YouTube -- Festival of the Reformation, transferred (October 27, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, October 27, 2024.  It is the Festival of the Reformation, properly observed on October 31.  It was transferred to the Sunday prior.

Sermon -- Festival of the Reformation, transferred (October 27, 2024)

DANIEL 3:16-28

WE HAVE A FAITH WORTH DYING FOR.

In the name + of Jesus.

     You have likely heard the phrase, “I will die on this hill.”  In a military context, it notes the strategic advantage of holding the high ground.  Troops would defend the hill to the death.  They would die on that hill rather than concede the advantage.  Today, it is used to express a commitment to one’s beliefs or behavior.  People will defend their convictions rather than concede them to pressure or convenience. 

     Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were such men.  They were among the first to be exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon along with the prophet Daniel.  They were of the noble class, and probably teenagers.  King Nebuchadnezzar was no idiot.  When he recognized their potential for serving him, he had them train for service in his kingdom.  They were taught the Babylonian language, Babylonian literature, Babylonian culture, and so on.  There was no sin in doing this, so these young man gave themselves diligently to their studies.  They were also to eat the king’s food.  But some of that food was unclean according to the law of Moses.  You might think this was a petty matter.  They were exiles in a pagan land.  Who cares about dietary rules?  But these young men refused to violate the covenant.  It was a hill they would die on because they would not sin against the Lord, not even in what seemed like little matters.

     Fast forward to our reading.  Nebuchadnezzar had built a large, golden statue and commanded his subjects to worship it.  Once the orchestra began playing the worship music, everyone was to bow low to the ground—both an act of worship to the idol and an act of allegiance to the king.  However, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused.  When everyone was prostrate to the ground, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood upright.  It was not hard to see that they refused to worship the king’s idol.  This was a hill they would die on, and it was reported to the king.

     Once again, King Nebuchadnezzar was no idiot.  He would not execute valuable employees on hearsay.  So, he confronted them.  “If you worship the idol, we’re all good.  But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:15).  Then he scoffed, “And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands” (Daniel 3:15)?

     Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s reply was another bold confession.  They made two statements.  “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace” (Daniel 3:17).  In other words, our God can save.  But they continued, “If not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:18).  In other words, even if God does not save us, we will be faithful to him—no matter what threats or punishments we face.  We will not yield in our faith.  We will not turn from his word.  We will die on this hill.

     God, in his grace, chose to preserve Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  Nebuchadnezzar recognized this when he declared, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire? … But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:24-25).  And he was right.  The Son of God stood with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the flaming furnace.  He had preserved them so that they did not even smell of smoke.  He does not always step in to miraculously save his people from a martyr’s death.  In fact, God rarely does that.  Many saints have glorified God by suffering death for their faithful confession.  We have a faith worth dying for.  God’s people recognize that there are some things that are worse than death.

     We have a faith worth dying for, and that is because we have a God who decided that we were worth dying for.  Jesus Christ is God in the flesh who came into to the world to die for sinners.  Jesus took into himself all our sins.  Now, the devil had given Jesus all kinds of reasons not to do this.  When he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, the prince of this world offered to give Jesus all the riches, authority, and kingdoms of the world.  Jesus would not even have to suffer to get these.  He needed only to bow before the devil, and he would have them.  But that is not how sinners would be saved.  There was a hill that Jesus had to die on in order to redeem us.  And he was convinced that we were worth dying for.

     Jesus went to a hill to die on it for us.  There he was roasted in God’s fiery wrath for sins he did not commit.  He endured hellish torment that he did not deserve.  He did this to pay for all your sins.  Since Jesus has taken up all your sins, there is no condemnation for you.  You have received a full pardon.  This is the faith we live and die in. 

     Therefore, we have a faith worth dying for.  The odds of you facing death in a fiery furnace are slim.  You will likely never have to suffer death for your confession.  But you will suffer for it.  We hold to God’s word in a world that mocks those who live according to it.  To the world, our faithfulness to God’s word is bewildering.  To the world, sinning against God’s word is no big deal.  St. Peter warned, “They are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you” (1 Peter 4:4). 

     God’s people hold to his word even when violating it seems like no big deal.  Examples abound, but we will consider just one.  St. Paul instructs us, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4).  If you avoid vulgar or obscene speech, people will notice.  They will think you are strange.  They will mock you, “Oh, goody two-shoes.  You think you’re better than us!”  But remember, you have been set apart from all wickedness.  We dare not dabble in some of it, reasoning that some sins are harmless.  The world is evil.  It dwells under God’s wrath, and judgment is coming because of it.  But you have been set apart from it.  You not only rejoice in God’s promises, but you also believe that all of God’s word is good and right and true.  You have been set apart to be God’s people and to live according to God’s word.  Your faith is not mere words; faith governs your whole life.  It is a life lived for God’s honor.  It is a faith worth dying for.

