btw...

As you can see from the posts below, a very good section of Luther, actually starting from page 326 and continuing through page 330...

Prophecy, visions, and dreams

AELW 3:330

“God came to him,” says Moses. What he means is that God came with terror and not as He is in the habit of doing when He takes on the usual appearance of a human being, a dove, or a lamb. But He does this in order to show that He is concerned about Abraham. About the three kinds of prophecy we have spoken above, namely, prophecy per se, visions, and dreams. So far as dreams are concerned, there is the well-known rule that such revelations must be scrutinized with respect to their relation to the Word and to faith. If they are not in harmony with the Word or destroy faith, they are of Satan."

Christians and the legends of the saints

AELW 3:329-330

"If you want to know something about the life of Christians or about the legends of the saints, no matter what they are, I shall tell you in a few words. If you are a Christian, no matter in what order you are, God will trouble you in various ways through the devil, the world, and the flesh; and He will do so in this ordinary life, which is without any special outward show. Therefore faith and prayer should be conspicuous throughout the entire life of Christians. Everywhere in the account of Abraham you see an example of this. There is danger that his wife is being taken from him. But even though he cannot shut grief out of his heart, he does not utterly despair but calls upon God and believes that God will bring help. And as he believes, so it happens. “He rebuked great kings on their account,” says Ps. 105:14. So Abimelech, too, is rebuked on account of Abraham."

The reassurance of Abraham

Genesis 20:3, 3. "But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him: Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman you have taken; for she is a man’s wife."

AELW 3:328

"Learn, therefore, from this passage what a great thing faith is and how pleasing a sacrifice a believing heart is to God. When Abraham has been left in the lurch by his own counsel, he is saved by the promise. Hence if we, too, are living in dangers—as is utterly inevitable, provided that we want to be true Christians—let us trust in the Lord’s help, which the promise makes certain for us in accordance with the declaration (Ps. 50:15): “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you.”

Only Luther...

Could find a way to use a monkey as an analogy for worldly admiration...

AELW 3:318

"Hence let us, too, learn to use this life as an inn or a lodging place for the night. If you understand Abraham’s wandering in this manner, you will not say that it was something ordinary; for it is a work of faith, and of a very fervent and strong faith at that. But the ungodly do not see this, as is written (Is. 26:10): Let the ungodly be done away with “that he may not see the glory of God.” Works that result from the Word and are done in faith are perfect in the eyes of God, no matter what the world thinks about them—even if you should be merely a shepherd or an infant’s nurse. But, as I have said, those moles see only those things that are showy. If you exhibit a monkey, an ugly and useless beast, in a public place, you will immediately find some who run up and admire it as a most beautiful beast. Thus the world admires strange and unusual works, but they have no understanding of faith. Besides, the works of God are always concealed under some lowly form. They do not shine in the world, but they do shine in the eyes of the heavenly Father."

Luther's view of books...

Luther is speaking here in reference to Genesis 19:30, "Now Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar; so he dwelt in a cave with his two daughters."

AELW 3:305-306

"Now follows the text about Lot and his daughters. It perplexes both the Jews and our own people, and causes them to ask many questions. Our fathers generally passed it over, either because they were hindered by other endeavors or because God so directed it, lest the church be burdened with a multitude of books. For this reason I myself hate my books and often wish that they would perish, because I fear that they may detain the readers and lead them away from reading Scripture itself, which alone is the fount of all wisdom. Besides, I am frightened by the example of the former age. After those who had devoted themselves to sacred studies had come upon commentaries of human beings, they not only spent most of their time reading the ancient theologians, but eventually they also busied themselves with Aristotle, Averroes, and others, who later on gave rise to the Thomases, the Scotuses, and similar monstrosities.

For this reason books should be limited in number, and among these books only those which lead the reader into a correct understanding of the Scripture should be given approval. And in the books of the fathers themselves we should value nothing that is not in agreement with Scripture; it alone should remain the judge and teacher of all books. To be sure, it is profitable to hear the confessors, whether they are dead and teach in their writings or are living and teach by word of mouth. Nevertheless, there should be a limit. And one should always observe this rule: that we read those who expound Scripture. Since we have no opinion of the fathers on this passage, we shall expound it as best we can."

Let us not wink at the sins of others...

AELW 3:281

"In the accounts of the Greeks there is a story about a certain Amyris, a citizen of Sybaris. He had seen that a slave, who had been dragged away from an altar by his owner, sought refuge at the tomb of the latter’s father. There the owner, moved by reverence for his father’s tomb, spared the slave. Since Amyris considered it disgraceful that reverence for the tomb was greater than for the altar, he sold everything he had and went away to the Peloponnesus from the then rich and flourishing city of Sybaris, because he concluded that certain punishment would result from such practices. Because of this action he seemed mad to his fellow citizens; but he himself obtained a most excellent return from this madness of his, for Sybaris was shortly thereafter destroyed. Hence one should note that when sins are continually prevalent, the wrath of God must come. Therefore let those who hold an office or are officers of the state do their duty, and let them not wink at any offense, however small. But if iniquity prevails, let them flee, lest they become partakers of the sins of others."

