Words of Encouragement for November 24, 2010

Man does not live by bread alone!

“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” Deuteronomy 8:3

Thanksgiving has become all about bread alone – about having an abundance of food and all the things of this life. Yet we so often fail to remember the truth taught by the Word of God – a truth cited by Jesus when He was tempted of the devil in the wilderness to turn stones into bread – “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4).

And so we ask: Are we sustained and kept alive by having enough bread to eat, or are we sustained by the LORD God and the promises of His Word? The answer taught by God in the Scriptures is that it is He who gives us life and sustains us. Our lives depend entirely upon Him and the promises of His Word. He holds our very breath in His hands (Daniel 5:23). “In him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Not only did the LORD God create all things by His almighty Word (Genesis 1-2; Psalm 33:6), our Lord Jesus Christ upholds all things “by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).

This is a truth which God taught His people in Old Testament times and continues to teach us yet today.

When God was leading the people of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years, He tested them and taught them this truth again and again. He led them to places where there was no water and to places where they had no food. Why? To teach them to depend upon Him and to trust in Him and His word of promise to provide (cf. Exodus 15:22ff.; 16:1ff.; 17:1ff.).

Moses reminded the people of this great truth before his death (Deuteronomy 8:2-5): “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.”

This truth was echoed again and again throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. God urged His people to trust not in themselves, their military might, their weapons of war, their wealth or goods, but to trust in Him and Him alone to care for them and provide (cf. Psalm 37; 44:6-7).

The Bible teaches mankind to look to the LORD God and trust in Him to supply all our needs, saying, “The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:15-16).

Jesus teaches and reminds us of this same truth in His Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matthew 6:25-34). There He also teaches us to pray to our Father in heaven: “Give us this day our daily bread,” that we might learn to look to Him and trust in Him to provide us with all we need to support this body and life, day by day (Matthew 6:11).

And so we give thanks to the LORD as Psalm 100 says. We “enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.” We are “thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

But we are not thankful just because we have enough – or even an abundance of food and good things – we come before the LORD and give thanks because our very lives depend upon the words His mouth. It is by His creative and sustaining word that we exist and live and breathe. It is by His word that we have food and drink, clothes and shoes, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle and all our goods. It is by His word that we are protected from harm and danger and all evil. And most importantly, it is by His life-giving word that we have come to know and trust in Christ Jesus who suffered and died for all our sins and rose again. Through His Word, He has raised us up from spiritual death and darkness and given us forgiveness of sins and life everlasting in Jesus’ name.

And so it’s true. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God! By His almighty word He gives us life and sustains our lives in this world. And by His word of grace He gives us spiritual life and everlasting life in the mansions of heaven – all for the sake of His Son, who gave His life for us that we might live in Him!

O LORD God, we give You thanks and praise for giving us life – for creating us in our mothers’ wombs, sustaining us in this world and providing us with all we truly need to support this earthly life. But, above all, we give You thanks and praise that You have also given us spiritual life and eternal life in Your Son – that You sent the Son into the world to suffer and die for all sins and rise again, that You have uttered Your life-giving Word and caused it to be repeated in our hearing and that You have graciously brought us to faith in Christ Jesus, our Savior. Graciously preserve our lives in this world, in accord with Your perfect will, and also graciously preserve us in the true and saving faith until we are with You forever in the glories of Your everlasting kingdom. We give you thanks and praise, in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.

Meditations in Genesis

“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” Hebrews 11:17-19 (Read Genesis 22)

It sometimes happens that God tests us by asking us to sacrifice or give up something near and dear to us. It may even be a person or thing which has been a great source of blessing to us. He may call upon us to leave a job, a house, a family or to give up a valuable possession in our service to Him.

In the case of Abraham, God asked him to give up the promised son for whom he had waited for so many years – the son through whom God had promised to bless him and send the promised Messiah and Savior. How could Abraham sacrifice his own son Isaac?

The dilemma is hard for us too. How can we give up a job, a home, an inheritance, a relationship or even closeness with our own family to follow after the Lord Jesus? How can we give up our possessions or something we really like to do to serve the Lord God? Yet we, at times, feel the Lord tugging at our hearts and directing us to give up those things we love and follow Him. How difficult!

Abraham didn’t delay. The very next day he left with his son Isaac to do as the Lord had directed. And when he arrived at the prescribed mountain – later the site of Jesus’ crucifixion for the sins of the world – Abraham built the altar, bound his son and was ready to give him back to the Lord when God stopped him and provided a ram to sacrifice in Isaac’s stead.

Abraham lived by faith in the Lord God. He trusted that God was even able to raise up his son Isaac and give him back and fulfill all that He had promised to do through the lad.

Jesus, God’s sacrificial Lamb, has won for each of us forgiveness of sins and a place in his eternal kingdom. He calls us to trust in Him for forgiveness and life and to follow Him. He promises gracious reward to those who forsake houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, wife, children or lands for His name’s sake (cf. Matthew 19:27ff.). Do we trust Him enough to follow, even when the way He leads requires sacrifice?

