Words of Encouragement for April 14, 2010
Meditations in the Parables of Jesus
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
Read John 15:1-6
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”
Can a man do good works in God’s sight without having saving faith in Jesus Christ? Many would say yes to this question, but Jesus says no.
In the Parable of the Vine and the Branches, Jesus teaches us that: Only those who abide in Him – those who are connected to Him through saving faith – are able to produce fruit acceptable to the LORD God; God the Father will cut off those branches which produce no fruit for Him; and He also prunes and purges those branches which do produce fruit that they might bring forth more fruit for Him.
Those who through faith are joined to Jesus Christ have forgiveness for all their sins and evil works. They are clean through the Word of the Gospel spoken to them – all their sins are washed away by the precious blood of Jesus which was shed upon the cross for the sins of the whole world (cf. 1 John 1:7 – 2:2)!
As long as one has true and saving faith in Christ and His redemptive work, he will also be fruitful and do works which are acceptable and pleasing in God’s sight for Jesus’ sake. This is so because Christ, by the indwelling Holy Ghost, abides in believers and empowers them to live for Him, and because the sin and impurity yet in their works is forgiven and not held against them. In fact, God’s Spirit continually works to reprove sin and to comfort with the Gospel of forgiveness. He prunes away the sin and unbelief, assures believers of forgiveness and gives them help and strength to live for Christ in accord with His Word.
But apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ, one cannot do good works in God’s sight; for one remains spiritually dead to God and unable to truly love Him and honor Him with pure and holy works. The unbeliever is like a branch which has been severed from the vine. It will not produce grapes but will wither up and eventually be thrown into the fire and be burned. So also, the one who does not trust in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for forgiveness and life will not only be unable to do good works in God’s sight, he will be gathered up on the Last Day, together with all others who were unbelieving and fruitless, and be cast into the eternal fires of hell!
Abide with richest blessings among us, bounteous Lord; let us in grace and wisdom grow daily through Thy Word. Abide, O faithful Savior, among us with Thy love; grant steadfastness and help us to reach our home above. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #53, Verses 4, 6)
Pastor Randy Moll
Whoever said Being a Christian was Easy?
“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37-38
Being a Christian in the First Century was anything but easy. Confessing faith in Jesus as the Messiah and Savior was almost sure to draw persecution and suffering from the heathen culture which viewed true Christians as a threat to their way of life and a threat to their own religious views. Christians were arrested, beaten and often put to death – some went to the arena and faced wild beasts.
But the most difficult form of persecution struck much closer to home. Friends and family members rose up against believers, despised and betrayed them. Christians sometimes even had to choose between Christ and their own families. Followers of Jesus were “put out of the synagogues” where they formerly gathered to worship and to hear God’s Word. They were arrested and put to death by their own religious leaders. They were even betrayed by their own family members.
Jesus sought to prepare His followers for such conflict when He said: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 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 they of his own household” (10:34-36).
Of course, such conflict was not limited to the first centuries. It still goes on today. Those who hold unyieldingly to Christ and His Word are put out of the churches where they once worshiped and learned of their Savior. Those who believe and teach that Christ is the only hope of fallen sinners and that God’s Word is the only source and judge of true Christian teaching are ofter rejected and ostracized. And, yes, it is true that sometimes believers today are forced to choose between family relationships and being faithful to Christ and His Word. It is not an easy choice. It’s one that tears at the heart. We are tempted to compromise. We are tempted to overlook sin and false doctrine. But how can we give up faithfulness to our Savior who willingly and unswervingly took our sin and guilt upon Himself and endured the shame and suffering of death on a cross that we might have forgiveness and life in His name!
Our Lord Jesus said, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
What does He mean? Being a Christian – trusting in Jesus as Savior and then following Him and seeking to live in accord with His Word – will not be easy. If we shrink back and compromise, if we give our first love to others – even if it is our own parents, children or spouse – rather than giving our first love and devotion to Christ Jesus, we are unworthy of Him.
Rather, as Jesus willingly carried His cross and bore the sins of the world, we ought take up the crosses of suffering which are laid upon us for trusting in Christ Jesus and following after Him in accord with His Word. Why? “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
Dear Lord Jesus, You so loved us that You willingly took up the cross and suffered and died for the sins of the world that we might be forgiven and receive the everlasting joys of heaven. Grant us such love for You that we put You first and hold fast to You and the truth of Your Word even if persecuted by the world and those we love. Amen.
Pastor Randy Moll
Whose Work Was the Resurrection of Jesus?
Whose work is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? Indeed, it is the work of the Triune (three/one) God. Consider the following passages:
Acts 10:40-41: “Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.”
John 10:18: Jesus said, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”
Consider what other divine works are also described in this way in the Bible.
Letters to My Children
[Editor's Note: The letter below is part of a series of letters written to my children urging them to continue in the true faith. The letters may also prove helpful to others who wish to read and consider their message.]
My Dear Children,
As you have or will learn, the world is full of differing opinions and thoughts about God and religion. How can you ever know what is true and what is false? Even among Christian churches, there are a multitude of differences in doctrinal teaching. How can you know what is right?