The Three Kingdoms? ;-)

AELW 3:279

"God has appointed three social classes to which he has given the command not to let sins go unpunished. The first is that of the parents, who should maintain strict discipline in their house when ruling the domestics and the children. The second is the government, for the officers of the state bear the sword for the purpose of coercing the obstinate and remiss by means of their power of discipline. The third is that of the church, which governs by the Word. By this threefold authority God has protected the human race against the devil, the flesh, and the world, to the end that offenses may not increase but may be cut off. Parents are the children’s tutors, as it were. Those who are grown up and are remiss the government curbs through the executioner. In the church those who are obstinate are excommunicated."

Word & Sacrament

AELW3:272

"In this respect the heretics err greatly and associate things that have no connection when they argue about the spoken Word and the Sacrament and divest God altogether of the ministry; for he who does away with the Word and does not accept it as spoken by God does away with everything. Separate the Word from Baptism, from absolution, and from the Lords Supper, and they will be nothing."

God's gentle hand

AELS3:255

"Even though it is awful to experience and to observe how great Satan’s power is after a person has once turned away from the fear of God—for Satan does not cease to drive on from sin to sin—it is still profitable to ponder these facts; for they encourage us to pray. Yes, they even commend to us the concern which our heavenly Father has for us when He warns us and calls us back, so to speak, to the right way by means of His fatherly rod, which thus becomes sweet when you reflect what a human being is wont to do when he is left to himself and indulges freely in sin."

Likes and Dislikes

AELW3:246-247

"For it is true what a familiar little verse states: “He who wants to give to others should not say: ‘Do you want it?’ ” It is impolite to subject modesty to a test and to force one, as it were, to beg.

Even under the stress of need modest people nevertheless almost want to be forced to accept a favor. On the other hand, you may find others, who are impudent and do not wait until you bid them but obtrude themselves of their own accord, take a seat at the table, and want this and that given to them. Such people deserve to be disliked."

Easter Sunday

(I apologize for formatting challenges, I am still trying how to copy these over accurately)

The Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord

Easter Morning,

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (March 23, 2008)

One Year Series

“He has risen”

Readings: Psalm 118, verses 1 to 29, Job 19:23-27, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, Mark 16:1-8

+INI+

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 16^th chapter of St. Mark, especially the following verses.

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN

He is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

An angel in a white robe sat at the tomb and proclaimed to the Mary the mother of Christ that “He has risen” and that “He is not here.”(v. 6) There that morning others stood beside Mary, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. And the first words that they hear as they approached the tomb are words which are often first said by the angels, “Do not be afraid.” Can you imagine Mary’s reaction at that very moment? For scripture tells us that over thirty years before this very moment Mary stood in a place and in a time when she, “was greatly troubled.” And so many year before, an Angel spoke to then her saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary.”(Luke 1:30) Now she and the others stood at the entrance of Christ’s tomb and were again told by an angel, “Do not be afraid...for He has risen.”

“HE HAS RISEN”

And so today as we rejoice in the fact that the tomb of Christ was indeed empty and knowing that we repeat the inspiring words of the angel of God, proclaiming “He has risen!” The number and names of those who walked to the tomb that morning may become the fodder of games of trivia, but we shall never forget that Christ is the one who rose from the dead that day. And listen again to the words from the Prophet Job, “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever! I know my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.”(Job 19:23-24) Those ancient words of Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives” we sang just moments ago. Those words which were indeed written on scrolls and engraved in our hearts, yet they are even more than all that. For those words, “I know that my Redeemer lives” are words which were engraved on our very souls penned with the indelible ink of Jesus’ blood. His very blood which dripped from His body which hung from the cross is the same blood which is poured out into the cups from which we shall soon drink in the Holy Supper of our Lord.

Roman Soldiers at the crucifixion of Christ pierced His side with a spear and water poured forth. It is not a coincidence that it is water that is combined with God’s Word in our baptism which poured out upon us. And just like this very day, just moments ago, when the water was poured out upon the blessed child Mallory in her baptism, and indeed the water was poured out upon us too when we were baptized. And so all who have been baptized are dead to sin, we too have risen from the dead. For we too were buried in our sin, yet in the waters of baptism as St. Paul told us that, “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” [Rom 6:4] We are risen from the dead, because He is risen, He is risen indeed.

We who have been made perishable by the sin of Adam and Eve, and in our own sin, will one day be raised from the dead, “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” Amen, Amen, means yes, yes it shall be so.

But sadly and all too often, our hearts and minds are stuck in the things of this world, the things of the here and now. We have seen too many times the asterisk on the advertisement that points to the small confusing weasel wording at the bottom of the page. Words which tell us all that we have been told or we have heard are not really true. We are steeped in a world which warns us constantly that “Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Therefore, you should not assume that your future performance will be equal to or correspond to past performance levels.”

We convince ourselves that these things like Christ’s resurrection, like our baptism, like Holy Communion don’t really effect our lives. For we have all experienced too much pain and too much misery in paths which we have walked and in world we see before us. And so we trudge along seeking for something different. Something which appears to us to have some sort of substance. Something real. We ask questions which demand answers. Like... How can you possibly offer any type of comfort to a mother who has lost a child? He is Risen. How can you comfort a wife or husband who has lost their spouse? He is risen. How can you comfort the sick or the dying? He is risen. How can you console the walking wounded, the down-trodden, or some who is depressed by what this world has dealt them. He is risen.

