Autumn Is Here - Creation Gardeners Pounce

Falling in Love Roses with Veterans Honor (red)

This is no time to write out a list of gardening disappointments. The worst years are good for laughs and comparisons - "You think that was bad?"

Autumn is the perfect time for a garden bargain or two or three. That was poetic.

Who buys bird baths or tools in the fall? I do! My little concrete birdbath, now in the Rose Garden, was bought for $7 in the fall.

I will look for packages of small garden tools to use for bulbs and for spring.

The end of the garden season can be short or quite long here. Hard frosts mark the end, but they can be delayed by the quirks of weather.

Roses are at their best in a long, rainy autumn. The roots are strong, the branches growing from the rain, the blooms lasting in the cool air instead of fading fast in the heat.

God re-arranges the details, so we can find all kinds of wonders at the end of the season. I kept a block of wood in the shade near the faucet so the combination of moisture and rot would help attract bugs and toads for the bugs. I have removed most of the stumps I gathered for the garden (a phase I  outgrew), but this horticultural driftwood had to stay. This year I saw that the birds planted one of their favorite foods, wild strawberry on this piece. They love a bit of elevation for protection, grooming, and looking for food.

The dark, fungus softened wood is passing from from its maple tree life to food for birds, a harbor for fruit, and a cafeteria for toads. Creation is a constant transition from one life to another.

Lazarus' sisters said plaintively, "If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died." Jesus responded, "I AM the Resurrection and the Life." Believers pass from life into another, and that is not to make light of loss. We are that much more appreciative.

We only add to the soil in this Eden. Everyone wants to get rid of their leaves, so we gladly take them and let the soil creatures digest them into plant food. It does no harm to have these little shreds of paper, as the leaves appear in time, protecting the roots below and holding the rain and snow above.

The result of all the additions - wood mulch, paper, cardboard, leaves, peat humus - is fertile soil that holds the rainwater and recycles it through all the creatures. 

Autumn means finding out how much something can grow in perfect soil. The Joe Pye turned the Rose Garden into the Pye Plantation, so we composted the 9-foot Pye and beefed up the roses with sunlight. The Yarrow grew to impressive heights.  New roses are joining the Veterans Honor blooms in a show of color.

We cannot predict the plants or plan how they will grow. Which one is successful? They are all successful because they contribute in some way, whether we realize it or not. When I see a tenacious weed, I remember, "Keep a living root in the soil as long as possible." (Carbon Cowboys) Weeds do their part.

The lowly wild strawberries hug the ground and search for sun in the bare spots. At the end of the season they have provided a mat of berries for the birds, from the birds. They bloom and fruit in the shade. 

Wild strawberries work all season to feed the birds.

LCMS Leaders - Years Ago, Retired DP Benke Invited Himself To Pray at an All-Religions Festival at Yankee Stadium - But He Did Not Pray in the Name of Christ

Benke, on the far left, is the perfect description of an ecumenist. He loves every religion but his own. John Nunes has an interesting history, more ELCA than LCMS.

Walther - The Facts Do Not Match the Myths

 

 

CFW Walther – The Facts Do Not Match the Myths

1.      Walther identified with Pietism and its groups, through his brother Otto, as soon as he entered the university. This group, which had its own cell poorly disguised as a Bible study group, joined with Stephan as a unit.

2.      The Pietism was so extreme that pastors urged men and women to divorce so they could travel to America with the Stephanites.

3.      The Stephan circle saw themselves as elite and special in the Kingdom, but they overlooked Stephan’s associations with young women and other questionable actions. The evidence was too abundant, including the court trial that removed him, to believe anyone in the circle was shocked.

4.      Walther kidnapped his niece and nephew, evading the police warrant, hiding the children, letting his future mother-in-law go to prison for a time. He left quickly in a ship to avoid the police.

5.      Stephan already had syphilis in Dresden. His rashes and increasing megalomania were symptoms. Some of his children were born with syphilitic side-effects.

6.      Stephan became increasingly irrational on the voyage and demanded in New Orleans that he become the bishop. Walther signed the paper, though many in the LCMS try to deny it.

7.      St. Louis people were quite suspicious of the bishop with women and girls around him, but a wife and children abandoned in Dresden. According to Walther, this was her fault!

8.      Perryville was a poor choice for their New Jerusalem, and Stephan continued to issue irrational orders, which were followed.