      This is nothing new.  God’s people throughout all of history have suffered for the sake of Jesus Christ.  Today, we celebrate the Lutheran Reformation.  At the time of Martin Luther, Jesus was portrayed as an angry judge that you had to satisfy with holy living.  The confession, “He will come again to judge the living and the dead” filled people with terror rather than hope.  Christians were told to amend their lives, making up for all of their sins.  Who can do that?  What is enough?  And what happens to a Christian who lived his whole life trusting God’s word but does not have enough time to amend for all his sins?  This is where the teaching of purgatory came in.  It isn’t in the Bible, but it was created to tell people they would have to be purged of the wickedness that was still in them.  Once they had been purged of all their evil, then they would be holy and able to enter heaven.  How long would that suffering take?  Thousands and thousands of years.  What comfort did these Christians have?

     This is where the sale of indulgences came in.  For a price, people could reduce the time spent in purgatory by the authority of the Pope.  And it was not only for yourself.  Would you really let grandma suffer in purgatory when you could purchase her release?  It was a wicked practice, but the money ended up building St. Peter’s Basilica.  Martin Luther challenged this practice.  Having discovered from Scripture that Jesus is not an angry judge but a gracious Savior, Luther preached forgiveness of sins by faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Indulgences were a scam, and Luther said so.  Once the money stopped flowing to Rome, Luther faced threats.  First, he was ordered to stop preaching and writing.  Later, he was marked as a wanted man—dead or alive.  Luther’s life would have been much easier if he had just shut up.  But God’s people would have been robbed of comfort, hope, and salvation if he had not.  He was willing to die on that hill because Jesus had willingly died for him and for the sins of the whole world.  Whenever Luther saw the good news of Jesus being perverted by false teachings, he lashed out in rather strong language.  He would not let the light of the Gospel be clouded, and he would not let God’s people be plagued by doubts and fears.  Luther was willing to die for this confession.  God graciously spared him of that, but Luther recognized that we have a faith worth dying for. 

     There is a reason Martin Luther wrote, “And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, let these all be gone, they yet have nothing won; the kingdom ours remaineth” (TLH © 1941, Hymn 262, stanza 4).  For Luther, losing these things was a real possibility.  That does not mean God’s gifts are not precious.  But it does mean they don’t save.  Only Jesus Christ does.  It would be hard to lose one’s possessions or reputation.  It would be gut-wrenching to lose one’s wife and children.  But it would be eternally tragic to lose one’s faith.  There are things worse than dying.  That is why we confess that we have a faith worth suffering and dying for.

     Whether 500 BC in Babylon, 1500 AD in Saxony, Germany, or the 2020’s in the United States of America, God’s word is under attack.  God’s promises are clouded by words which sound nice and allow for alternative beliefs.  Back in September, the Pope decreed that all religions are a path to God (https://www.christianpost.com/news/pope-francis-claims-all-religions-are-a-path-to-god.html).  That was received well by many people, but it is absolutely wrong.  Jesus declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There is no other path to God.  To suggest there are other paths to God is to promote a lie which grounds people in a faith that leads to death.

     Faith in Jesus alone brings life everlasting.  Our Savior lived and died for us.  Our risen Savior lives and reigns for us.  Therefore, we live and die holding firmly to his words and promises.  Jesus promises, “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).  If you must suffer for your faith, suffer as one who is godly and confident of God’s goodness.  If you must die for your faith, go boldly into death knowing that you will come out unscathed, just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were delivered from death.  We have a faith worth dying for because we have a Savior who lives.  And because he lives, we shall live with him in glory.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Something from ... Martin Luther on God and the devil

When some hardship or disaster enters your life, who is responsible for it?  Did God send it, or was it the devil at work?

It is easy to say, "Everything good is from God, but everything bad is from the devil."  If we hold to this belief, then we may also conclude that there are times when God loses control and the devil has gained the upper hand.

King Solomon wrote, "In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him" (Ecclesiastes 7:14).  Based on this word of God, we come back to the question: When some hardship or disaster enters your life, who is responsible for it?  Did God send it, or was it the devil at work?  The answer is: Yes.

Martin Luther wrote about the devil who seeks to devour and to drive us to despair, but he does not do it apart from God's will.  When evil comes, the devil intends it for harm; God intends to use the devil's evil designs for our good.  Our God is so good and gracious to us that he even employs the devil for our good.

Martin Luther comments on John 15:1-2 to teach us about God's purpose regarding evil that comes into our lives.  Something from Martin Luther: 

"But now God takes him in hand and says: 'Devil, you are indeed a murderer and an evildoer; but I will use you for My purpose.  You shall be My hoe; the world and your following shall by My manure for the fertilization of My vineyard.'  We must surely acknowledge him a great Master, who knows how to employ the devil's and the world's wickedness for the vine's good and not for its harm and ruin, as these intend.  This is what He says about it: 'Your intentions are evil indeed; you are very bitter and angry, and you plot to destroy My vine; but I will and must use you as My tools with which to cultivate and dress the vine.  Therefore cut, chop, and hoe away, but not beyond the bounds that I set.  For you shall go just so far that it will not ruin My vine but will help and improve it.  You shall not fertilize it with mature until it is choked; you shall use only enough to make it sturdy and lush." (pp 195-196.  Luther's Works: American Edition.  Volume 24 -- Sermons on the Gospel of St. John, chapters 14-16.  Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, MO. (c) 1961.)

