4. Collections - all hymns by the same author, all translations by the same person, grouping of hymns for the church year. 
5. Biographies of significant hymn writers.
6. Easy to use list of all the hymns in alphabetical order.

Instant Access to Free Books! Educational Books and Sermons Started and Spread the Reformation

I was thinking about the explosion of printing during the Reformation and how much that helped in promoting reading and in learning the Christian Faith from the Bible.

This is a good time to post folders and a website of free Lutheran books. That is made possible by PDFs (the file used in all printing, including on your computer) and distribution by such services as Dropbox.

If you get a free copy of Dropbox, you can download all the Lenski books and all of my books in minutes. In this era of cancellation (previously called censorship), more copies out there are better.

Lutheran Library PDFs are freely and easily found here.

Lutheran Library - over 240 free books.

Lenski's New Testament Commentaries and more - Free.

Luther's Sermons. Jackson PDFs. Copy and distribute - Free - no cost ever.

Lutheran Librarian low-cost print copies.

Jackson books - low-cost print books (much lower if you order directly from me.)

Norma Boeckler's Christian Art Books

Reformation Sermon Preparation - Start Early by Tossing Your Synodical Dogma. Romans 3 - 5 Repudiates Your Objective Justification

Matt the Fatt doesn't like Luther's Galatians. Mirthless Mark can't find Luther's Galatians in the WELS Essay Files. Pope John the Malefactor doesn't understand Luther's Galatians.

These synod presidents can listen to Luther's Galatians complete, the audio provided free from Audio Gutenberg. It will shock and amaze them - no Objective Justification!

Reformation Sunday is coming up, reminding us that it is the Awkward Sunday of the Church Year. ECLA took care of that by making it Reconciliation Sunday, praising every confession of faith except its own. What better Sunday to have a trans ex-Jesuit priest give the sermon - reminding everyone still attending that reconciled has a new meaning in ELCA.

The topic is more sensitive for the New Synodical Conference, the soi-disant conservative wing of ELCA, the LCMS-ELS-WELS. They are all one, big, happy family under the umbrella of Thrivent, so they can say, "We had to spend that money working with ELCA or they would have given it all to ELCA!" That is a nuanced leadership, knowing how to spin each doctrinal pratfall.

Leading the Left Wing of ELCA's Right Wing, Missouri set the proper tone in 2017 by celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation with Gerhard's Complete Works. I did not remember him being in the Reformation either, but that had the bonus effect of confusing the theologian Gerhard with the hymn-writer Gerhardt. Once the clergy figured that out, the celebration was over and CPH was remaindering the Luther socks, Luther dog collar, and Luther dog t-shirt. "Here I stand" was all about wearing socks, something I did not realize until 2017.

I can only imagine what 2030 will bring as the same sects celebrate Melanchthon as they celebrated Luther. That would be a good time for the overpaid and underworked Lutheran leaders to throw themselves weeping on the Pope's neck, hoping that the terms of reunification would not be made too harsh.

To prevent the next debacle, here are some take-aways for sermon planning. For pity's sake, don't repeat Tiefel's Reformation sermon (made up on the way into St. Paul's, New Ulm) - shouting "Grace Alone! Faith Alone! Scriptures Alone!" holding up his fingers for the count. WELS pastors are trained to take the finger count seriously. How many fingers am I holding up? "Offithur, five, I mean three. Don't move your hand around." I was not moving it around.

I. First Take-Away: Romans 3 does not teach "all are justified." That is a deliberate mistranslation by the NIV and promoted by the Universalist Mainline denominations. Romans 3 does teach, in Greek and English, 

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

II. Second Take-Away: Romans 4 does not teach that the entire world was absolved of sin when Jesus rose from the dead. Romans 4 does teach -

Romans 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

III. Third Take-Away: As the summary of Abraham being justified by faith in Romans 4, Romans 5 does not teach the myth of Objective Justification. Romans 5 does teach -

5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 3 -5 Thus Destroys Objective Justification

The poor slobs who study at Ft. Wayne, St. Louis, Mordor, and the Little Schoolhouse on the Prairie! - they spend three beer-soaked years learning the Objective Justification of ELCA and all the Mainline denominations. 