9.      The sudden discovery of adultery is a poor cover-up for the riot organized by Walther.

10.  As a pastor without a call, Walther brought to Perryville only those St. Louis members who wanted to get rid of Stephan. He previously stole the land given to Stephan by the Society. He never spoke to Stephan about the adultery but arrived with an angry mob instead.

11.  The mob actions against Stephan betray the horrors of the syphilis attack among the young women: threatening murder, stripping the bishop of his clothes to look for money, forcing himself across the river at gunpoint, stealing all the money, taking the books and personal possessions, including a priceless chalice – a personal gift.

12.  The trial judge was the real estate agent!

13.  Stephan was refused food when he begged for it later.

14.  The Society kept everything and fought Stephan in court over what they stole, giving back only a pittance. Walther kept the chalice to use at his church in St. Louis. It has never been returned.

15.  Stephan’s son came back to serve as a pastor, but Walther mocked him as a student and belittled him as a pastor. He even talked young Stephan out of the 80 acres owned by his father’s estate.

16.  LCMS history continues to skip over this series of felonies and anti-Christian behavior (as Walther wished) in order to make young Walther the “founder” of the synod, the president of the seminary, and the chief author and editor.

Clethras In - Daffodils Arrive

1. I was counting on the Cletha shrubs to arrive before daffodil digging began. The very light box (Clethra) came first. We had a light rain that provided extra rainwater in the barrels. 
2.  I opened the package and began soaking the shrubs about two hours early, 5 am. Plants sent correctly are so protected, they have boxes around them and tape keeping everything from jostling. 
3. I picked spots in the front where the Cletha would be seen and appreciated. My shovel must have root radar, because each choice location included a tough maple root. I snipped them. 
4. The shrubs were easy to plant, so I used the removed soil and added Peat Humus on top for activating soil creatures. 
5. The top layer is Cyprus mulch, because that marks new or renewed plants. And it holds moisture while slowing decaying into the soil.
6. I use the plastic collar to protect new plants from critters. I added rainwater to each plant.
7. The soil is quite dry, so I will keep adding rainwater.

I added more Clethras because of the power of fragrance. They bring butterflies and pollinators. Clethra's cinnamon and sweet aroma is also pleasing to humans.  

LCMS-WELS-ELS Caught in Mainline Confirmation Bias

Objective Justification is the humor section of the Holy of Holies, the WELS Essay File. Some say "Files" but the original was just a file box. Scholars are divided. Although the essays have grown like kudzu vine in July, some unpleasant truths have been quietly dropped.

 

"Confirmation bias, the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one’s existing beliefs." (Britannica)

Sig Becker did not spend much time in the library, so he is an excellent example of confirmation bias, like Rolf Preus. Both bow the knee to Roman Catholic dogmatic principles. If enough pieces of irrelevant evidence can be gathered to support a dogmatic assertation, the curated evidence alone proves their case.

Becker's audience should have laughed out loud at his claim, found in the graphic. Most of them would have known the Gausewitz catechism, and they might have read Romans and Galatians. 

More importantly, the Scriptures only teach Justification by Faith, so Becker was really a Biblical moron, not a Biblical genius. 

Reading Rolf Preus' sophomoric sermon, linked below, I was struck by how much it sounded like a Roman Catholic homily, asserting official dogma rather than explaining the Scriptures. 

If the retiring generation is so hopeless, what are the younger products of Ft. Wayne like? We already know. They look at their first call and wonder where the Praise Band will fit best.

Rolf One-Note Preus Has Given His Final Sermon

Rolf Preus, the Rambach Professor of Homiletics:

We are justified by Christ’s blood. [GJ - The contradictions are breath-taking. OJists equate the Atonement and Justification.] 

While we don’t receive forgiveness personally until we believe the message of the cross, the message of the cross is that all sins of all sinners are forgiven and that God has justified the entire human race in Christ. [GJ - No wonder he did not understand his father's Justification and Rome - and stopped mentioning it.] 

Some of the Norwegian Lutheran pastors present didn’t believe that. No, they said, God doesn’t forgive you until you believe that he forgives you. [GJ - They teach straw man fallacies instead of the Chief Article at Ft. Wayne.] 

This sends faith in search of itself instead of looking to Christ’s crucifixion where our sins were taken away. [GJ - This? Is Rolf making fun of faith? What about Justified by Faith of Jesus? Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:] 

So the preacher decided to address the issue directly. He looked out at the congregation of pastors and declared: “I am righteous!” Then, after a pause, he said: “Do you believe it?” [GJ - Rolf should read the Wheat Flour Messiah, about the Swedish radical Pietist who was 100% righteous, touched people, and said, "You are righteous."]