Listen closely, the answer to all your concerns and cares are in those very words. No need to look for an asterisk, look instead at the words which have been spoken all too many times already in this sermon. Look to the words which you have already spoken yourself. He IS risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Alleluia, that Christ IS risen. The resurrection is not a onetime event like when we look somewhere back in time, somewhere in the depths of our minds to fondly recall a special memory of a meal, or toy, or of special place. No these three days, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, remind us Christ is much more than all of that. For He IS risen, and He promised to be “with us always, even to the very end of the age.”

How do we provide comfort and consolation to all the challenges of this world? The answer is we don’t, and we can’t, but Christ does. For before Christ is, we are perishable. But, because He is risen we, “the perishable have been clothed with the imperishable, and (we) the mortal with immortality, the saying that is written IS come true....‘Death has been swallowed up in victory’” “Where O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” HE IS RISEN!

“He lives to silence all my fears;

He lives to wipe away my tears;

He lives to calm my troubled heart;

He lives all blessings to impart.”(LSB 461:3)

He is Risen, to impart His blessings to us, not somewhere back in time. He gives us His blessing each and every day. He gives us our daily bread, He forgives us our trespasses, and by His death and resurrection He delivers us from the evil one. He gives us His blessings in the waters of our Holy baptism. We peer out in time with our worldly eyes we fondly see a baby like Mallorie being baptized, but there is so much more going on than just water and a family gathered around a baptismal font. For wherever God’s Word is there Christ is, wherever Christ is there His church is. And whenever a person is baptized always remember that all of heaven is rejoicing at that very moment, all the angels and the archangels and all the company of heaven are singing and rejoicing. There can be no more beautiful lullaby for a beautiful child than to have the angels rejoice over one so small as this baby Mallorie, or for you too when you were baptized.

Whether you came here this day out of desire to receive the gifts of Christ, or out of a family obligation, or whether it is of fond recollections of Easter’s passed by. Know that whatever your reasons for being here, Christ looked down from the cross and knew that He would be with you in this place on this very day.

Know also that on the cross Jesus Christ said, “It is finished,” Your sins have been forgiven, and for “He who believes and is baptized (they) will be saved.” And know that the risen Christ is here with you this very day in His true body and His true blood which renews and refreshes our faith. As St. Paul said, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”(1 Cor. 11:26)

He comes to you this very day, for He is Risen. He comes to you in your baptism, for He is Risen. He comes to you in the Holy Supper of our Lord, for He is Risen. Alleluiah means, “Praise ye the Lord,” and because of Christs death and resurrection you are given the promise of spending eternity doing just that, praising the Lord.! He is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluiah and Amen!

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

+SDG+

Battling with enemies of the Church

AELW3:191

"when we argue against the enemies of the church, sound and strong arguments must be advanced; for if this is not done, the enemies not only laugh at us but are more strengthened in their error. Thus we have proved the Anabaptists and the Sacramentarians wrong, not only by proving our points with many sound reasons but also by taking note of the mistakes they make as the result of improper conclusions and quotations"

A morsal of bread

Christ gives us more than bread this very day, Maundy Thursday, by saying, "this is my body"


Genesis 18:3-4 "Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,5. while I fetch a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves"

AELW3:184

"Nevertheless, this precept concerning hospitality pertains chiefly to those whom Christ (Matt. 25:40) calls “the least.” For wherever the Word is, there Satan, the enemy, is stirring up physical and spiritual persecutions. In Paradise itself he was unable to rest until he drove Adam with his Eve into exile. Therefore we must be ready to give comfort to the brethren. Those who are afflicted by spiritual persecution should be comforted and strengthened with the Word; but those who are afflicted by physical persecution should be assisted with bread and water, that is, with love and hospitality, everyone according to his need."

In times we percieve as filled with turnoil...

for all seasons and especially this day, Christ is still Lord of the Church.


Genesis 17:21, "But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year."


AELW 3:163-154

"In this passage one should take note of the word מוֹעֵד, which we have generally translated with the German noun Stifft, while the Latin translation has “tabernacle of the testimony.” But in this passage the word denotes a definite and fixed time, as, for instance, also in Gen. 1:14: “Let them be לְמוֹעֲדִים, ” “for certain times.” Inasmuch as the moon has a definite time during which it is new and during which its brightness increases and decreases, it is a most convenient indicator of time.

Then מוֹעֵד also denotes a definite place in which the tabernacle of the covenant had been set up, where God had established a remembrance of Himself, that is, where He had commanded that His Word be taught and that He be worshiped. For remembrance of God is nothing else than preaching about God, and He wants men to be intent on this, as Christ says (Luke 22:19): “Do this in remembrance of Me.” For where He Himself has His teachers who preach His name, there He wants to be found, to hear, and to bless."