Objective Justification is the love-child of Pietism, and most American denominations were born of Pietist mission organizations, including especially the Stephanites.

They only need to study a decent Bible in English to see what a con-job their leaders have accomplished:

1. Baal instead of the Triune God
2. Walther instead of St. Paul
3. Scaer instead of Dr. Walter A. Maier.

What about those who call themselves "Doctor" and teach the opposite of Romans? Hmm? Why is Abraham so important in the New Testament?

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity 2020.

The Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2020

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The Hymn # 334 -      Let Me Be Thine Forever - Selnecker, Concordist                                
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual 
The Gospel 
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #370      My Hope Is Built                                 

Be of Good Cheer - Your Sins Are Forgiven

The Communion Hymn #249      Luther - Isaiah Mighty Seer                  
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 #261       Luther - Lord Keep Us Steadfast  

Announcements and In Our Prayers

• Cancer therapy - Mary Howell, Rush Limbaugh, Christina Jackson
• Therapy, diagnosis - Randy Anderson, Kermit Way is cancer free
• Pastor K and Doc Lito Cruz - dealing with diabetes.
• Seizure treatment: Gavin; Callie; and Jeshra Palangyos
• Joan Scott, Diane Popp's daughter, is recovering from a heart attack
• Large Print page 15 is available, also Introits, Collects, both in Word
• Bethany Rice Mission - new distribution in October, now going out.
• Reformation Sunday is next week.

Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity

O mighty and everlasting God, who by Thy Son Jesus Christ didst mercifully help the palsied man both in body and soul: We beseech Thee, for the sake of Thy great mercy: Be gracious also unto us; forgive us all our sins, and so govern us by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not ourselves be the cause of sickness and other afflictions; keep us in Thy fear, and strengthen us by Thy grace that we may escape temporal and eternal wrath and punishment, through Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

KJV Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

KJV Matthew 9:1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

 Books by Norma A. Boeckler

 

Be of Good Cheer - Your Sins Are Forgiven

KJV Matthew 9:1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 

Jesus came into His own city, where He was well known. We know additional details of this miracle because Mark and Luke also feature this healing and provide additional perspective. Four of his friends showed their love and their faith by bringing him on a cot. As many know, the first mile may seem relatively easy, but this is quite a burden to bear physically. And what about faith? 

They had faith in Jesus as the healer, the Messiah, because the story went about everywhere about His teaching and His miracles. The Spirit was already conveying Jesus to people as they excitedly discussed what was happening, what it meant, and how this was in the Scriptures. 

Because of their faith, the friends were able to carry out this menial task with hope in their hearts. Along the way, the dreadful doomsday discouraged would advise them - for their benefit - "You will never get there. If you do, the crowds will not allow you near. You might as well turn around and go back, save your backs all the pain." Dis-couraged is a good word. When we lose hope and faith, courage to persist goes out the window.

But when love is strong as the first fruit of faith, then discouragement passes away. Look at the athletes of our day. They run, bike, and swim for miles. They have cramps, pain, blisters, strained tendons, and so forth. The pain tells them they will also have results as they chip away at the total miles, as they feel the effects of endurance trials - more speed, more strength, more ability to last.

When people are weakened by sickness, they feel anxious about being helped. Bouncing along the road to Capernaum, the palsied man would naturally tell his friends, "This is too much work for you." And because they pressed on, their words and energy would have convinced him it was correct and he should trust in this Jesus miracle-worker.

When we watch "The Miracle Worker," about Helen Keller, one scene always gets to me, even if it is the fifth or sixth time I have watched it. Helen as a little girl has learned to become a real demon in tantrums. This is acted out wildly against the young woman determined to help. It makes me clench up as the food flies, the wailing goes through the house, and every possible move is made to break free of the helper, Anne Sullivan. The feeling of helplessness is difficult to ignore, until the firmness is seen as love and respect turns into trust and love.