GJ - The Norwegian Pietists, like the Halle Pietists, seldom grasped the efficacy of the Gospel in the Means of Grace. They believed in cell groups and the union theology from Spener that leaned toward or fell over backwards for Calvinism. 

Search the web discussion groups, Christian News, the blarney files of WELS - These people are allergic to Justification by Faith and seldom use that phrase so odious to them. Faith in search of itself - that sounds so poetic, like something a tippler would say while admiring its brilliance. The OJists are as awkward with the topic of faith as a sophomore guy asking a girl for a dance.

They are so awkward - or deceptive - that they call their precious Objective Justification the Chief Article of Christianity. Zarling did, and so did Bivens (both WELS). So let me post what the  Book of Concord says. Yay BoC - they all agree with the Confessions, and Missouri/ELS twice as much.

 

Correction from the Lutheran Librarian - Photo Corrected Too!

Some updates to your links:

Alec Satin - the Lutheran Librarian -  more than a dozen Amazon print books.  

[Now more than 70]

Lutheran Library Free eBooks - Alec Satin - over 153 Titles. 

[Now more than 240]

Notify the blog editor about any mistakes, typos, or bad links, in a diplomatic, kindly, and obsequious way.

Media Ministries - The Crow, the Jar, the Pebbles and Water

In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he must die of thirst.

Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one. With each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.

***

GJ - Alec Satin was wondering aloud about reaching people with evangelism. I said, "Your books are doing that for people all over the world. The Classic Lutheran Books page on Facebook has 300 participants and Free Books for Lutheran World Missions page has almost 100 participants.

Our congregation's online efforts have been mocked and pilloried by many a pickle-faced Pietist, which was a good sign. When the congregations were stymied by the Wuhan Flu shutdown, we just kept publishing in various forms. Pastor Palangyos is the most traditional, because he jumps in his car - like the circuit riders of old - preaching and teaching.

I thought of this Aesop fable because of the implied lesson - "Every pebble counts, so count not the lone pebble." One pebble does little by itself, but many pebbles accomplish the task.

The Sower and the Seed  parable (Matthew 13), the rain and snow in Isaiah 55:9ff, and the Creation lessons throughout the Bible teach us that the pebbles add up - if only we keep faith in the Gospel's effectiveness.

What if all of the efforts and contributions of a lifetime only reached one person with the comfort of the Gospel? Would that be too little? So many clergy, professors, and officials are apostate that simply remaining faithful to the Scriptures is an accomplishment.

Hundreds of free PDFs from LutheranLibrary.org

Embedded Links for the Bethany Lutheran Media Ministries List 

Alec Satin - the Lutheran Librarian -  more than 70 Amazon print books



Gregory Jackson's Amazon author's page.

Lutheran Library Free eBooks - Alec Satin - over 240 Titles.

Norma Boeckler's Art.

Norma Boeckler's Amazon author's page.

Resources for Lutherans - Including Many Free Books.

Next Bethany Lutheran Rice Mission - Philippines

Lutheran Cowboys Philippines

on September 18, 2020

 Next Mission

More Walther Draft - The Pietist Synods

LCMS President Jack Preus posed with LCA President Robert Marshall 

and ALS President (Jack's first cousin) David Preus.

Robert (left) and Jack Preus are with their parents. Jacob Preus was the governor of Minnesota and a Lutheran insurance magnate. The family still uses this private camping area.

The Pietist Synods

Pietism was the energy behind missions, so the Lutheran bodies had their beginnings with a powerful longing to be one with the Reformed. Count Zinzendorf came to America under a false name, recruiting Lutherans for his Moravian sect.[1] He was not an ordained pastor. That prompted the authorities to send an open Pietist from Halle – Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, a trained pastor, which counted. He identified with Pietism and was trained in the Francke Pietist institutions. He organized the first church in 1742, identifying with the Augsburg Confession, but naming it Augustus, after founder of the Halle institutions. This is now called Old Trappe Church.

Paleo-Pietism, The ELCA

The Pennsylvania Ministerium grew into the General Synod in 1820 by uniting with other regional Lutheran groups. The Pennsylvania Ministerium withdrew to pursue union with Reformed congregations. This attraction formed union congregations with two liturgies, two confirmations, sometimes with the same pastor.