A Lutheran Satire Christmas -- Updated

I suppose this is as close as it gets for a box set of Lutheran Satire Christmas.  Here is a string of Lutheran Satire videos which maintain a Christmas theme.  Two of them feature Horus, and the third one gives a nod to him.  

After Horus is shown that all efforts to discredit the veracity of the Christmas accounts in the Bible are based on lies, he is stunned to learn how many Christians have rejected the Biblical confession for the sake of diversity, inclusion, and equity.  Then you get to hear why Lutheran Christmas hymns are to be preferred to more shallow efforts (even if those shallow efforts have greater popularity).

NOTE: I concur with the plug for The Word Endures with Pastor Will Weedon.

I, regretfully, omitted this video about various Nativity sets.

Bonus material: Horus reads the internet.

Something from … Martin Luther on the sins of the saints

            We often get the idea that the saints were much more pure and, therefore, much more worthy of God’s love than we are.  Our sins constantly hound us.  Oh, that we could be as faithful and obedient as the heroes of faith!

            That might sound accurate, but the Bible paints a different picture.  God has no problem telling us the truth about all people, including those whom he has decreed to be his saints.  But their story is our story too; for, we are also his saints.  It is not a matter of how well we have kept God’s commands.  It is a matter of how faithfully Jesus Christ has served us to take away our sins and to bestow upon us his own righteousness.  This is what all saints have in common.

            From Luther: “Such errors and sins of the saints are set forth in order that those who are troubled and desperate may find comfort and that those who are proud may be afraid.  No man has ever fallen so grievously that he could not have stood up again.  On the other hand, no one has such a sure footing that he cannot fall.  If Peter fell, I, too, may fall; if he stood up again, so can I.

            “…The apostles were not superior to us in anything except in their apostolic office.  We have the same gifts that they had, namely, the same Christ, Baptism, Word, and forgiveness of sins.  They needed all this no less than we do; they were sanctified and saved by all this just as we are.” (Martin Luther; Lectures on Galatians.  Luther’s Works: American Edition, Volume 26, p. 109.  Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, MO.  © 1963.)

Something from ... Martin Luther on recognizing the words of Jesus

In an Easter sermon, Dr. Luther spoke of Jesus' resurrection appearance to his disciples.  At first, they were terrified by his appearing.  They were acutely aware of their sins, particularly of abandoning Jesus when he was arrested.  When Jesus appeared, they expected wrath.  Their guilty consciences had condemned them already.  Why wouldn't Jesus?

Instead, Jesus came and spoke words of peace to them.  He showed them his hands and side, which were the evidence of sins paid for.  Jesus did not come breathing fire, but proclaiming forgiveness and peace to troubled hearts, fearful minds, and condemning consciences.

The devil tries to mimic Jesus.  However, the devil reverses Jesus' words and works.  Jesus' ultimate goal is to bring comfort to the troubled sinner.  Sometimes, Jesus has to trouble that sinner first to make him aware of his sin and his need for a Savior.  The devil, on the other hand, comforts sinners in their sinful condition.  He speaks words of peace to them so that they will remain comforted in their sins and, therefore, will not repent of them.  On the other hand, the devil taunts those who are Christians.  He speaks no words of comfort, but convicts and condemns people so that they forget Jesus and despair over their guilt.

The sinner who is comfortable needs words of warning and condemnation so that he will not remain in his sin.  When Jesus does this, he seems like a vicious and cruel God.  The devil, on the other hand, seems friendly and loving because his words to the one who embraces his sin is so sweet and encouraging.

But the sinner who is troubled needs words of comfort, assurance, and hope so that he will not remain vexed by his sin.  Jesus is pleased to come with his, "Peace be with you," to these sinners.  The devil buries them in greater guilt; for he wants them to perish.

It is essential that we know the difference so that we are neither robbed of comfort nor strengthened in sin.  Here is Luther:

"(The devil) takes pleasure in deceiving us under the appearance and name of Christ.  He always wants to be God's ape and imitate what he sees Him do.  Now God's way of dealing with us is that he first frightens those who are not yet frightened, so that in additional naturally fearful hearts are always horrified at His words and works because of the timidity of their nature.  However, He again soon comforts those who are now frightened and speaks to them in a friendly way.  The devil certainly imitates this and also comes under the name and words of Christ, but with both false comfort and false frightening.  He turns both upside down, so that he makes those who are in need of comfort frightened and despondent and, on the other hand, comforts and strengthens those who should fear and be frightened with God's wrath." (Martin Luther, sermon on Luke 24:36-47, preached on April 11, 1531.  Pages 80-81.  Luther's Works: American Edition, Vol. 77.  Church Postil III.  Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, MO.  (c) 2014)

Octoberfest and Luther Lecture

Our Saviour Evangelical Lutheran Church

(33333 Warren Road, Westland)

invites you to a

Reformation Celebration

Sunday, October 24

5:00 PM             Vespers


5:30 PM             Bratwurst Dinner


6:30 PM             Luther Lecture

This year’s 

Luther Lecture will be:

"Temporal Authority:  

To What Extent 

It Should Be Obeyed"

          "God has subjected them to the sword so that, even though they would like to, they are unable to practice their wickedness, and if they do practice it they cannot do so without fear and with success and impunity....If this were not so, men would devour one another." 