Again, the Bible tells us the answer. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” And, Isaiah writes, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). The Bible is your source and guide to truth. God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). Therefore, it is to be your source and judge for what is true and what is not. As Isaiah says, “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
This is another reason why it is so important that you read and study your Bibles regularly. If you don’t, you will easily be swayed and mislead by the false teachings and lies of the devil by which he seeks to lead us away from saving faith in Christ, our Savior (cf. John 8:44; Ephesians 4:11-16). As I wrote to you in my last letter, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Since the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it is to be your guide in judging all doctrine and teaching. What the Bible teaches is the truth, but what is not in full agreement with the Bible is not true Christian doctrine! Like the Jews in Berea, you ought search and study the Scriptures daily to find out whether the things you hear and are being taught are indeed true (cf. Acts 17:11).
Since people interpret the Bible in many ways, how do you know what is the correct interpretation?
Again, the Bible gives us the answer: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20-21); and, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).
The Bible is its own interpreter. Passages of Scripture which seem unclear and difficult to understand must be interpreted in light of other clear passages of Scripture. Sad to say, many forget this principle and interpret difficult passages, especially some of the prophetic writings, in ways which contradict the plain and clear words of other passages. The end result is misunderstanding and doctrinal error. Rather, they should begin with the plain and clear words of Scripture and interpret the difficult and hard to understand passages in light of that which is clearly revealed.
So, you see, you are given the task and responsibility to judge what you are taught and believe, whether you’ve learned it from pastors, teachers, parents or others. And you are given the one standard by which you are to judge: the Holy Scriptures. What is in full accord with the Bible is true, and what is not in full accord with the Bible is error. As I said before, this is all the more reason to read and study your Bible regularly. If you don’t, you won’t be able to tell the difference between truth and error and you will easily be misled.
Again, start reading and studying your Bible! Without it, you won’t know what to believe, which way to go or to how to live you life here in this world.
Until next time, with all my love,
Dad
The following is a good summary:
Since all of the Bible is God’s true and unerring Word, we teach that the Bible is to be the source and judge of all Christian Doctrine. What is not in accord with God’s Word is not to be taught as Christian Doctrine (Isaiah 8:20; Jeremiah 23:28-32; II Timothy 3:16-17; Acts 17:11). The Bible is also its own interpreter; thus, passage interpretations which are not in agreement with other clear passages of Holy Scripture are to be rejected (II Peter 1:20-21; Isaiah 8:20). We teach that the Bible is to be diligently studied and heard; for it reveals to mankind the only way of salvation, which is through faith in Christ Jesus, and it guides the Christian in living according to God’s Holy will (John 5:39; 20:31; II Timothy 3:14-17; Psalm 119:105).
Pastor Randy Moll
The Brief Statement
of the
Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932
(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)
Of Good Works
20. Before God only those works are good which are done for the glory of God and the good of man, according to the rule of the divine Law. Such works, however, no man performs unless he first believes that God has forgiven him his sins and has given him eternal life by grace, for Christ’s sake, without any works of his own, John 15:4,5. We reject as a great folly the assertion, frequently made in our day, that works must be placed in the fore, and “faith in dogmas” – meaning the Gospel of Christ Crucified for the sins of the world – must be relegated to the rear. Since good works never precede faith, but are always and in every instance the result of faith in the Gospel, it is evident that the only means by which we Christians can become rich in good works (and God would have us to be rich in good works, Titus 2:14) is unceasingly to remember the grace of God which we have received in Christ, Rom.12:1; 2 Cor. 8:9. Hence we reject as unchristian and foolish any attempt to produce good works by the compulsion of the Law or through carnal motives.
Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday
The Adult Bible Class will continue its study of the resurrection accounts in the four Gospels and in 1 Corinthians 15:1ff. To prepare, read the resurrection accounts and consider the chronology and the significance of what took place. What does Jesus’ resurrection prove? What assurances can you draw from the fact that Jesus did rise on the third day?
The Catechism Class continues studying the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.
The Appointed Sunday Readings are Psalm 30; Acts 9:1-22; Revelation 5:1-14; and John 21:1-19. Please take the time to read them in their context in preparation for Sunday. The sermon text for Sunday is the reading from Revelation 5. What is the book sealed with seven seals? Who was holding it? What was inside the sealed book? Was anyone worthy to open the seals? Why not? What was John’s reaction? What did one of the elders tell John? Who was worthy? Why? What had He done? Who took the book? What happened then? What words of praise were used? What new song was sung? Who joined in this praise? What does this all mean? Why is this so important? What does it mean for each of us today?
Remember to Pray
Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Sam Rusch, who was again hospitalized – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.
Events and Announcements
The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.
A Church Council meeting is set for 7 p.m. tonight to discuss issues related to church finance. Congregation members are welcome to attend.
Congregational Evening Bible studies will resume on the second Wednesday in May, at 7 p.m.
Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15-17
[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]
Categories: Devotions, Life Applications, Newsletters