Jesus seeing their faith

These men not only took their friend to Jesus, they took him up on the roof  to let him down to Jesus, who was inside. The disciples inside heard the clatter. Next came removing the roof tile to let down their friend. "What's that Jesus, the youth group?"  Some question how the man could have faith in Jesus already. Being lowered by ropes demanded faith. He had great faith to be hauled that way, raised onto the roof, and lowered. Jesus saw their faith. That is a great phrase to remember. They were urgent in helping their friend and confident in the power of Jesus.

said unto the sick of the palsy (παραλυτικον); Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 

The term we see - palsy - is literally paralytic, a weakening of the muscles. The Word of God heals when Jesus says - "Be of good cheer, son - your sins are forgiven."

Luther:

2. These words show and contain in brief what the kingdom of Christ is, namely, this sweet voice, these motherly and fatherly words penetrating our inmost soul: “Thy sins are forgiven.” In no other sense are we to view the kingdom of Christ, so far as it is understood, than how we are to live before God. As you, beloved, well know that our highest duty is rightly to establish the conscience that we may know how we stand before God and our neighbor. Therefore we must also hold fast to these words and become accustomed to the expression: “Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven”, and like sayings of which the Gospel is full.

3. From this it follows that the kingdom of Christ is realized where nothing but comfort and the forgiveness of sins reign not only in words to proclaim it, which is also necessary; but also in deed, as we shall see in this example. For he did not only speak these words into the ear of this sick man; but he also forgave his sins and comforted him. 

The Pharisees of that time were like the Pharisees of today - they are offended by the concept of people being forgiven through faith in Christ. How can Christ do that? People may speak about grace all day, but if they attribute forgiveness to anything other than faith in Jesus, they are covertly attributing forgiveness to works, not grace.

That is just as true in the blind OJ synods - ELCA, WELS, LCMS, ELS and so forth. Justification by Faith is not just a minor error - in their eyes. This Chief Article makes them and their Father Below furious.

But faith and only faith can set up a meeting place (access by faith) into this grace, an introduction to the Savior. No faith in the Word means no access, no peace, no grace. And we need that every day

Romans 5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 

Sometimes the Scripture recording their words out loud, which is for our benefit. But the Scriptures also note the inner thoughts (also for our benefit) which reminds us that Jesus knows the inner thoughts and plans of others and also ours.

Blasphemy means speaking against God, which includes speaking on God's behalf, as Jesus did here. They would not acknowledge His divinity, so they were offended when He revealed it in the power to forgive sins.

Since their spirit was evil, they saw the miracle as evil and a threat to their tradition. This happens today when the religious speak against God's Word in the Name of God. WELS has 50 or more essays in their Holy of Holies, each one proclaiming that everyone is born forgiven of sins, without the Gospel, faith, anything else in the Scriptures. They call this "the Chief Article" and "a diamond." The blasphemers are raised to the level of professor and president so they repeat their folly to generations of students.

4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power (εξουσια) on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 

Jesus sent the sins of the man away - dismissed them forever - and gave him the strength to walk at the same time. This bothered the religious leaders because they wanted and needed the monopoly. Jesus' Word made them look week and wicked, which only infuriated them, though some were converted over time.

7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

The man served as a physical example of God's power in Christ. Whatever is begun in faith will be glorified by God in His own way. We cannot name the time, method, or extent to which God will act. In fact, doing so is a silly way of ordering God to do our will instead of seeking to do His will.

Someone just joined our Classic Lutheran Books page. I reckoned she would like access to hundreds of free books as PDFs, to read them on any device. If someone needs a wheelchair, reading books on a comfortable computer screen is a real blessing. I have known a young woman only on Facebook for many years. If she had said years ago, "I need a readable and free Lutheran Library of all the great Lutheran books, " I would have responded, "That is a great idea. I hope someone does it one day." I did not have enough foresight to predict that another person would do just that.

LutheranLibrary.org

God provides numerous surprises because the faith of believers will always bear fruit that benefits people in many ways.