Samuel Schmucker led the General Synod into an era of confessional strife and separation. He was trained at Princeton Seminary (Calvinist) and never maintained a Biblical, Lutheran position. He helped found Gettysburg Seminary (now ironically called United Lutheran Seminary), and taught for 40 years, serving as president. United Lutheran Seminary recently hired a Calvinist as its first president, Theresa Latini, a former dean of diversity at a Calvinist seminary. They fired her soon after.[2]

Schmucker and others tried hard to move the General Synod into complete merger with the Calvinists, and that led to half the congregations leaving to form the General Council and the Philadelphia seminary.[3] The General Council objected to revivalism, Calvinist doctrine, and denial of Biblical, Lutheran doctrine. The books published by General Council members show a great appreciation for the Reformation and Luther’s Biblical doctrine. The split came together again in 1918, celebrating the 400^th anniversary of the Reformation and setting the stage for another drift toward Calvinism and rationalism.

WELS Pietism

The geographical parts of the Wisconsin Synod – Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan – were unionist entities. The bizarre two communions and two catechisms were quite familiar in those states. Congregations were named Evangelical and Reformed, which meant Lutheran and Calvinist, until some began to resist the movement.  Nevertheless, the past kept a fondness for non-Lutheran doctrine and cell groups as active forces, while rationalism invaded the seminaries. Seminary Professor Adolph Hoenecke, another Halle graduate, moved the Wisconsin Synod away from their fondness for Calvinist-Lutheran congregations.[4]

LCMS Pietism – Loehe, Stephan

Loehe and Stephan were two examples of Pietists establishing new churches in America. Loehe was very active in world missions, setting up two seminaries for training pastors (Ft. Wayne, LCMS, and Wartburg, now ELCA). The Loehe congregations were set up with good leaders and prospered. The most famous is Frankenmuth, Michigan. The Loehe pastors invited the Perryville cult to join them, so there is a double fiction involved.

---

[1] That may remind many people of those “conservative”  Lutheran pastors who train at Fuller Seminary, obtain degrees there, and deny they have anything to do with Church Growth.

[2] “Fired Seminary President,”March 17, 2018. https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/united-luther-seminary-president-fired-theresa-latini-philadelphia-gettysburg-gay-lgbtq-onebyone-20180317.html

[3] I was interviewed for a position at the Philadelphia Seminary. They already had their candidate, so I got a free trip and a chance to practice my dissertation on a student audience. At lunch I met one of the last of the conservative professors there.  

[4] The CLC church building in New Ulm, Minnesota, is from a split in the WELS congregation, a block away. A new pastor came to the WELS parish and said, “I thought we were done with the Reformed.” The Calvinists packed up and created their own church, which became through mergers United Church of Christ. The CLC bought it when the UCC built a new church and moved downtown.

More Walther - Rough Draft - Walther The American Calvin

 

Worship and Doctrinal Works with ELCA? Sure! Piestism = Unionism = LCMS-WELS-ELS

Efficacy of the Word

Denying the efficacy of the Word is the key to the errors of Zwingli, Calvin, and all Enthusiasts – those who separate the Spirit from the Word. Efficacy is foundational throughout the Bible, starting with Genesis 1. Basic to Zwingli and Calvin is denial of this divine energy always working with the Word and never apart from the Word. They consider the Bible itself as “dead letter” - unless the interpreter makes it come alive, or germane and appealing. One example from Calvinist lore is – the Word is like an iron statue in a garden, pointing the way but not providing the energy.

Rejection of the Means of Grace

The Means of Grace are the invisible Word in preaching and teaching, the visible Word in Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Zwingli mocked the sacraments, saying the Holy Spirit did not need a vehicle, like an ox cart (Ratio Fidei). Calvin mocked Holy Communion in the Institutes in childish questions about the Blood and Body of Christ. Today the term often used for the sacraments is – ordinances – laws. Christians should obey these commandments, if only as a witness to others, but baptism and communion do not convey forgiveness.

Reason Dominates Faith, Replaces Faith

Biblical doctrine is not a long cafeteria line where people can pick what most appeals to them. Zwingli and Calvin placed reason above faith, which meant excluding what they rejected rather than studying the Scriptures to understand and trust the mysteries revealed by the Holy Spirit. Young Calvinists – as they often admit - become old Unitarians, and the Calvinism of the founding denominations becomes the Green New Deal woke activism of the present.