— Martin Luther

          We hope that all guests of our Reformation celebration will gain a greater appreciation for the confessors and the confession of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. A free-will offering will be taken to offset meal expenses.

          In order to be sure that we will have enough food for all who attend, please RSVP to revguypurdue@yahoo.com no later than October 17. Be sure to include how many will be in your party.

Lutheran Reformation -- 500th anniversary of the Diet of Worms

In honor of the 500th anniversary of this bold confession, here is Martin Luther’s Speech at the Imperial Diet in Worms (18 April 1521).  For a video rendition of this speech, scroll to the bottom.

1          Most Serene Emperor, Illustrious Princes, Gracious Lords:

2          I this day appear before you in all humility, according to your command, and I implore your majesty and your august highnesses, by the mercies of God, to listen with favor to the defense of a cause which I am well assured is just and right. I ask pardon, if by reason of my ignorance, I am wanting in the manners that befit a court; for I have not been brought up in king’s palaces, but in the seclusion of a cloister; and I claim no other merit than that of having spoken and written with the simplicity of mind which regards nothing but the glory of God and the pure instruction of the people of Christ.

3          Two questions were yesterday put to me by his imperial majesty; the first, whether I was the author of the books whose titles were read; the second, whether I wished to revoke or defend the doctrine I have taught. I answered the first directly, and I adhere to that answer: that these books are mine and published by me, except so far as they may have been altered or interpolated by the craft or officiousness of opponents. As for the second question, I am now about to reply to it; and I must first entreat your Majesty and your Highnesses to deign to consider that I have composed writings on very different subjects. In some I have discussed Faith and Good Works, in a spirit at once so pure, clear, and Christian, that even my adversaries themselves, far from finding anything to censure, confess that these writings are profitable, and deserve to be perused by devout persons. The pope’s bull, violent as it is, acknowledges this. What, then, should I be doing if I were now to retract these writings? Wretched man! I alone, of all men living, should be abandoning truths approved by the unanimous voice of friends and enemies, and should be opposing doctrines that the whole world glories in confessing!

4          I have composed, secondly, certain works against the papacy, wherein I have attacked such as by false doctrines, irregular lives, and scandalous examples, afflict the Christian world, and ruin the bodies and souls of men. And is not this confirmed by the grief of all who fear God? Is it not manifest that the laws and human doctrines of the popes entangle, vex, and distress the consciences of the faithful, while the crying and endless extortions of Rome engulf the property and wealth of Christendom, and more particularly of this illustrious nation? Yet it is a perpetual statute that the laws and doctrines of the pope be held erroneous and reprobate when they are contrary to the Gospel and the opinions of the church fathers.

5          If I were to revoke what I have written on that subject, what should I do but strengthen this tyranny, and open a wider door to so many and flagrant impieties? Bearing down all resistance with fresh fury, we should behold these proud men swell, foam, and rage more than ever! And not merely would the yoke which now weighs down Christians be made more grinding by my retractation it would thereby become, so to speak, lawful, for, by my retractation, it would receive confirmation from your most serene majesty, and all the States of the Empire. Great God! I should thus be like to an infamous cloak, used to hide and cover over every kind of malice and tyranny.

6          In the third and last place, I have written some books against private individuals, who had undertaken to defend the tyranny of Rome by destroying the faith. I freely confess that I may have attacked such persons with more violence than was consistent with my profession as an ecclesiastic: I do not think of myself as a saint; but neither can I retract these books. Because I should, by so doing, sanction the impieties of my opponents, and they would thence take occasion to crush God’s people with still more cruelty.

7          Yet, as I am a mere man, and not God, I will defend myself after the example of Jesus Christ, who said: “If I have spoken evil, bear witness against me; but if well, why doest thou strike me?” (John xviii:23). How much more should I, who am but dust and ashes, and so prone to error, desire that every one should bring forward what he can against my doctrine. Therefore, most serene emperor, and you illustrious princes, and all, whether high or low, who hear me, I implore you by the mercies of God to prove to me by the writings of the prophets and apostles that I am in error. As soon as I shall be convinced, I will instantly retract all my errors, and will myself be the first to seize my writings, and commit them to the flames.

8          What I have just said will, I think, clearly show that I have well considered and weighed, not only the dangers to which I am exposing myself, but also the parties and dissensions excited in the world by means of my doctrine, of which I was yesterday so gravely admonished. But far from being dismayed by them, I rejoice exceedingly to see the Gospel this day, as of old, a cause of disturbance and disagreement; for such is the character and destiny of God’s word. “I came not to send peace unto the earth, but a sword,” said Jesus Christ. “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes shall be those of his own household.” (Matthew x:34-36)

9          God is wonderful and terrible in His counsels. Let us have a care, lest in our endeavors to arrest discords, we be bound to fight against the holy word of God and bring down upon our heads a frightful deluge of inextricable dangers, present disaster, and everlasting desolations. Let us have a care that the reign of the young and noble prince, the Emperor Charles, on whom, next to God, we build so many hopes, should not only commence, but continue and terminate its course, under the most favorable auspices.