Palm Sunday - Palmarum - March 16, 2008

Holy Week – Palm Sunday - Palmarum

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI March 16, 2008

“Your King Comes to you”

Readings: Zechariah 9:9-12

Psalm 31:9-16

Philippians 2:5-11

Matthew 21:1-9

+INI+

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

The text for today’s message is as recorded in the Gospel lesson from the 21^st chapter of Matthew, especially the following verses,

Matthew 21:1-9 (NIV)

Jesus said to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ⁵ “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The words of the prophet Zechariah are fulfilled in Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. The palm branches were being spread on the road, people were taking off their cloaks and throwing them before the Lord. Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the promised one of Israel had arrived and the crowd went on ahead of Him. What a glorious celebration, a triumphant welcome fit for a King. It has been said that everyone loves a parade and on this day it was no different. However, the tone and tenor of the celebration would all change during this week. Yet all that was to happen was known by Christ even as He rode into Jerusalem. Indeed the crowds gathered around and went ahead of Him, but only Christ knew at this very moment just how far the crowd ahead of him would go. While today is a gathering of celebration marked by the throwing down the palms. A few days later, on the day we call Good Friday, there would a gathering of rebellion marked by throwing Christ’s palms down on the cross. But let us not get ahead of ourselves in this opening service of Holy Week. Let us rejoice as the Lord comes into Jerusalem. Let us rejoice that...

Your King still comes to you

Can you imagine the excitement that must have been stirring about that day as Jesus rode into Jerusalem? After all the Messiah had been promised for many, many years. In fact, the promise was made to Adam and Eve after the fall, yet before they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. It is hard for us to imagine waiting that long for just about anything. Our society just doesn’t have it in us to wait a couple of thousand years. You know the people in our times get impatient if the popcorn isn't ready in the microwave in four minutes, or less. But for this crowd the prophecy of all the prophets were coming true. “Your king comes to you.”

The words of all the great prophets seemed to be alive in this one man Jesus Christ. "The crowd had to be thinking about the words they had heard from the prophet Zechariah while their eyes saw before them the fulfillment of all that he had said. And too the prophetic message of Isaiah, combined with the Palm Sunday event. Isaiah’s prophecy was so real and detailed that it struck home so hard that his words were matched with music and combined into verses which we still sing in our services to this very day. Words we know of as Sanctus...

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;

heav’n and earth with full acclaim

shout the glory of Your Name.

Sing Hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;

Truly blest is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!

Or to some maybe more familiar...

Blessed is He, Blessed He,

Blessed He who cometh in the Name of Lord

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest

How great those words are, how great it is to be in a crowd that is fired up and focused upon one event, one person who gave them so much promise. Yet as these people in the crowd gazed at Christ, it turns out that they were gazing at something much different than what was a few feet in front of them.

Some years ago there was a movie in which one of the characters held up four fingers and asked the other, “How many fingers am I holding up?” The obvious answer is four, but that was not the correct answer, the correct answer was eight. But in order to see eight fingers, your eyes must be caused to focus not upon the fingers, but upon what’s beyond and in the distance behind those fingers.

The challenge with this Jerusalem crowd is that they neither saw four nor eight fingers, they saw something completely different. They saw what they wanted to see, the answer to their beauty queen prayer for peace and prosperity in their earthly world. Yes, they wanted a king who came to them, but at the same time they wanted Him to come and do what they wanted Him to do. And even though they came out for the parade with joy and celebration, it is also true that the popcorn, cotton candy, and palm branches of the day of the parade are soon turned to garbage and debris, a sticky mess which someone is obligated to come in and clean up. Our world has been made into much more than just a sticky mess, all by the effects of sin. And the One who was obligated to come in and clean it all up for our sake is Jesus Christ, “Your king comes to you.”

It is not my intent to say that all our prayers for peace, and comfort for our fellow man is silly. Martin Luther probably said it in a much better way when he said, “Therefore if we want to describe our prayers, they are really nothing else than the stammering of children who ask for bread or a morsel before meals. For we do not know what we should ask for. The things we ask for are beyond our comprehension, and He who bestows them is greater; and the things are also too great for our narrow hearts to be able to understand."(AELW3:159)

Truthfully we can only speculate and wonder what that first Palm Sunday crowd in Jerusalem had been praying for and what they thought they saw before them. But at the same time we should keep in mind what their actions would be later in the week. Many in the crowd were no doubt prattling about like children asking for a morsel of bread. Many must have been praying for a military minded conquering Messiah who would give them their kingdom of this world. And you know, even that prayer for a misdirected morsel was heard. But they were given so much more than all of that. More than a morsel for just today, they and we are given the very bread of life. For their King came to them and “Your King comes to you.”

We too very much want to see and to have a Palm Sunday Jesus. Not wishing to gaze beyond that triumphant King riding upon a donkey with the palm branches waving and crowds cheering. Not wishing to focus upon what beyond that day and what happens to Christ just a few days later. In fact, we are quite in effect a lot like the apostles James and John, who are so inwardly focused that we stew about and argue over the thoughts and challenges of today. All that worry and distraction is real to us, but it is just like asking who will sit at the right or left hand of Christ. And remember Christ’s response to that petition was, “You do not know what you are asking.”(Mt. 20:22) And as Luther said, “Our hearts are too feeble for us to be able to grasp the importance of the matter; we trouble ourselves with questions about when, where, and by what means God is willing to hear us. These matters we picture to ourselves beforehand within such narrow bounds that we wrestle constantly with unbelief.”(AELW3:158)

Repent. For life is more than a parade, and Christ brings more than respite for just today. Your king comes to you and He brings you a peace which surpasses all understanding. There is a hymn whose lyrics are as follows...