Pietism – A Troubled Merger of Calvinism and Lutheran Doctrine

Unfortunately, the Lutherans were drawn into the constant doctrinal attacks waged by the late-arriving Calvinists, who sought to replace the Reformation with their deformation. This fostered the misnamed era of Lutheran Orthodoxy, where the stage was set with Latin terms countered by Latin terms, a new Talmud where the Word itself was surrounded by so many layers of expert testimony that the meaning was lost. Spener stepped into battle as the first ecumenical theologian – take note of that term. He was a Lutheran impressed by the Calvinists and Catholics. His two most important contributions (mistakes) were the cell group and doctrinal indifference.

The cell group moved the definition of the Church into the form of a small group of laity who prayed and studied the Bible. That was – and is – the real Church. The congregation is for them - only a convenient place to organize the cells. The cells are superior to the others in the congregation. One modern writer said, “The minister is only a pastor, but we are apostles.”

Spener placed love over sound doctrine, in contrast to St. Paul and Luther, who taught love as the fruit of the Gospel Word. This indifference was promoted in the name of stopping the fights, but Pietism started a new era of battles. Since the Pietists were always the holy ones, what they did was fine, even though the unredeemed fought against them.

Pietism Was the Midwife of Stephan, Walther

Stephan had all the marks of a Pietist leader:

·        The Bohemians were Pietists, through Zinzendorf.

·        Stephan was a Bohemian.

·        His congregation was set up for Bohemians and allowed to have cell groups on the property. Zinzendorf originally donated the property.

·        Stephan led cell groups on the property, and breaking the conventicle laws, in other locations.

·        Stephan had his initial congregation and another gathering there, comprised of Christians who came to hear him speak.

·        Stephan became the leader of the Walther circle of pastors, who looked for a leader after their initial cell group guru, Kuehn, moved away and died.

CFW Walther and his brother grew up in a rationalistic pastor’s household and had their only academic training at Leipzig University, whose faculty was mostly rationalistic. The state church was rationalistic and distrusted the Pietists. The older brother led CFW to join the Kuehn cell group.

CFW Walther’s Pietism was plain:

1.      He rejected the rationalistic era, but was still given a pastoral call. Was he a fox or a chameleon?

2.      His associations, his closest friends, were Pietists.

3.      His group moved to Stephan when Kuehn died.

4.      He served as the enforcer for Stephan, making sure everyone in the circle obeyed Stephan or were shunned until they begged forgiveness.

5.      In their purity, the Walther group refused to see the adultery of Stephan and CFW later blamed it on Stephan’s wife.

6.      Walther did not become the new Luther in America but replaced Stephan – not as the bishop but as the pope.

7.      He spent a lifetime replacing the Chief Article of Christianity with Halle University’s Objective Justification.

8.      He tried to support his Justification without Faith by teaching Election without Faith.

9.      His dishonest manipulation of the call gave the job to Franz Pieper, who established the Synodical Conference canon by the time of his death.

Waldo Werning, Who's Who in Church Growth, Fuller Alumnus, Christian News covert author

Rose Garden Revised for Upcoming Rain

Double Delight Rose

Readers may remember what I was going to do, before the storm.

Since the storm could have rolled in early, I began the work as soon as Sassy had her morning walk. 

Most roses are similar at this stage. They have mulch but pesky grass and maple trees growing up into the rose area. That grass will choke a rose when left to its evil devices.

I really enjoy the exercise and the results from a little work. I have an H shaped bench which lets me sit near the rose but not on the ground. I use extra long scissors to snip at away at the grass and trees trying to take over, using the sun and extra water for dominance.

I carry sharp rose shears to prune dead wood and trim extra branches away. This is something that newcomers shy away from doing. But if I have two buds, one of them weak, the strong one will finish better by having the tiny one removed. The same is true of spent roses, which signal more growth in the branches and roots when trimmed away. 

My experiment with egg carton material was not too impressive (lots of buckling) so I used paper and cardboard on the bottom or perimeter when areas needed to be shaded more. I pour cypress mulch generously around the bush and create an area where very little can grow. 

The worst patch of orchard grass was not weed-whacked, so I used electric clippers to mow that patch down (for instant fertilizer and revenge). I added thick cardboard where it was growing, some paper to fill in, and a bag of wood mulch around it.

Every rose needed some attention, and I also saw some hopeless cases nearby. The roses gone wild will be dug up before winter to make room for more daffodils. The crew's eyes bulged when they learned how many bulbs would arrive. I am sharing with the crew and Ranger Bob. Once in the ground, the bulbs will bloom early each spring, grow somewhat, and rebloom. 

Giant Aliums have a giant price. I buy smaller ones.

