Words of Encouragement for Sept. 15, 2010

Meditations in Genesis

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ” Genesis 2:7

The Scriptures tell us that, when God created man, He formed man’s body of the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. While few would question today that our bodies are made of dust – the very elements found in the ground – there are many who are unwilling to believe the second part of this passage: namely, that life was given to man’s earthly body by the very breath of God.

The naturalists and evolutionists of our day have come up with explanations (though unfeasible to the sensible) for the physical formation of organisms, but they have no answer as to the source of life. How is it that the physical elements became living beings? Those who believe the Bible know that the physical elements which make up our bodies are God’s creation and that the formation of our bodies is God’s design. But we also know that life was given by none other than God Himself! “In him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

When the Prophet Daniel was brought in before King Belshazzar to interpret the writing of the fingers upon the wall (Daniel 5), he told the foolish king that he had lifted himself up against the Lord of heaven and not glorified “the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways” (v. 23). Not only did the LORD God breathe into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life, He formed us in our other’s womb and gave us life, and He holds that very life in His hand (cf. Psalm 139:13-16).

What a great difference there is between the teaching of the Bible and the doctrines of evolution and meaningless fate! The LORD God who created the heavens and the earth specifically formed and created each of our bodies and breathed into us the breath of life. He holds our life in His hand. When He gives the breath of life, we live. When He takes the breath of life from us, we die and our bodies return to dust (cf. Eccl. 3:18-22).

What many don’t realize is that the life God gave Adam in the Garden when He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and made Adam a living soul was not just physical life, but spiritual. God gave Adam (and also Eve) a life in fellowship with Him – they were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).

In John 1:3-4, we read of Jesus, the eternal Son of God: “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.” When Christ Jesus first gave life, it was also the light of men. Now, since the fall of Genesis 3, Jesus, that “light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehend(s) it not” (John 1:5). By nature, all are spiritually dead and in darkness – not truly knowing the LORD God who made them. It is only by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God that we are made alive spiritually and come to know our God and Maker through faith in Christ Jesus, the Son of God.

Were it not for man’s sin and disobedience to the LORD God, the breath of life would not be taken from us; but, because of the sin which corrupts our hearts and minds and keeps us from wholly loving, honoring and walking in harmony with the God who made us, He takes His breath from us and our bodies return to dust. Yet, in His love and mercy toward us in Christ Jesus, He has provided a way for us to live together with Him in righteousness and true holiness forever. He sent His only begotten Son into the world a true man (with a body made of dust like ours). Jesus Christ, God the Son in human flesh, fulfilled with perfect obedience the righteous demands of God’s holy commandments and He took the guilt and punishment of our sins upon Himself, suffering and dying upon the cross, and being condemned and forsaken of God the Father in heaven because of our sin and the sins of all the world. And Jesus, though He yielded up His breath and spirit unto God upon the cross, was raised to life again on the third day that He might give us life – everlasting life with Him in heaven!

Though the day will soon come (unless Christ first returns) when God removes from us the breath of life, and your body and my body return to the dust from which they were taken, Jesus Christ paid for your sins and mine – indeed for the sins of the whole world – and God offers and extends to you, to me and to all people a full and complete pardon and forgiveness, and a life which will never end. “Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1, 2). “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

Dear Father in heaven, thank You for forming me of the dust and giving me the breath of life that I might learn of You and the glorious salvation You have provided for me through the innocent sufferings and death of Your Son, Christ Jesus, my Savior. Amen.

My Dear Children

The Just and Merciful God

O LORD God, You are upright, and there is no unrighteousness in You. But we are unrighteous and infected by sin in all we think and do. Have mercy upon us and graciously forgive our sins for the sake of Jesus’ holy life and innocent sufferings and death in our stead. Amen.

My Dear Children,

One of the greatest keys to understanding the Bible is to understand the justice and the mercy of Almighty God. God is just. He is Himself perfect and right in all His ways, and there is no injustice or imperfection in Him. His every thought and act is right. Not only is God just and right in Himself, He is also just in His dealings with man. He is just when He punishes sin and evil. But God is also merciful; that is, He is gracious and compassionate and forgiving toward His people. Instead of dealing with us as we deserve on account of our sins, He forgives our sins and deals with us in lovingkindness. Yet God’s justness remains intact; for our sins, and the sins of the whole world, have been laid upon Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, and punished upon His cross.

1. In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses writes, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.” What does this passage tell us about the LORD God? Are God’s ways always right? Is He ever unjust or unfair in His dealings with man?

2. In Exodus 20:5,6, we read: “For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.” What does God say about God’s justice? What does this say of God’s mercy?

3. In Exodus 34:6,7, the LORD Himself proclaimed: “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” What does this passage of God’s Word say of God’s mercy? Of His justice? How does God desire to deal with us? How will He deal with us if we reject Him and His mercy? Cf. 2 Peter 3:9; John 3:16-18.

4. Read Matthew 23:37-39. How did Jesus desire to deal with the people of Jerusalem? Would they let Him? What would happen as a result of their rejection of God’s mercy in Christ Jesus?

5. Read Matthew 11:28-29; Revelation 3:20. How does Jesus desire to deal with us? What will happen if we turn away from Jesus and His mercy? Cf. Hebrews 10:26-31.