Living and walking by faith in the Lord Jesus is not just to trust that He died for the sins of all and rose again; it is living and walking in the confidence that we are forgiven and accepted of God for the sake of Jesus’ innocent sufferings and death in our stead, and it is trusting that He knows what is best for us and is leading us in the way everlasting. If that way includes sacrifice, we follow on in the confidence that the Lord knows what is good and will supply our every need. He is able to give us back again all and more than He asks of us (2 Corinthians 9:8ff.; Philippians 4:19).

Dear Jesus, give us faith like that of Abraham that we might follow You, trusting in You for forgiveness and life and walking in Your ways, confident that Your will and design for our lives is indeed good and right. Amen.

The Augsburg Confession

Article XXI: Of the Worship of the Saints

Of the Worship of Saints they teach that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling, as the Emperor may follow the example of David in making war to drive away the Turk from his country. For both are kings. But the Scripture teaches not the invocation of saints or to ask help of saints, since it sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Propitiation, High Priest, and Intercessor. He is to be prayed to, and has promised that He will hear our prayer; and this worship He approves above all, to wit, that in all afflictions He be called upon, 1 John 2:1: If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, etc.

This is about the Sum of our Doctrine, in which, as can be seen, there is nothing that varies from the Scriptures, or from the Church Catholic, or from the Church of Rome as known from its writers. This being the case, they judge harshly who insist that our teachers be regarded as heretics. There is, however, disagreement on certain abuses, which have crept into the Church without rightful authority. And even in these, if there were some difference, there should be proper leniency on the part of bishops to bear with us by reason of the Confession which we have now reviewed; because even the Canons are not so severe as to demand the same rites everywhere, neither, at any time, have the rites of all churches been the same; although, among us, in large part, the ancient rites are diligently observed. For it is a false and malicious charge that all the ceremonies, all the things instituted of old, are abolished in our churches. But it has been a common complaint that some abuses were connected with the ordinary rites. These, inasmuch as they could not be approved with a good conscience, have been to some extent corrected.

The Proper Form of an Evangelical Lutheran Congregation Independent of the State

By Dr. C.F.W. Walther

Translated by Dr. Th. Engelder

Walther and the Church

By Dau, Engelder, and Dallmann

From the Preface:

Dr. Walther’s second classic on the doctrine of the Church, The Proper Form of an Evangelical Lutheran Congregation Independent of the State, describes the ideal Christian congregation. The ideal Christian congregation is, first of all, such a one as is described in paragraph 1, one which adheres to the pure doctrine. The Christian congregation which rejects portions of the Scripture truth has constituted itself on an unnatural, unlawful basis. It has assumed a form which God does not sanction. The Lord requires all His churches to preach His Word in its purity according to the Confessions of the Lutheran Church.

The ideal Christian congregation, furthermore, keeps itself independent of the State. The church which permits the State to regulate its internal affairs is in an abnormal condition. The church thrives best under the separation of Church and State.

Finally, that is the ideal Christian congregation and the ideal Lutheran congregation which fully understands its rights and duties and employs such methods, organs, and forms as best serve the proper exercise of its rights and the proper performance of its duties.

Who originated the ideas back of this Proper Form of a Lutheran congregation? Not Walther. The original is found in Luther, and Luther found the principles in Scripture. Luther knew very well what form a Christian congregation should have. A study of the writings of the fathers of the Lutheran Church shows that, even though the Lutheran Church existed in those days as a State Church, these men, guided by their doctrine of the Church, the Ministry, Church Government, etc., conceived of exactly such a form of a local church independent of the State as is presented in this book [The Proper form....].’ (Preface p. IV.)

The full application of their idea was a new thing in the Lutheran Church, but Luther himself had advocated the more important forms and succeeded in introducing a number of them. He charted the course which was eventually followed. How much of Walther’s Proper Form is out of date? Very little. Those forms which are directly called for by Scripture are never out of date. Those that come under the head of adiaphora are subject to change. The Christian congregation adjusts these matters to fit changed conditions. But it so happens that present conditions call for hardly any change in Walther’s plan. He was a wise builder. Do not be hasty in changing his specifications. The old model is not antiquated. If you want to build an ideal congregation, stick as closely as possible to the Proper Form.

The Proper Form was submitted at the session of the Western District in 1862 and published in 1863.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS

1. An Evangelical Lutheran local congregation is a gathering of believing Christians at a definite place, among whom the Word of God is preached in its purity according to the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the holy Sacraments are administered according to Christ’s institution as recorded in the Gospel, in whose society, however, false Christians and hypocrites will always, and manifest sinners may sometimes, be found.

2. A congregation is independent of the State when the State leaves it to such congregation in all things to govern itself.

3. In order to learn what constitutes the proper form of an Evangelical Lutheran congregation independent of the State, it is necessary to ascertain from the Word of God chiefly two things: first, wherein its rights and duties, and secondly, wherein the proper exercise of such rights and duties, consist.

