Words of Encouragement for January 6, 2011

Epiphany Meditation

Wise Men Still Seek Him

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 ¶And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16 ¶Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19 ¶But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:1-23

Wise men from the east, perhaps through study of ancient prophecy (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17), understood that the appearing of a special star indicated the birth of the long promised Messiah and King of the Jews and traveled many miles to worship Him and offer Him gifts.

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:10).

“I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth” (Numbers 24:17).

The chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem knew the Scriptures and the place where the Messiah was to be born from Micah 5:2, but apparently were too busy practicing their religion to go there to seek Him. Herod, hearing of the birth of the Messiah, was afraid of losing his kingdom and sought to slay the Christ Child.

“But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

This raises an important question for you to consider. “How do you respond to the news that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world to be your Savior?”

Do you, like King Herod, fear that Jesus’ coming into the world will interfere with your life? Do you seek to keep Him out of your life so that you can continue on in your own ways, doing the things you want to do, without Jesus there to interfere? Do you stay away from church and even sometimes wish people would quit talking about Jesus and teaching from the Bible?

Are you, like the chief priests and scribes, so busy with your religious service to God that you don’t have the time or the desire to seek out Jesus in His Word even though you may know much about Him? Are you able to recite the facts about Jesus and tell others how they should live for Him and serve Him, but yet unable to honestly say that you know Jesus or have walked with Him?

Or, have you, like the Wise Men of old, heard of Jesus’ coming, sought Him out through the study of the Scriptures, found Him, and worshiped and honored Him as your Messiah, Savior, and King?

You know, the saying is still as true today as ever: “Wise Men Still Seek Him!”

Dearest Lord Jesus, Son of God, Son of man and our Savior, grant that we seek You and learn to know You through the study of Your Word; grant that we place our faith and trust in You and Your shed blood for the forgiveness of all our sins and life everlasting; and grant that we worship You as our Savior and King. Amen.

Meditations in Genesis

“And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?” Genesis 29:25 (Read Genesis 29:21-35)

After speaking of the blessing of confessing one’s sins to the LORD God and receiving His forgiveness, Psalm 32 speaks of the instruction given us by the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures and warns us: “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

It seems that many of us are, at least at times, like a stubborn horse or mule which requires the use of bit and bridle to get it to go where it should. So also, the LORD God sometimes has to use the school of hard knocks to get us to listen to His word of instruction.

Jacob, who shrewdly obtained the birthright from Esau and then deceived his own father to obtain the blessing, now is deceived by his uncle Laban. After working seven years to have Rachel as his wife, Laban brings him Leah instead; and Jacob has to agree to work another seven years before Laban agrees to give him Rachel as well, after Leah’s marriage week is fulfilled. Jacob got a taste of his own medicine, so to speak, and was probably very careful to look under the veil before consummating his second marriage.

Why would God permit such a thing to happen to His chosen vessel? Perhaps there was a lesson to be learned. Why does God sometimes permit us to suffer the consequences of our sins, or even let us experience the same kind of wickedness we have dished out to others? Perhaps we, too, have a lesson to learn.

If only we would read and study the Scriptures and believe that God’s way is really good and right and, yes, best! It would save us so much grief and heartache, which, it seems, we bring upon ourselves because we fail to trust that God really does know best.

How thankful we can be that in Jesus, and for the sake of His innocent sufferings and death in our stead, God is still gracious to us and merciful, forgiving all our sins and giving us a place with Him in His eternal kingdom! And, even when we must learn some things in the school of hard knocks, God is still working for our good to bring us back to Him and His Word. He forgives our sins for Jesus’ sake, and He leads and guides us with His eye upon us.

Dear Father in heaven, forgive us for failing to learn and pay heed to Your Word; grant that we acknowledge our sins to You, trusting in You to forgive us for Jesus’ sake; and lead and guide us in the way we should go. Amen.

The Augsburg Confession

Article XXVII: Of Monastic Vows

What is taught on our part concerning Monastic Vows, will be better understood if it be remembered what has been the state of the monasteries, and how many things were daily done in those very monasteries, contrary to the Canons. In Augustine’s time they were free associations. Afterward, when discipline was corrupted, vows were everywhere added for the purpose of restoring discipline, as in a carefully planned prison.

Gradually, many other observances were added besides vows. And these fetters were laid upon many before the lawful age, contrary to the Canons.

Many also entered into this kind of life through ignorance, being unable to judge their own strength, though they were of sufficient age. Being thus ensnared, they were compelled to remain, even though some could have been freed by the kind provision of the Canons. And this was more the case in convents of women than of monks, although more consideration should have been shown the weaker sex. This rigor displeased many good men before this time, who saw that young men and maidens were thrown into convents for a living. They saw what unfortunate results came of this procedure, and what scandals were created, what snares were cast upon consciences! They were grieved that the authority of the Canons in so momentous a matter was utterly set aside and despised. To these evils was added such a persuasion concerning vows as, it is well known, in former times displeased even those monks who were more considerate. They taught that vows were equal to Baptism; they taught that by this kind of life they merited forgiveness of sins and justification before God. Yea, they added that the monastic life not only merited righteousness before God but even greater things, because it kept not only the precepts, but also the so-called “evangelical counsels.”