10        I might cite examples drawn from the oracles of God. I might speak of Pharaohs, of kings of Babylon, or of Israel, who were never more contributing to their own ruin than when, by measures in appearances most prudent, they thought to establish their authority! God removeth the mountains and they know not (Job ix:5). In speaking thus, I do not suppose that such noble princes have need of my poor judgment; but I wish to acquit myself of a duty whose fulfillment my native Germany has a right to expect from her children. And so commending myself to your august majesty, and your most serene highnesses, I beseech you in all humility, not to permit the hatred of my enemies to rain upon me an indignation I have not deserved. I have done.

[Having delivered this speech in German, Luther was now asked to repeat it in Latin. After some hesitation, he did so. He was then reminded that he should answer a simple question: whether he would retract or not. Thus he continued:]

11        Since your most serene majesty and your high mightinesses require of me a simple, clear and direct answer, I will give one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council, because it is as clear as noonday that they have fallen into error and even into glaring inconsistency with themselves. If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to God’s word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen.

Something from ... Martin Luther re: God's promises, threats, and fulfillment of them.

          Here is something from Martin Luther.  I could make additional commentary, but this speaks for itself.

          “One must be careful to hold fast to the fact that God makes promises and defers the things promised, and that He tries us with a scarcity of available things in order to instruct us in faith in the promise and in order that this faith may be strengthened and may learn to believe God not only in prosperous times, when things are available, but also in adversity, when things are lacking. …
          “But it is the chief subject of all Holy Scripture to know and understand God when He makes a promise. For He helps and bring support even with the actual realization of His promise and when it is fulfilled; but before this He disciplines faith in the promise by means of a lack of things of which we are in need. He does this in order that we may learn to trust Him and not to tempt Him.
          …
          “But the flesh is so smug and evil that it not only distrusts the promises but also despises the threats. For the threats, too, are delayed. Therefore the flesh does not believe God when He threatens. And when those despisers and irrational people hear that a judgment against sin remains for that Day, they say: ‘Perhaps what you are threatening is true. I wish I had money to count in the meantime.’ God wants His threats to be feared and His promises to be awaited. But this is impossible except by faith.
          “For the world cares about neither of these things, no more, in fact, than if a goose were hissing at it. For God is patient and slow in carrying out both His promises and His threats. But he does not lie, and He makes up for that slowness either with the severity of the punishment or with the large number and the greatness of His blessings. Finally He does come, and comes for sure.” (Martin Luther. Luther’s Works: American Edition, Volume 9 [Lectures on Genesis, chapters 45-50]. Pages 201-202)

Something from ... Luther re: Colorful language in proclaiming Christ's victory

This is Luther's comment regarding the Law, sin, death, and the devil trying to claim Jesus in his crucifixion.  Some might think it is crude.  I love it.

          "For He not only redeemed us but also freed us rightfully for Himself, so that not only the devil and hell were compelled in strict justice to let Him go, because they killed the innocent Son of God.  Therefore the Law burned its fingers, and death dirtied its pants.  The devil, death, and sin overreached themselves.  There they all became guilty and debtors to God, to this Son Jesus Christ, who now has the right over against His enemies." (Martin Luther.  Luther's Works: American Edition. Vol. 9 [Lectures on Genesis, chapters 45-50], page 162)

Something from ... Martin Luther on the hope of the resurrection among the Patriarchs

"We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."  This is from the Nicene Creed and is the final hope of all Christians.  The resurrection of the body, however, is not a New Testament innovation.  It has always been the hope of God's people.

This is also recognized in the Old Testament among the Patriarchs.  They faithfully endured hardships and clung to promises which remained unfulfilled at the moment of their death.  If they did not believe in "the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting" (Apostles' Creed), why did they willingly endure hardships and refrain from indulging every twinge of lust, greed, gluttony, drunkenness, etc...?  They fought against their sinful urges and remained devoted to the word of the Lord for this reason: They looked for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  They sought a better life, a perfect home, and an everlasting peace and glory.

While the resurrection is taught much more clearly in the New Testament, it is clearly believed in the Old Testament, as Luther explains here:

"Christ says: 'God is not God of the dead, but of the living' (Matt. 22:32).  Therefore all the fathers who hoped in God undoubtedly also believed in the resurrection of the dead.  This can be clearly demonstrated from the argument of Christ: Abraham, Isaac, and the other patriarchs endure even unto death with the firmest faith; therefore they believe in the resurrection of the dead.  For if no other and better life remains after this one, what need is there of faith or of God Himself or of hope in God beyond death?  If the resurrection is not to be expected, there is also no faith and no God.  On the contrary, if there is faith and any hope in God, it is necessary that there be a God who is the God of all who trust and hope in Him and for His sake retain the hope of immortality.  For since all must face death and the godly trust in God in spite of this, they confess the necessity that after this life another, eternal life remains." (Martin Luther.  Luther's Works: American Edition.  Volume 7 (Lectures on Genesis, chapters 38-44, pages 116-117)

Something from ... Martin Luther on abandoning our presumptions about ourselves, whether good or bad

 The devil will always use what he can.  He does not care.  His goal is your damnation.