“Christ be my Leader by night as by day;

Safe through the darkness, for He is the way,

Gladly I follow, my future His care,

Darkness is daylight when Jesus is there.” (LSB 861:1)

Jesus is there on that Palm Sunday, He is there as darkness overcomes the earth on the day He was crucified. And your King comes to you on Easter Sunday, in His resurrected body showing that He has conquered a lot more than what we have ever prayed for. Your king comes to you as He conquers your sin, your death, and the devil who would beguile us all.

Your king comes to you, He did on that first Palm Sunday and His still does to this very day. For He is with us in His body this very day. Your king comes to you in His Holy Word. Your King comes to you, in the Holy Supper of our Lord as He gives of Himself, the bread and the wine are truly His body and blood. Your King comes to you in your baptism, where water and His word are combined to give you more than you could ever perceive with your own eye. Human eyes which want to draw their focus on things like bread, wine, and water. Yet the real substance is what is given when these things are combined with the Word of God. Your king comes to you this Palm Sunday of Holy Week, Your king comes to you in His Holy supper on Maundy Thursday, He comes to you on the cross of Good Friday and in His resurrection on Easter Sunday. Your king comes to you. Sing Hosanna in the Highest, for He freely gives you the forgiveness of sins and the promise of everlasting life, “Your King comes to you,” from this day forth and for forevermore.

AMEN

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

+SDG+

Approaching Palm Sunday

I thought this reading appropriate for the time before Palm Sunday. One can only wonder what that first Palm Sunday crowd in Jerusalem had been praying for and what they thought they saw before them. And then compare all this, in light of what their actions would be later in the week. Many in the crowd were no doubt prattling about like children asking for a morsel of bread. Many must have been praying for a military minded conquering Messiah who would give them their kingdom of this world. Even that prayer for a misdirected morsel was heard, but they were given so much more than all of that. More than a morsel for just today, they were given the very bread of life...

AELW3:159

"Yet we must learn that we should pray even in the most desperate evils and hope for the unexpected and the impossible. And it is for this reason that these examples of the holy patriarchs are set before us. They show that the patriarchs, too, were afflicted by sundry cares and trials and yet received more good than they either understood or had been bold enough to ask for.

For we have a God who is able to give more than we understand or ask for. Even though we do not know what we should ask for and how, nevertheless the Spirit of God, who dwells in the hearts of the godly, sighs and groans for us within us with inexpressible groanings and also procures inexpressible and incomprehensible things.

It is profitable to teach these things, because even though we begin to believe and to pray, our hearts are nevertheless deterred by the magnitude of the things for which we are asking and then also by the Person of the Listener. Therefore these accounts incite our hearts to open our mouths toward God and to pray with confidence, without being deterred by the fact that we who are nothing are approaching Him who is everything.

James and John prayed that one should sit at the left of Christ and the other at His right, but He told them (Matt. 20:22): “You do not know what you are asking.” Yet He heard their ever so foolish request, but He did so in a manner that was far different from what they themselves had thought. For they are not at the left or at the right of some worldly king; they are princes and judges of the entire world on the Last Day.

Therefore if we want to describe our prayers, they are really nothing else than the stammering of children who ask for bread or a morsel before meals. For we do not know what we should ask for. The things we ask for are beyond our comprehension, and He who bestows them is greater; and the things are also too great for our narrow hearts to be able to understand."

Finite and infinite.

AELW 3:157-158

"One may observe here that God always grants more than we are able to ask for or to understand.

Accordingly, one should learn that those who want to pray properly should accustom themselves to pray with confidence and not to be deterred either by the greatness of the things to be granted or by the unworthiness of their praying.

Paul’s statement in Eph. 3:20 is well known. “To Him” he says, “who is able to do far more than we ask or think.” Therefore God’s title and true name is this, that He is a Hearer of prayers. But we, the petitioners, are called those who do not know how to pray or what to pray for. Our hearts are too feeble for us to be able to grasp the importance of the matter; we trouble ourselves with questions about when, where, and by what means God is willing to hear us. These matters we picture to ourselves beforehand within such narrow bounds that we wrestle constantly with unbelief.

Therefore we must combine these two incomparables, as they are called: the finite and the infinite. Our narrowly defined petitions and our desires and vows are something finite and are exceedingly petty in comparison with that boundless and immeasurable return which God constantly wants to put into practice toward us."

Heart language

Not quite John Wesley's version of heart language...


AELW 3:155

"Although we have the Word of God in such richness, our hearts are nevertheless harder than an anvil and, like rocky soil, keep the root of the Word without sap and fruit, while the saintly patriarchs marveled at this inexpressible benevolence of God to the point of being overcome.

I myself feel in me this hardness of heart, and I hate it and also offer prayers against it every day. Just as the prophet Isaiah says (6:10): “It is a people with a heavy heart and with sleeping eyes,” so we, who have the Word in such great richness, feel that our ears and hearts are slow and our eyes heavy with sleep.