I only wanted to order daffodils but I saw some purple tulips and rainbow iris, much earlier. To round off two orders, I also got two giant aliums. These floral garlics are easy to grow and everyone likes them. "What exactly are they?"

When I was done the garden had lost its Wuhan Flu overgrown hair look, and I am sure several roses perked up - simply from the pruning. 

The Easy Does It orange roses look tired now, but I will give them new cardboard and a pile of mulch and peat humus to digest over the fall and winter. 

China, The High Speed Trainwreck

"Right on time!"

No, this photo is not a WELS metaphor, though that would work too. 

China seemed so powerful and wealthy until their subsidies from the US began slowing down and the rain began speeding up.

Everyone seems to be catching onto the criminal regime that runs the People's Republic of China.

One reader appreciated the coverage of the Three Gorges Dam on the verge of collapsing. Since the fifth flood event passing through, nothing has appeared in the press - except one report.

 Here is the link I thought I lost.

Call it my imagination, but I think silence about the world's biggest engineering debacle is more unsettling than daily coverage. "The crisis is over" would best be proved by live video, current photographs, and daily news, even if they are only PR smoochy stories about the great dam.

A few people think the dam has a fatal flaw, a place deep in the structure causing cavitation from water and debris passing through. As you may recall from my earlier posts, the dam was poorly designed and badly built with inferior concrete, inferior rebar, and one little detail. They were in a rush to get started, so they did not go down to bedrock and pin the entire structure to a solid base. No problem? Please consult your Physics 101 textbook about water pressure 600 feet deep.

1. They pollute their own construction concrete with clay and manure. Buildings routinely crumble, and they are called tofu structures.
2. They could not make that enormous dam accomplish everything at once, so the structure turned into a white elephant - trying to provide transportation, flood control, water, etc. 
3. Just like WELS, critics of the blunders were jailed, so the greedy could live high on the proceeds.

Mud turbulence on the surface of the dam lake suggests that something is very wrong in the depths. Worse, bubbles rising up seem to indicate that the water is acting like a soda, releasing trapped air. That could mean damage letting water through. High pressure water, sand, mud, and debris roaring through would enlarge that opening. 

There are some signs they are trying to strengthen the dam.

Gulf Weather Maps Suggest Days of Rain

Heirloom

I start every day reading science fiction - the weather report. No matter what the forecast is, the results are far different. The gulf storms gathering now suggest that some of the action will have to move north, because of the crowded southern skies.

IBM's weather site suggests three days of rain for us, starting later today. That reminds me of sure fire investments of the past. "Can't miss!" However, I will act on the prediction and renew some roses.

I have one area of tall, thick grass of some type. The grassy weeds like to take over rose bushes and extinguish them. Weed killers are no good, because they are most effective against flowers. 

"Hello darkness, my old friend.

You've come to kill some grass again."

Yes, sun-blocking is the answer. I will cut the blades near the rose, lay down some paper for additional protection, surround the rose with cardboard, and cover the cardboard with cypress mulch. The grass turns into compost, and the area looks attractive again.

Ranger Bob spotted a blooming Heirloom rose, and called it Veterans Honor. I said, "No, the Veterans Honor rose is in a vase for one of our members. This is Heirloom, even more fragrant and a little purplish." (I misnamed it Sunday, but tis better to misname a rose than to have no roses at all.)

Nothing compares to Veterans Honor

The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2020. Matthew 6:24-34

The Fifteenth 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 #376                         Rock of Ages                                                            

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 #396                           O For a Faith                                

Jesus Teaches Us To Trust

The Communion Hymn #373          By Grace I'm Saved

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 #309                O Jesus Blessed Lord - Kingo

                         

Announcements and Prayers

• The flowers are in memory of Gary Meyer, Air Force veteran, who died on September 17, 2014.
• Continued seizures - Jeshra Palangyos, 12.
• Cancer treatment - Mary Howell, Randy Anderson, Chris Jackson, Rush Limbaugh.
• Medical concerns - Pastor Jim Shrader, Kermit Way, Diane Popp's daughter - Joan Scott, had a heart attack and stents put in. 

People ask about our Holy Communion, since some are opposed to our social distancing eucharist, broadcasting from Springdale to Australia to the Philippines. 

Roman Catholics put an emphasis on the ordained priest. The presence of the priest validates the communion service. The forgiveness is partial; the elements become only the body and blood of Christ. The priest and his ordination make it effective.