This means that the devil may convince you that you are such a good person.  He will cite your admirable qualities and will show you your acts of charity.  He will teach you to put your trust in those so that you take pride in how good you are.  But the devil is a liar.  Do not believe him.

On the other hand, he is also willing to flaunt your sins in your face.  He will remind you of regrettable and shameful things you have thought, spoken, and done.  He will use these to prove to you how wicked you are and convince you that not even God could forgive these.  He makes your sins heavy so that they would crush you in despair.  But the devil is a liar.  Do not believe him.

Martin Luther addressed both ends of that spectrum and points you to the only place where you will find assurance and comfort from either extreme.  He points you to the mercies of God, revealed, obtained, and delivered by faith in Jesus Christ.  Those mercies were demonstrated to the Old Testament people.  Some were examples of piety and goodness; others were exposed as blatant sinners who were guilty of murder, intrigue, slave trading, incest, and so on.  But none of them was saved by their goodness or rejected by God because they were sinners.  God's mercy saved them and sustained them.

Luther urges us to take these examples to heart so that we are not deluded by Satan to take pride in how good we have been or lose heart because of the sins we have done.  All are saved by faith in Jesus.  All are consoled by the mercies of God.  God does not lie when he reveals these things to us.  Contrary to Satan, God desires your salvation and wants to grant you peace.  Here is something from Luther on how this relates to the patriarchs and to us.

"Moreover, examples of this kind are recounted to us for the purpose of teaching and consolation, and for the strengthening of our faith, in order that we may consider the immeasurable mercy of God, who has saved not only the righteous--namely, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--but also the unrighteous--namely, Judah, Tamar, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, who were outstanding sinners.  Consequently, no one should be presumptuous about his own righteousness or wisdom, and no one should despair on account of his sins." (Martin Luther, Lectures on Genesis (chapters 38-44), Luther's Works: American Edition, pp 10-11)

Something from ... Martin Luther on the God and man being one in Jesus Christ

The great majesty of Jesus being born is the incarnation of our Lord, that is, that God and man are now united in one person.  This is a high and holy mystery and is worthy of a lifetime of contemplation.  

Martin Luther gives us something to contemplate about this.  While this quotation does not exhaust the mystery of the incarnation (far from it!), it is still worthy of pondering.

“These are marvelous things: to see a man and the lowliest creature humbled below all, to see the same creature sitting at the right hand of the Father and raised above all the angels, and to see Him in the bosom of the Father and soon subjected to the devil, as is stated in Ps. 8:5: ‘Thou hast made Him a little lower than the angels.’  Likewise in Eph. 4:9: ‘He had descended into the lower parts of the earth.’  This is a wonderful ascent and descent of the angels, to see the highest and the lowest completely united in one and the same Person, the highest God lying in the manger.  Therefore the angels adore Him there, rejoice, and sing: ‘Glory to God in the highest’ (Luke 2:14).  On the other hand, when they consider the lowliness of the human nature, they descend and sing: ‘And on earth peace.’” (Martin Luther.  Luther’s Works: American Edition, Volume 5 (Lectures in Genesis, chapters 26-30), p 218.)

Something from ... Luther on the Incarnation of our Lord

It is easy to limit Christmas to something cute and charming.  A young lady holds a new born baby.  Who would snarl at that image?

But Christmas is celebrated because it is far greater, far deeper, far more comforting, far more mysterious, and far more majestic than an ordinary birth.  On the one hand, it is an ordinary birth.  There was nothing about the birth of Jesus which appeared any different than what we see today.  A pregnant lady endured labor, pushed when the child was ready to leave the birth canal, and breathed and sweated through the pains of childbirth.  And the boy, coming out bloody and naked, entered our world.  He was cleaned and wrapped in cloths the keep him warm.  There was nothing usual about this.

But we also know the mystery of Christmas.  This baby who was born is the Lord--God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, through him all things were made.  God, who is not limited by time and space, entered the world in our time and confined himself to human flesh and blood.

God became one of us to redeem all of us.  This is the marvel of the Incarnation of our Lord.  Now, here is one of Luther's reflections on this incarnation.

          "The fact that God, as is stated in the Epistle to the Hebrews (2:16), is concerned with the descendants of Abraham, not with angels, is an incalculably great honor to that wretched mass of the human race.  For it was not difficult or impossible for Him to bring His Son into the world without a mother.  But He wanted to make use of the female sex.

          "He could likewise have formed a body suddenly from a virgin  just as He formed Adam from clay and Eve from a rib of Adam.  He did not choose to do this, but He adhered to the order which He Himself had established.  For a  maiden has been created in such a way that she should conceive, be with child for nine mothers, and give birth.  Therefore He wanted His Son to be conceived, carried and born in the womb of a maiden, not formed from clay and not conceived by a male.