6. Read Isaiah 53:6 and 1 John 1:9, 2:1,2. How can God be a just God and still forgive our sins?

GOD

We believe that there is only one true God (Isaiah 44:6; I Corinthians 8:4). This God (called the LORD or JEHOVAH) is one divine Being or Essence, but three distinct Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (thus the name, Triune or Three/One God), each being eternal and equal in power and majesty, because each Person is the LORD God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; I John 5:7; Isaiah 48:16-17; John 1:1; Colossians 2:9; I Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 4:14). We believe that no one can worship or serve the Triune God except he believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and the Savior of mankind from sin and its consequences (John 3:18,36; 5:23; 14:6; I John 2:23; 5:11-12). Hence, all who deny the Trinity of God (that God is three Persons) or the Unity of God (that God is one divine Being), or who do not trust in Jesus Christ, the Son, for salvation, do not worship and serve the true God.

Please Memorize: Exodus 34:6,7; Deuteronomy 32:4; John 3:16-18; Isaiah 53:6.

The Augsburg Confession

Article XII: Of Repentance

Of Repentance they teach that for those who have fallen after Baptism there is remission of sins whenever they are converted and that the Church ought to impart absolution to those thus returning to repentance. Now, repentance consists properly of these two parts: One is contrition, that is, terrors smiting the conscience through the knowledge of sin; the other is faith, which is born of the Gospel, or of absolution, and believes that for Christ’s sake, sins are forgiven, comforts the conscience, and delivers it from terrors. Then good works are bound to follow, which are the fruits of repentance.

They condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that those once justified can lose the Holy Ghost. Also those who contend that some may attain to such perfection in this life that they cannot sin.

The Novatians also are condemned, who would not absolve such as had fallen after Baptism, though they returned to repentance.

They also are rejected who do not teach that remission of sins comes through faith but command us to merit grace through satisfactions of our own.

How to Stand in Christ’s Judgment

Dear Friend,

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is coming again soon to judge the living and the dead. Are you ready to stand before Him and be judged by Him?

The Bible also tells us that: “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This means that all of us – including you – have sinned against God and deserve to be condemned to suffer forever in hell!

There is only one way to be saved from this eternal punishment for our sins. God provided that way for us when He sent His only begotten Son into the world as a true man to live a holy life in our place and to suffer and die upon the cross for the sins of the entire world. Jesus Christ bore the just penalty for all our sins when He died upon the cross, and He rose again from the dead on the third day that He might give us eternal life with Him in heaven.

God, in His Word, tells all of us that we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). This means that God pardons us and forgives our sins for the sake of His Son’s holy life and bitter sufferings and death in our place.

God’s Word also tells us: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s gracious pardon and gift of eternal life is yours!

Dear Friend, I urge you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ – to trust in Him as your Savior from sin and the eternal torments of hell. Then you will not be condemned in Christ’s judgment but receive instead the everlasting joys of heaven which Jesus Christ won for you!

Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). In Jesus, we can stand in Christ’s judgment!

For more information on God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, or for help and guidance from God’s Word, please write to us at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 2335, Rogers, AR 72757 or send us an e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings appointed for Sunday are Psalm 113; Acts 13:44-52; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Luke 16:1-15. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John at chapter 11:1ff. Who was sick at Bethany? What was the relationship of these three with Jesus? What did Mary later do for Jesus? Cf. John 12:1ff. What message did they send to Jesus? How did Jesus respond? What did He say? What did He do? How does this relate to the ways in which God answers our prayers? What did Jesus’ disciples say to Him when He said it was time to return to Judea? How did Jesus respond to their objection? What did this mean? How might it apply to us today? What did Jesus tell His disciples in verse 11? How did Jesus’ disciples understand Him? What did Jesus mean? What did Jesus then plainly tell His disciples? What else did Jesus say to them? What does this mean? How did Thomas respond? How might this be fitting of his nature as we read of him in the Gospels? What did Jesus find when He arrived in Judea? What was taking place at the home of Mary and Martha? Why? Who came out to meet Jesus? What did she say? How is this often like our prayers? What did Jesus tell her? How did she understand Jesus’ words? What did Jesus mean by them? What did Jesus say to Martha in verses 25-26? What do these words mean? How do they apply to us today? What did Jesus then ask Martha? How did she respond? How is this similar to Peter’s profession in Matthew 16:16? How had Martha come to believe this? Cf. Matthew 16:17. Who did Martha call? Where did she come to Jesus? Where did her comforters think she was going? What did they do? What did she say to Jesus? What did Jesus do when He saw Mary weeping, and the Jews who were with her? Why? What did He ask them? Where did they go? What did Jesus do? What does this tell us about Jesus? Cf. Hebrews 4:15. What did the Jews think when they saw Jesus cry? What did some of them say? What did Jesus say to do when He came to Lazarus’ tomb? How did Martha respond? Why? How did Jesus answer Martha? What prayer did Jesus’ say when they took away the stone from the door of the tomb? Why did Jesus speak these words? What did He desire the people to believe? Does He still desire this yet today? What did Jesus cry with a loud voice? What happened after Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb? What was the result for many who saw this great miracle of Jesus? What did others do? What did the chief priests and the Pharisees do when they heard of Jesus’ mighty miracle? Did they dispute the miracle? Did they believe on Him? Why is this miracle recorded for us in the Bible? How do we respond to Jesus’ miracle and His words?

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 pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Dawn Hiebert, who is recovering from knee surgery; Dick Stueland, also recovering from knee surgery; for Sam Rusch, who has had repeated stays in the hospital; the mother of Dick Rusch; for Dick Rusch who is scheduled for shoulder surgery on Sept. 30; and for Regina Wood (the sister of Lonnie Moll), who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and is recovering from surgery and starting chemotherapy – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families and for Christians who are alone and have no congregation. 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

Our evening congregational Bible study will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. A light supper will precede the study, beginning at about 6:15 p.m.

Anyone wishing to help with costs involved for Sam Rusch to visit the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota may place a gift in the offering with the designation: Sam Rusch.

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.

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.” John 11:25-26

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.]