This, however, is not the fault of God, who speaks with us in a friendly manner and, as Paul says in Titus 3:4, converses with us in the most kindly fashion when He gives us the ministry of the Word, His sacraments, and His pledges of eternal grace. But we have soundly sleeping eyes and dull ears, and we despise these gifts as something ordinary and paltry. Moreover, what is far more outrageous and disgraceful, we apply ourselves meanwhile to the study of decretals and human traditions."

I wish I had a nickel...

...for every time I heard the beloved professor Dr. Masaki lovingly remind his students of this....

AELW 3:152

"For wherever Christ, the Blessed Seed, rules, there the church is..."

I will come to you...

AELW 3:146

"Therefore these signs must be learned, followed, and held fast with the utmost zeal. “In every place I cause My name to be remembered I will come to you,” says the Lord (Ex. 20:24). Therefore other places, other forms of worship, new things, and other endeavors are sought in vain. God is not found there; but where He causes His name to be remembered, that is, where the Word of God resounds, there He comes, not with curses but with blessings."

How to "find" God

AELW 3:145-146

"Abraham and all his descendants were circumcised in order that the heathen might be attracted and also obtain salvation themselves. Therefore we justly give thanks to so merciful a God, who manifested Himself in this way at all times and gathered a church for Himself.

But these facts also have validity against the awful darkness of human traditions. For reason seeks God and roams through countless errors of its own endeavors in an effort to find Him. This led to the origin of so many orders of monks, each of which maintained that it was nearest to God. This led to many kinds of worship and works. But all these are undertaken in vain, for God does not want us to go astray in our thoughts; He shows Himself not only in the invisible thought of the heart but also in signs that are visible and tangible.

Thus in the New Testament there are Baptism, the Keys, and the Eucharist. He who makes use of these in faith does not believe in vain and does not stray from God but surely hears and finds God."

The Eighth Day

AELW3:141

"In an allegorical sense the eighth day signifies the future life; for Christ rested in the sepulcher on the Sabbath, that is, during the entire seventh day, but rose again on the day which follows the Sabbath, which is the eighth day and the beginning of a new week, and after it no other day is counted. For through His death Christ brought to a close the weeks of time and on the eighth day entered into a different kind of life, in which days are no longer counted but there is one eternal day without the alternations of night.

This has been thought out wisely, learnedly, and piously, namely, that the eighth day is the eternal day. For the rising Christ is no longer subject to days, months, weeks, or any number of days; He is in a new and eternal life. The beginning of this life is perceived and reckoned, but there is no end. In that life the true circumcision will be carried out. At that time not only the foreskin of the heart will be circumcised—which happens in this life through faith—but the entire flesh and all its essence will be cleansed of all depravity, ignorance, lust, sin, and filth. Consequently, the flesh is then immortal.

This allegory is a prophecy that when Christ rises again there will be a spiritual, true, and perfect circumcision outside time in eternal life. In Holy Scripture the number seven denotes a cycle of time; for when the seventh day is reached, the series is again repeated."

How to preach

AELW 3:132-133

"Hence ancient teachers said that there are four things a preacher should keep in mind in all his sermons; he should give consideration to vices and virtues, to punishments and rewards. And they did well to give this advice, provided that they retained Christ. For the Law concerns itself with these four things: vices contrary to the Law, virtues in accordance with the Law, punishments in accordance with the Law, and rewards in accordance with the Law. But this doctrine does not produce Christians. It is the doctrine of the Law, which does not bring about perfection. The Gospel of grace must be joined to this doctrine of the Law! Then at last the Christian is made complete."

Luther on his call into the ministry

AELW3:129-130

"Thus the Lord wanted me to be a preacher, that is, He wanted me to bear the envy and the hatred of the world for the sake of the Word. To others He assigns manual labor. When I look at them, they seem to me to be happy; for labor gives them pleasure, they live without worry and without any rather burdensome annoyance, and they would dislike a life of inactivity. Moreover, by labor bodies are made strong and health is preserved. While another person, like a boy seven years old, does his work as though he were at play, I am severely plagued by perils and trials. Yet that workman is saved just as I am.

What now? Shall I become impatient or refuse to follow my calling? No. I shall rather reflect that God has manifold graces or forms of activity and allots them in accordance with His will. But it is our duty to obey God when He calls (Rom. 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10)."

On Vocation

AELW 3:128

"Therefore it is great wisdom when a human being does what God commands and earnestly devotes himself to his vocation without taking into consideration what others are doing. But surely there are few who do this. The majority do what the poet censures: “A lazy ox wants a saddle, a lazy nag wants to plow."

There are very few who live satisfied with their lot. The layman longs for the life of a cleric, the pupil wishes to be a teacher, the citizen wants to be a councilor, and each one of us loathes his own calling, although there is no other way of serving God than to walk in simple faith and then to stick diligently to one’s calling and to keep a good conscience."