         "It is surely a great comfort that it did not please God that His Son should become man from any other material than the human race.  He wanted His Son to become our brother and to adorn us with the exceedingly great honor of having a God born and made man in our flesh and blood." (pp 161-162, Luther's Works: American Edition.  Volume 4, Lectures on Genesis, chapters 21-25)

Something from ... Luther re: God's unchanging word

It often happens that we doubt God's love upon us.  It is easy to believe that God loves us when he is granting us blessing and success.  That love, however, comes into question when we endure hardships, pain, and loss.  When it seems like God has forgotten us or is acting against us, the devil would have us wonder how steadfast God's love actually is.  Did we do something to turn him against us?  Are we no longer in his favor?

For such times, Martin Luther urges Christians to cling to what does not change--God's promises.  Those promises are declared in God's word, and they are firm.  God's favor was sealed on you through holy baptism, and he is always faithful to his promises.  Even though our circumstances change, God is not wishy-washy.  We have that to rely on in good days and especially in bad days.

From Luther:  "Therefore one should hold fast to this comfort, that what God has once declared, this He does not change.  You were baptized, and in Baptism the kingdom of God was promised you.  You should know that this is His unchangeable Word, and you should not permit yourself to be drawn away from it.  For although it can happen--as with those who were on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:28)--that He pretends to want to go farther and seems to be dealing with us as though He had forgotten His promises, faith in the Word must nevertheless be retained, and the promise must be stressed--namely, that it is true and dependable--even if the matter, time, occasion, place, and other particulars are unknown.  For the fact that God cannot lie is sure and dependable." (pp 96-97, Luther's Works: American Edition.  Vol. 4 (Lectures on Genesis, chapters 21-25.)

Reformation Celebration

This has been in our bulletins, but not published much online at all, so here goes.

THIS SUNDAY (October 25), we will have a Reformation Celebration to be held at Our Saviour Evangelical Lutheran Church in Westland (33333 Warren Road).  The schedule is as follows:

          5:00 PM -- Vespers (Pastor Purdue preaching)

          5:30 PM -- Bratwurst dinner (with as much precaution as we can muster)

          6:30 PM -- Luther Lecture: "What good are good works?" (Pastor Schroeder presenting), based on Martin Luther's Treatise on Good Works (1520)

We welcome all who would like to celebrate our Lutheran heritage and would like to grow in the understanding of Lutheran theology.

To be assured that enough food will be available for any who join us, we are asking you to RSVP to welsnovi@aol.com by Friday night.  Last minute, I know, but chances are you know already if you would be joining us or not.  So, RSVP now while you are thinking about it.  Let us know how many are in your group.

Something from ... Luther re: the vocation of parents and good works

It seems we don't exalt the vocation of parents highly enough.  We are impressed with what people accomplish at their jobs, with what accolades they achieve, and with what they accumulate.  We invest a great deal of time, money, and effort in schooling to make the most of our careers.  All of this is fine to a point.  But the greatest impact a man or woman can make in this world is to get married, have children, and raise them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.  All other accomplishments, accolades, and accumulations will be lost as time goes by.  But children are the one gift God grants that you, by his grace, will see in eternity.

If you want your children in eternity with you, then you must bring them to Christ now, and regularly.  If you set the example that Christ and his Church are essential, they will likely remain faithful to that their whole life long.  If Christ and his Church are optional, they will likely find an option that is more entertaining.

Being a parent provides daily, abundant opportunities for good works.  Parents get to care for their children for their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.  It also enables parents to get a glimpse of God's grace.  For, parents often feel that their service is a thankless task.  They serve for the good of their children and they do find joy in it because they love their children.  But parents also will remember when they were being raised and how little they thought of their parents labors on their behalf.  Now that these people are doing the same for their children, they finally appreciate the sacrificial love that goes into it, seldom with their children acknowledge or appreciating their labors.  God, of course, does this and more for us daily.

If your goal is to get a good job, you can probably attain that.  If you are seeking to do good works, God presents them to you in your own home.  And the benefits of those good works has an eternal impact as well.  The vocation of a parent is a high and holy calling, and it should be upheld as that. 

From Luther:  “Thus it is true, as men say, that parents could attain salvation by training their own children, even if they were to do nothing else.  If parents do this by rightly training them to God’s service, they will indeed have their hands full of good works.  For what are the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, the alien if not the souls of your own children?  With these God makes a hospital of your own house.  He sets you over them as the hospital superintendent to wait on them, to give them the food and drink of good words and works.  [He sets you over them] that they may learn to trust God, to believe in him, to fear him, and to set their whole hope upon him; to honor his name and never curse or swear; to mortify themselves by praying, fasting, watching, working; to go to church, wait on the word of God, and observe the sabbath.  [He sets you over them] that they may learn to despise temporal things, to bear misfortune without complaint, and neither fear death nor love this life.” 

-- Treatise on Good Works, Luther's Works: American Edition, p 85

Something from ... Luther on bearing sufferings as a Christian

I ran across this today, and it seemed to resonate with all of the frustrations we are enduring through the COVID-19 pandemic.  Still, in the history of Christendom, the cross we are asked to bear due to the COVID-19 pandemic is minimal compared to what others have had to suffer.  The point of comparison is not how bad we have it, but the goodness of God's promises which sustain us and provide us comfort through it. 

Here is something from Martin Luther.