Calvinists reject Baptism and Communion as sacraments. The elements remain bread and wine and do not convey forgiveness. Calvin mocked the Real Presence.

Lutheran Biblical teaching shows what 1 Corinthians 10:16 reveals. The Body of Christ is with the bread through the Consecrating Word; the Blood is with the wine through the consecrating Word. The Word is always effective.

Distance does not attenuate or weaken the power of the Word, which is always divine. When Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish through His Word, the 5,000 families were stretched across the grassy oasis. Nevertheless, these miracles showed Jesus could create this miracle for the entire crowd. If the liturgy, hymns, creed, readings, and sermon are effective, then how could the Words of Consecration be ineffective? Those who agree with the Augsburg Confession are one with us and are welcome to join the distribution - after God's Word has consecrated the elements for those who hear and believe.

KJV Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.  4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  5 For every man shall bear his own burden.  6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all Thy benefits: that Thou hast given us life and graciously sustained us unto this day: We beseech Thee, take not Thy blessing from us; preserve us from covetousness, that we may serve Thee only, love and abide in Thee, and not defile ourselves by idolatrous love of mammon, but hope and trust only in Thy grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Background for the Gospel, Matthew 6:24-34

This is an unmistakable example of Jesus, the Creating Word, using the Creation to explain why we should trust in God's protection. The difference between humans and animals is worry. The Lord of Creation has put in the lowest life forms a set of directions for them to follow - and they do. They do not stop and wonder why they must eat a certain kind of food and be eaten besides. They do not plan their winter stay, but curl up in dens, fly away, or become dormant. Birds will stop by a feast of food, take some, and depart - not like the relatives who decimate the banquet table and ask to take home extras. The burden and blessing is that we get to think about all these things, to watch the ant working hard and without grumbling, to marvel at the bugs appearing in spring to feed to newly hatched birds. Everything around us in Creation is there to fill us with trust in God, because Jesus tells that the Father watches over the common bird, so how much more does He watch over us?

Jesus Teaches Us To Trust

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

This is a powerful section from the Sermon on the Mount, which teaches us that we can comply with one master or another but not two at once. When we favor one, we look at the other with disfavor.

Even if people have two places to work, they will say, "I would rather work at GM than Ford." I knew a GM worker who drove a Ford truck. I asked why. He said, "A Ford truck drives better." Our neighbor Ranger Bob loves GM products, no matter what, and truly despises Ford and Chrysler. I told him, as I drove by, "I have the best of both worlds - Ford quality and Chrysler engineering. He laughed and laughed.

In this case Jesus is contrasting whether we are serving God or serving mammon. The word mammon needs explaining. It is not simply earnings or money, but riches beyond our requirements - to have enough and some to share with others. An example of mammon would be someone with billions of dollars who also wants to sell vaccine to the entire world. 

This is also a matter of trust. Are we trusting God and finding peace and security with Him - or trusting mammon, with the thought that enough piles of wealth would make us peaceful and secure, with no money worries? An abundance of trust in one will mean de-emphasizing the other. 

Although this is a passage on faith, Jesus begins with the harshness of the Law. Rather than congratulating His audience, He makes a clear statement about where their trust lies. This is so vivid that most people know the entire passage.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

This is pure diagnosis. Jesus knew what was troubling people then, just as He does now. This is a case of either/or. Our brains can only consider so much. We can either worry about every material thing, or trust God and dwell on spiritual matters. When something about the Bible troubles us, the reward is finding a solution and enjoying the spiritual wisdom that comes from study and meditation. 

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

A Facebook friend wondered about the lack of birds at the bird-feeder. With a few exceptions, birds do not store up food, because God provides and stores food for them. This time of year is one of abundance for birds. Berries are everywhere in my yard - poke berries, raspberries, wild strawberries, blackberries, poison ivy, and beauty berries. Crepe myrtles have developed hundreds of seeds loved by cardinals and other birds. Earthworms are active in the soil, and bugs are abundant.

But in winter - berries cling to their plants and crepe myrtle seeds are high and dry. The refrigeration system preserves bug larvae on every tree and bush. Warm days may wake up earthworms and bugs.

Imagine getting up every morning to an empty fridge, empty cupboards, no food or water and yet singing carefree songs! Birds sing before they eat, and they must find their food and water every day. God provides abundant food and water when the hatchlings are preparing for flight school, but that is a lot of work for the parents. I used to bring sunflower seeds to the Blue Jay nest. The parents watched me and never dive-bombed me. 