More on Genesis 17:7

AELW3:125

"So great a thing is faith when God reveals Himself through a promise and hearts embrace this promise seriously. This very promise, “I shall be your God,” sounds forth continually in the church. Therefore the prophets and apostles diligently meditated on it and splendidly elucidated it in their sermons. They taught that this life should be devoted to the service of one’s neighbor, in order that as many as possible may be brought to the knowledge of God. And if some hardship is encountered, the hope of deliverance should be retained, and the name of the Lord be called upon. For inasmuch as He has promised to be the God of those who believe in Him, eternal joy and life will follow the miseries of this earthly life."

The visible marks

Genesis 17:7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you."

AELW3:122-124

"...the God who has revealed Himself by visible marks, who has given the Word of promise and has instituted the sacraments, is the true God and Savior whom we are able to take hold of and to understand."

"Abraham had circumcision as the sign of this promise. We have Baptism, which was instituted with a far more magnificent form; for we are baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Not satisfied with this sign of grace, the Son of God left the church His body and His blood as a testament. He wanted us to eat His body and to drink His blood in this life unto eternal life, in order that there might remain no doubt that the salvation accomplished by the suffering and death of the Son of God belongs to us and not only—as we used to think under the papacy when we were corrupted by the doctrine of the pope—to Peter, Paul, Mark, and other servants of God who were distinguished by outstanding qualities."

(Luther's "Marks of the Church" are fully developed in AELW41:143-177)

In our Fatherland

Lutheran Service Book, Hymn #718, "Jesus, Lead Thou On", verse 4

"Jesus, lead Thou on Till our rest is won.
Heav'nly leader still direct us,
Still support, console, protect us,
Till we safely stand
In our fatherland."

AELW3:120

"The Word of God is such a great treasure and brings such marvelous revelations concerning invisible and impossible things that Abraham concludes with certainty that he will live after he has died and that after his death he Will possess the land which he was not to possess in this life. Thus he will live with God eternally."

Comforting words indeed...

AELW3:103

"Concerning infants who died before the eighth day the answer is easy, just as it is easy to give an answer about our own infants who die before Baptism. For they do not sin against the covenant of circumcision or of Baptism. Since the Law commands them to be circumcised on the eighth day, could God condemn those who die before the eighth day?

Accordingly, the souls of those infants must be left to the will of the Heavenly Father, whom we know to be merciful. Furthermore, what Paul says in a gentle manner about “those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam” (Rom. 5:14) and about Jacob and Esau—“though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad” (Rom. 9:11)—holds true in their case too.

Even though infants bring with them inborn sin, which we call original sin, it is nevertheless important that they have committed no sin against the Law. Since God is by nature merciful, He will not let their condition be worse because they were unable to obtain circumcision in the Old Testament or Baptism in the New Testament."

The promise of God

AELW3:95

"Thus it is clearly seen that birth according to the flesh carries with it no prerogative, not even in the case of Isaac; for everything depends on the promise. But the promise can be accepted solely by faith. So far as birth according to the flesh is concerned, we are all born in sin. Hence those who are to be saved must be born again through water, that is, through Baptism, not through circumcision, and through the Spirit, who kindles faith in the promise and thus frees and saves from sin."

The verb "to be"

Genesis 17:1, "...I am God Almighty: walk before Me and be blameless."

The Hebrew for blameless is תֶּמִים (tā∙mîm) meaning, complete, whole, sound, wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity, entirely in accord with truth and fact, without defect.

None of these qualities are in or of men, but only of one man Jesus Christ. Actually it would have been more appropriate for me to emphasize the word "be" above, for because of our own actions we are none of these things, because of Christ we are declared all of these things before God.

AELW3:79

"That the noun תֶּמִים (tā∙mîm) in this passage is plural—be a man of perfections or of integrities—one can appropriately relate to the fact that there is a twofold righteousness: (1) the perfect righteousness, through which we are righteous before God through faith; (2) the imperfect righteousness, through which we are righteous before God and men so far as our conduct and reputation is concerned."

Profound

As I was checking my e-mail and the daily news this morning there was a background picture of a couple out on a sail boat. Over the years I have not been able to spend a lot of time sailing, but the times I have, it has been extremely enjoyable. It is slow. It is quiet. While at the same time one must think about where they're going, knowing that more than half the journey will be into the wind.

I guess it sounds like I'm headed toward some kind of moral lesson, and for theologians it may sound like an error toward semi-pelagianism, e.g., keep your head up, enjoy life and you will reach your destination. But that was not my intent or thoughts. I thought of Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see."

It is not our journey or our focus in life which brings us back home against the wind. Life pours out a mixed bag of joy and sorrow at best. Yet in opposition to all that, it is only Christ who conquers sin, death, and the devil, by pouring out His blood so that all may be certain of their salvation.

Now that I spent a whole paragraph failing to wax eloquent with my disconnected thoughts, listen to what Luther says in just a few words...

AELW3:75 (Genesis 17:1 - "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him: I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless.")

"But when quiet reigns and there is freedom from danger, God comes and explains the earlier promises concerning Abraham’s descendants in a new sermon and completely excludes Ishmael from the promised inheritance. Thus the promises are gradually unfolded and become clearer."(emphasis mine)

To which God trumps by the hand of the apostle St. Paul...

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "(Phil. 4:7)

Modern News Pundits?

Reminds me somewhat of newscasters talking about Christians...