"So in our suffering we should so act that we give our greatest attention to the promise, in order that our cross and affliction may be turned to good, to something which we could never have asked or thought.  And this is precisely the thing which makes a difference between the Christian's suffering and afflictions and those of all other men.  For other people also have their afflictions, cross, and misfortune, just as they also have their times when they can sit in the rose garden and employ their good fortune and their goods as they please.  But when they run into affliction and suffering, they have nothing to comfort them, for they do not have the mighty promises and the confidence in God which Christians have.  Therefore they cannot comfort themselves with the assurance that God will help them to bear the affliction, much less can they count on it that he will turn their affliction and suffering to good." (Martin Luther, "Sermon at Coburg on Cross and Suffering, 1530; p 201, Luther's Works: American Edition.  Volume 51 (Sermons I); Fortress Press: Philadelphia, PA.  1959.)

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH ... on ministering to the dying

Something from ... Martin Luther on ministering to the dying

Pastors serve the sick and dying.  Those who are sick and dying are often plagued by fear, doubt, and guilt.  There is no doubt that the devil shows up at the deathbed of many Christians for one final onslaught of accusations and taunting to cast doubt about God's love and their salvation.  Therefore, the pastor comes with prayer for strength, with God's promises for the assurance that the devil is a liar about our sins (he says they stand against us; Christ says they are forgiven), and with the holy sacrament by which the dying Christian will receive the body and blood of Christ which has conquered death and forgives sins.  This is no small matter, especially when death is at hand.  This is when the fears, doubts, and guilt of the Christian are usually the most intense.  They need their pastor.  Most Christians know this, and the pastor comes as soon as he is summoned.

I would like to say that it always happens this way.  It does not.  I am not surprised when unbelievers feel no need for such things.  They did not care their whole life long.  Why would it matter now?  As one of our former members who served as a hospice nurse used to tell me, "They die like they live."

But one thing that makes me go, "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!" is when people who claim that they are Christians do not call the pastor at any point in during the illness--or even to the deathbed when they know death is imminent!  When your loved one enters hospice, you know he is going to die; and by that point he is often already unresponsive.  When you wait until your loved one is unconscious, comatose, or dead, what do you expect the pastor to do???  Do people really think the mere presence of the pastor grants salvation?  Or that they should get credit before God because, even though his word was an afterthought, they thought of it at all?

As pastoral advice: To whomever is reading this--I beg and plead with you to heed the word of the prophet: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)  The pastor truly wants to declare God's mercy and forgiveness to the sick and dying.  But once a person is dead, his time of grace is done.  There is no more hope.  If you don't want to face that possibility, then beg a pastor to come to you.  If you refuse, you have forfeited your right to get angry with the pastor who must tell you that he will not preside over the funeral of one whose faith he never heard confessed.  The pastor does not bear the responsibility for someone else's negligence.  But he is most assuredly grieved by it.  

And in case I actually have to say it: Do not wait until you are sick or dying to care about this.  Many don't know when their death will come.

Here is something from Luther on serving the sick and dying, and he expresses a similar frustration for those who neglected God's word until it was too late.  I guess Luther knew how to say, "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!" too.

“If someone wants the chaplain or pastor to come, let the sick person send word in time to call him and let him do so early enough while he is still in his right mind before the illness overwhelms the patient.  The reason I say this is that some are so negligent that they make no request and send no message until the soul is perched for flight on the tip of their tongues and they are no longer rational or able to speak.  Then we are told, 'Dear Sir, say the very best you can to him,' etc.  But earlier, when the illness first began, they wanted no visit from the pastor, but would say, 'Oh, there's no need.  I hope he'll get better,'  What should a diligent pastor do with such people who neglect both body and soul?  They live and die like beasts in the field.  They want us to teach them the gospel at the last minute and administer the sacrament to them as they were accustomed to it under the papacy when nobody asked whether they believed or understood the gospel but just stuffed the sacrament down their throats as if into a bread bag.


“This won't do.  If someone cannot talk or indicate by a sign that he believes, understands, and desires the sacrament—particularly if he has willfully neglected it—we will not give it to him just anytime he asks for it.  We have been commanded not to offer the holy sacrament to unbelievers but rather to believers who can state and confess their faith.  Let the others alone in their unbelief; we are guiltless because we have not been slothful in preaching, teaching, exhortation, consolation, visitation, or in anything else that pertains to our ministry and office.  This, in brief, is our instruction and what we practice here.” (Martin Luther, “Whether One May Flee from Deadly Plague,” 1527)

Lutheran Satire -- Christmas hymns

Good hymns are to proclaim the promises of God and what God done to fulfill them.  Sadly, we often get distracted by sappy and sentimental melodies that tug at our emotions that the lyrics of the song get lost.  We are not very discriminating when it comes to the lyrics because the song is pretty.  So, while some hymns are beloved, they do not proclaim God's promises and works very well.

Lutheran Satire to the rescue to highlight this fault in our discernment.  Here, Pastor Hans Fiene illustrates the difference between Lutheran hymns and Anglican hymns (though not true all the way across the board).

One final note: The ribbing at the end regarding the accent suggests you are familiar with another of Lutheran Satire's videos: Horus Ruins Christmas.  You should watch that one too.

Enjoy!