God sends the delicate birds south for the winter. They even know when a terrible storm system is forming. During the Armistice Day Blizzard, 1940, hunters were pleased to see so many birds in the sky - but they were fleeing! 

When we think about God providing for all His creatures, Jesus - the Lord of Creation - asks, "Does He not care even more about you?"

Tyranny feeds the ruling class while the poor starve. If everyone trusted God, there would be an abundance of food and medicine. Free people are far more productive, and Protestant Christianity has set entire nations free. Dictatorships come about because a few want to have mammon and weapons in abundance, to keep them secure and to calm their worries.

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

This is absurdly funny. We have what God has given us, but we think about having a different set of circumstances. Yet various scenarios go through our minds. They tend to filter out all bad results and focus on good results. No matter what, most things are not going to change. Sometimes people take a long time to become grateful for what God has given them rather than being sorry for being short-changed.

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

The more the flowers grew, the more we wanted to watch them. Instead of gazing at the lawn, we look at a constantly changing garden. Even the regular visitors ask, "What's that over there?" and "Did you notice that one in the corner?"

I enjoy bending down to work on a rose, only to see around it, at the soil level, wild strawberries planted by the birds, little red jewels or the yellow flowers that precede the berries.

People take the mints and other herbs for granted, but they love the air show as butterflies, birds, bees, and hummingbirds show off their skills. Everyone loves the roses, but all the flowers are unique in their form, colors, and fragrances. 

The comparison with Solomon is vivid and easy to remember. Every powerful ruler has special clothing that distinguishes him from all others. Solomon was unusually rich and powerful, yet he was never as beautifully robed the wildflowers are, especially when we realize how many functions and "machines" are built into those plants by the Creator. 

I pre-ordered a book by Jessica Walliser on companion plants, because it is known that certain plants get along with and strengthen opposite plants - just like married couples having opposite skills, personalities, and methods. 

This comparison with wild flowers reminds us, rather pointedly, that the Creating Word (Jesus, John 1:3) has designed countless flowers that outshine anything worn by King Solomon.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

This is a challenge to stop worrying and realize that anxiety is the product of little faith. Jesus primary accusation was having little faith, because the lack of faith is the foundation of all sin. God clothes the believer with the righteousness of faith. That is why the wrongly dressed wedding guest is tossed out - he did not come clothed in faith but in the righteousness of works. (Matthew 22)

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

After describing the human condition so well - anxiety about daily needs - Jesus concludes the illustrations with the Promise that God knows, understands, and provides. 

The Gentiles here means - the pagans. 

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

One must be absolutely amazed that so many clergy, professors, and officials could miss what these verses are all about - the righteousness of faith. Those who believe are in the Kingdom of God, and He takes care of the entire world, the universe even, and special care of those within His family. 

We were talking about Luther's dog yesterday and what Luther observed from that dog he called Blockhead. No matter how many times Luther said no to his dog, Blockhead still continued to ask, expecting the best from his master. Luther said we should pray the same way, always expecting the best from our Heavenly Father. When we are in that frame of mind, we keep asking. 

I was calling on someone when his daughter began asking for night-time treats, grinning after each request. Each request was followed by her father saying "No!" She never stopped grinning and kept asking. About the tenth time, he said, "OK." And she grinned harder. I commended him for his tough approach, making her ask 10 times. It was fun to watch because of the loving spirit involved.

From the Promises and Blessings of God, we grow in faith.

We can worry about the distant future, but we have no idea what is ahead. 

Luther:

44. That is the chief passage in this sermon, and states the right rule and manner how we are to proceed in order to get both the divine or eternal gift, and what we need for this life. Would you rightly and well take care whereof it behooves you to take care, then let this be the first, aye, indeed, your only care, that you strive according to God’s Word to do your duty, to serve him in his kingdom as his Word teaches you — for in this consists the righteousness belonging to this kingdom — and to prize this more highly than all pertaining unto this temporal life.

If you do this you have done and provided well and need not take any further burdens upon you nor cherish any cares in your heart; indeed, it should be much too small a thing for you to care for so slight a matter as the wants of your belly, and therefore to aggrieve yourselves. Rather do this for the honor of God, and furthermore for your own use and benefit, that you strive after the great and eternal good; which if you attain and keep, the rest will surely take care of itself. Neither can you in any better way arrive at obtaining it from God, than in this wise that you first seek and ask of him the great things.

What is great to us is small to God, who rules and manages everything. Acknowledging the truth of God's Word means making the great Promises the center of our thinking.