AELW 3:67

"There is an old saying: Do not talk about anything you do not know well. Our age has produced very many examples; for many very learned and eloquent men are inordinately awkward and silly because they speak about things they do not understand.

Every time Erasmus, a marvelously learned and eloquent man, begins to speak about justification and matters of faith, he stammers most wretchedly and talks like a fool. When he discusses other matters, he reveals a very high degree of ability"

Cling Tightly to the Word of God

Was reminded of this hymn, not in LSB, but in Rev. Starke's book of hymns, "O Sing of Christ."

AELW 3:65

"The circumstances of this life differ greatly. Poor Lazarus is hungry and is tortured by disease, while the rich man lives sumptuously and is happy (Luke 16:19–21). The situation of a king seems more pleasant than that of a private person. This inequality is often disturbing, and it often agitates hearts so much that people change their situation by sinning.

But one should hold fast to the comfort given here and think: “Behold, I am a manservant, a maidservant, one who is stricken with poverty and overburdened with work, etc. So be it! But let this be my comfort, that my God regards all alike—kings and servants, rich and poor, snners and those who are righteous.”

He is the God of all, and He wants us all to rely on His mercy and favor. The difference there is among people in this life does not make different persons before God. God hears all alike—you in your menial state and another in his free state.

This comfort is necessary and must often be impressed upon men, for it makes hearts confident and prevents the dangerous abandoning of a calling, the abandoning that is never attempted without sin. For by nature hearts shun the cross and strive with blind ambition for what is high."

A timely thought

Actually a reference from commentary on Genesis 16:6, but interesting in light of current events...

AELW3:55

"This little section is intended to describe not only the perils of marriage and of the household but also the trials.

Abraham went through a trial concerning his servant Eliezer, and no one was able to relieve him of that trial except God through His Word. Here Sarah goes through a trial, and the Lord comforts her through her husband. Therefore the Lord is at hand to oversee and direct marriages and households. He shows that He takes delight in that game, so to speak, of human relations.

In the household, quarrels and disputes arise between husband and wife. In the state the peace is disturbed in various ways. In the church sects are established. The result is that he who observes these things rather carefully almost begins to despair of a happy outcome.

But these accounts teach and admonish us to be prepared to bear troubles and to overcome them with patience, and not to be among those who want to be husbands or rulers of the state without having any trials; for these are futile thoughts of people who know nothing about this life.

If you are a husband, it is impossible for you not to have either a Hagar or a troublesome Eliezer in your home.

A similar situation obtains in church government, where disturbances are caused by sects and other offenses. Therefore let us remember this example, and let us, too, together with faithful Abraham, trust in God and, as much as is possible, preserve harmony. Since we must live among ungrateful and wicked people, no place will fail to present occasions for discord and trouble"

Another German proverb

AELW 3:52

"Learn, therefore, to do good to others. Yet be prepared to put up with ingratitude. The things that we wish for do not happen, and the hopes we entertain about others are disappointed. For nature is corrupt and depraved, and the fickleness of hearts is astounding.

When fortune smiles, no one is spiritless that he does not behave insolently toward those whom he is in a position to treat in this manner. As the German proverb points out, no living being is prouder than a louse on a scabby head."

Love God, love your neighbor, love your enemies

AELW3:50

"You must arrange your life in such a manner that in the first place you are a servant of God, that is, that you trust God not only so far as this temporal life is concerned but also because He is forever our God, whom we shall have and keep forever, even if everything else should fail and cease to be.

In the second place, you should show kindness not only to friends but also to enemies. If they have thanked you, it is well and your favor has been conferred so much more auspiciously; but if they trample you underfoot and substitute hatred for thanks, your kindness has nevertheless not been wasted, and you have followed the example of your Father in heaven, who lets His sun rise over the good and the evil. (Matt 5:45)"

Just a present reality...

AELW3:35

"...it is evident that God "calls into existence the things that do not exist." (Rom. 4:17). For with God there is no past or future; with Him everything that for us is far in the future exists at the present time."

Abraham's righteousness

Luther writing against, fides formata, or faith formed by love. As note 17 states on this page Luther is arguing against the Scholastics who said "it is not true faith until and unless love is present."

What does this mean and what is the point?

It means that Luther is herein emphasizing the right understanding of faith. Note especially, "God speaks, and Abraham believes what God is saying." To understand faith in the way of the scholastics, is to make faith dependent on man's actions. Rather, rightly understood, faith is the free gift of God (Eph 2:8-10) and thus centered in God, not man....

AELW3:21

"In this passage no mention is made of any preparation for grace, of any faith formed through works, or of any preceding disposition. This, however, is mentioned: that at that time Abraham was in the midst of sins, doubts, and fears, and was exceedingly troubled in spirit.

How, then, did he obtain righteousness? In this way: God speaks, and Abraham believes what God is saying. Moreover, the Holy Spirit comes as a trustworthy witness and declares that this very believing or this very faith is righteousness or is imputed by God Himself as righteousness and is regarded by Him as such."

and

AELW 3:22

?For righteousness is given to Abraham not because he performs works but because he believes. Nor is it given to faith as a work of ours; it is given because of God’s thought, which faith lays hold of."