Of the Rights of an Evangelical Lutheran Local Church Independent of the State

4. All the rights which an Evangelical Lutheran local congregation possesses are included in the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which the Lord has originally and immediately given to His entire Church, and in such manner that they belong to each congregation, the smallest as well as the largest, in like measure, Matt. 18:17-20 (“Tell it unto the church…. Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”), 16:19; John 20.22, 23.

5. Additional Scripture proof for the teaching that with the keys of the kingdom of heaven every Evangelical Lutheran local congregation has the entire church power which it needs, that is, the power and authority to perform everything that is requisite for its government: the true members of such congregation, viz., the believing Christians therein contained, are called “priests and kings before God,” or “the royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6), “anointed” (1 John 2:20,27), Christ’s affianced bride (2 Cor.11:2), “the body of Christ,” in and among whom Christ dwells (1 Cor. 12:27; Matt. 18:20); they are described as equal brethren (Matt. 23:8-11), as the possessors of all things (1 Cor. 3:21-23: “All things are yours”). Furthermore, the ministers are called their “stewards” and “servants” (1 Cor. 4:1; 2 Cor. 4:5). Finally, the congregation itself is represented as the supreme tribunal (Matt.18:118: “Tell it unto the church”).

Of the Duties of an Evangelical Lutheran Local Church Independent of the State

6. It is the duty of the congregation carefully to see to it that the Word of God may richly dwell and have full and free scope in its midst. Col. 3:16: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly,” etc.

7. It is the duty of the congregation to care for the purity of doctrine and life in its midst and to exercise church discipline in these matters. Matt. 18:15-18: ‘If thy brother shall trespass against thee, . . . let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.” Rom. 16:17: “Mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.” 1 Cor. 5:1-13: “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? . . . Put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” 1 Cor.6:1-8; 2 Cor.2:6-11. Gal. 6:1: “restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” 1 Thess. 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6,14,15; 2 John 10,11: “If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed,” etc.

8. It is the duty of the congregation to concern itself also with the temporal welfare of all its members that they may not suffer want of the necessaries of life nor be forsaken in any need. Gal.6:10: “Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Deut. 15:4. Rom. 12:13: “Distributing to the necessity of saints.” Gal. 2:9,10; Jas. 1 :27; 1 Thess. 4:11,12.

9. It is the duty of the congregation to see that in its midst “all things be done decently and in order,” 1 Cor. 14:33, 40, and to “provide for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men,” 2 Cor. 8:21. Col. 2:5.

10. It is the duty of the congregation to be diligent “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” also with all parts of the orthodox Church, Eph. 4:3; 1 Thess. 4:9,10; Rom. 15:26, 27; 2 Cor. 8:19.

11. It is also incumbent upon the congregation to do its part in building up and promoting the welfare of the Church at large. Amos 6:6; Acts 11:21-23 (“Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem; and they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch,” etc.); 15:18.

(To Be Continued….)

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings appointed for Sunday are Psalm 122; Isaiah 2:1-5; Acts 19:1-20; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 21:1-11. 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 13:20ff. What does Jesus mean in verse 20? How is this true? Cf. Luke 10:16; 1 John 4:6. Why was Jesus troubled in spirit? What did He say one of the disciples would do? How did the disciples react to Jesus’ words? Do we ever react in a similar fashion when we learn of someone’s actions? How did Jesus identify the one who would betray him? What happened after Judas received the sop? Why? What did Jesus say to him? Did the other disciples know why Jesus said this? What did they think Jesus meant? What did Judas then do? Is there a significance to the fact that it was night when Judas went out? What did Jesus say after Judas went out? What do these words mean? Why did He speak these words? How would Jesus be glorified? How would God be glorified in Him? How would God glorify Christ Jesus in Himself? Cf. John 17:1ff. How did Jesus address His disciples in verse 33? What did He tell them? Why? What new commandment did Jesus give His disciples? How were they to love one another? Cf. John 15:9ff.; 1 John 4:7ff. What would this love show to others? What did Simon Peter say to Jesus? How did Jesus answer Him? What did Peter say He was ready to do for Jesus? How did Jesus answer Peter? What did He say Peter would do? Could we also fall like Peter did? Is there a danger is assuming we would never deny Jesus or that we would never fall into sin? Cf. Matthew 26:41. How does this relate to the last two petitions in the Lord’s Prayer? Cf. Matthew 6:13.

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, as well as for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Bill Schoepf, who is having hernia surgery; Dawn Hiebert, who is recovering from knee surgery; Dick Stueland, also recovering from a second knee surgery; for Sam Rusch, who has had repeated stays in the hospital; the mother of Dick Rusch; for Dick Rusch who is recovering from shoulder surgery; for Robbie Kesner, at the death of his grandmother; and for Regina Wood (the sister of Lonnie Moll), who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families and for Christians who are alone and have no congregation. Continue to pray for Lutheran congregations which desire to remain faithful to Christ and His Word, 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

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.

Advent Services will be held on Wednesday evenings at 7, beginning on Dec. 1. A soup and sandwich supper will precede the services, beginning at 6:20 p.m.

The choir continues to practice after church services on Sundays. More voices are welcome.

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.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits….” Psalm 103:1-2

[Except in direct translations in Scripture quotations, Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.]