Month: October 2011

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Truth

Text: Jude 3
Date: Written on Walther’s 200th Birthday, 10/25/11 + Reformation Day (Observed) + 10/30/11

In this 494th celebration of the 16th century Conservative Reformation of the Church by Martin Luther, we do so this year with special attention given to him who is the founding father in the 19th century of our confessional fellowship, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, on the 200th birthday of Pastor Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther. He was not originally designated to be a leader by those who emigrated from Saxony in Germany to this country as was “Bishop” Martin Stephan. But he was blessed by God through his study of Scripture, Luther’s writings and the Lutheran Confessions and his own experience in the Germany in which he grew up, after Stephan’s demise to emerge as the one needed to gather the members of their community around the Word of God to settle the questions concerning their standing before God as faithful members of Christ’s Church on earth. He became pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Louis, Missouri, first president of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and first (and third!) president of (as we were originally called) The German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and Other States (Deutsche Evangelisch-Lutherische Synode von Missouri, Ohio und Andern Staaten). Continue reading “Truth”

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One More Try

Text: Matthew 22:34-46
Date: Pentecost XIX + Proper 25 + 10/23/11

The chief priests and elders of the people and the parties of the Pharisees and Sadducees all quizzed Jesus and tried to catch him in His talk. In this last week of His earthly life, after one last attempt to test His orthodoxy, Jesus reached out to his opponents one last time. He gave it One More Try to bring them to repentance and faith; repentance of sin and faith IN HIM. The result of His final effort is stated by Matthew, “No one was able to answer [Jesus] a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.” Case closed. From here on Jesus would speak His final words of warning, His grief over the rejection of Jerusalem, His last words of instruction for His disciples, then His betrayal, arrest, denial and trial, and finally His death by crucifixion. All this suggests that there is coming a time for each person when it will be too late; too late for repentance and faith, too late for salvation. So is it important to receive Jesus as Savior now, today, before it is too late. Continue reading “One More Try”

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Schmoozing

Text: Matthew 22:15-22
Date: Pentecost XVIII + Proper 24 + 10/23/11

We are definitely on the threshold of the ending of another liturgical year, the completion of the Church’s telling of the story, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who He is, what He came to do and how all of that involves you, your life now and your eternal destiny. Big topics! Important stuff! We are coming to the conclusion of reviewing our Lord’s earthly ministry. And we are also coming to the conclusion of whether this saving Word of God has found a dwelling place in your heart and mind and soul by a God-given faith for your salvation. Continue reading “Schmoozing”

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You Are Cordially Invited

Text: Matthew 22:1-14
Date: Pentecost XVII + Proper 23 + 10/9/11

Somebody rewrote the book on etiquette. I never remember being told, I only discovered by observation and then asking someone about it. Since when has it been common practice, even expected, for people to be invited to attend a wedding but then only come to the reception after? To this day it seems to me to be a rather rude way to proceed. In answer, I highly suspect that it has something to do with people’s aversion in general these days to anything involving religion, and that that aversion has become a socially acceptable stance. I still think it’s rude. Don’t you? Maybe we should return to the old way, as I experienced once at our church in Grand Rapids, where the marriage was part of the Sunday morning Divine Service! Might as well, if only fellow Christians are going to attend! Continue reading “You Are Cordially Invited”

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Get With Christ

Text: Matthew 21:33-46
Date: Pentecost XVI + Proper 22 + 10/2/11

In the last week of our Lord’s earthly ministry, Holy Week, leading up to His foremost goal to be the all-sufficient sacrifice for the sin of the world upon the cross, the chief priests and elders of the people (now joined by the party of the Pharisees) questioned His authority. It appeared that Jesus was not going to answer their question. But He did indirectly by means of a couple of parables—the first, the parable of the two sons and the second the parable of the wicked tenants of the vineyard. The authority they questioned was and is His own as the Son of God and as the Incarnate Word of the Father. More important than arguing over who’s in charge, however, is the question of the salvation and life Christ came to bring. Continue reading “Get With Christ”