Thus they made men believe that the profession of monasticism was far better than Baptism, and that the monastic life was more meritorious than that of magistrates, than the life of pastors, and such like, who serve their calling in accordance with God’s commands, without any man-made services. None of these things can be denied; for they appear in their own books. [Moreover, a person who has been thus ensnared and has entered a monastery learns little of Christ.]

What, then, came to pass in the monasteries? Aforetime they were schools of theology and other branches, profitable to the Church; and thence pastors and bishops were obtained. Now it is another thing. It is needless to rehearse what is known to all. Aforetime they came together to learn; now they feign that it is a kind of life instituted to merit grace and righteousness; yea, they preach that it is a state of perfection, and they put it far above all other kinds of life ordained of God. These things we have rehearsed without odious exaggeration, to the end that the doctrine of our teachers on this point might be better understood.

First, concerning such as contract matrimony, they teach on our part that it is lawful for all men who are not fitted for single life to contract matrimony, because vows cannot annul the ordinance and commandment of God. But the commandment of God is 1 Cor. 7:2: To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife. Nor is it the commandment only, but also the creation and ordinance of God, which forces those to marry who are not excepted by a singular work of God, according to the text Gen. 2:18: It is not good that the man should be alone. Therefore they do not sin who obey this commandment and ordinance of God.

What objection can be raised to this? Let men extol the obligation of a vow as much as they list, yet shall they not bring to pass that the vow annuls the commandment of God. The Canons teach that the right of the superior is excepted in every vow; [that vows are not binding against the decision of the Pope;] much less, therefore, are these vows of force which are against the commandments of God.

Now, if the obligation of vows could not be changed for any cause whatever, the Roman Pontiffs could never have given dispensation for it is not lawful for man to annul an obligation which is simply divine. But the Roman Pontiffs have prudently judged that leniency is to be observed in this obligation, and therefore we read that many times they have dispensed from vows. The case of the King of Aragon who was called back from the monastery is well known, and there are also examples in our own times. [Now, if dispensations have been granted for the sake of securing temporal interests, it is much more proper that they be granted on account of the distress of souls.]

In the second place, why do our adversaries exaggerate the obligation or effect of a vow when, at the same time, they have not a word to say of the nature of the vow itself, that it ought to be in a thing possible, that it ought to be free, and chosen spontaneously and deliberately? But it is not unknown to what extent perpetual chastity is in the power of man. And how few are there who have taken the vow spontaneously and deliberately! Young maidens and men, before they are able to judge, are persuaded, and sometimes even compelled, to take the vow. Wherefore it is not fair to insist so rigorously on the obligation, since it is granted by all that it is against the nature of a vow to take it without spontaneous and deliberate action.

Most canonical laws rescind vows made before the age of fifteen; for before that age there does not seem sufficient judgment in a person to decide concerning a perpetual life. Another Canon, granting more to the weakness of man, adds a few years; for it forbids a vow to be made before the age of eighteen. But which of these two Canons shall we follow? The most part have an excuse for leaving the monasteries, because most of them have taken the vows before they reached these ages.

Finally, even though the violation of a vow might be censured, yet it seems not forthwith to follow that the marriages of such persons must be dissolved. For Augustine denies that they ought to be dissolved (XXVII. Quaest. I, Cap. Nuptiarum), and his authority is not lightly to be esteemed, although other men afterwards thought otherwise.

But although it appears that God’s command concerning marriage delivers very many from their vows, yet our teachers introduce also another argument concerning vows to show that they are void. For every service of God, ordained and chosen of men without the commandment of God to merit justification and grace, is wicked, as Christ says Matt. 15:9: In vain do they worship Me with the commandments of men. And Paul teaches everywhere that righteousness is not to be sought from our own observances and acts of worship, devised by men, but that it comes by faith to those who believe that they are received by God into grace for Christ’s sake.

But it is evident that monks have taught that services of man’s making satisfy for sins and merit grace and justification. What else is this than to detract from the glory of Christ and to obscure and deny the righteousness of faith? It follows, therefore, that the vows thus commonly taken have been wicked services, and, consequently, are void. For a wicked vow, taken against the commandment of God, is not valid; for (as the Canon says) no vow ought to bind men to wickedness.

Paul says, Gal. 5:4: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law, ye are fallen from grace. To those, therefore, who want to be justified by their vows Christ is made of no effect, and they fall from grace. For also these who ascribe justification to vows ascribe to their own works that which properly belongs to the glory of Christ.

Nor can it be denied, indeed, that the monks have taught that, by their vows and observances, they were justified, and merited forgiveness of sins, yea, they invented still greater absurdities, saying that they could give others a share in their works. If any one should be inclined to enlarge on these things with evil intent, how many things could he bring together whereof even the monks are now ashamed! Over and above this, they persuaded men that services of man’s making were a state of Christian perfection. And is not this assigning justification to works? It is no light offense in the Church to set forth to the people a service devised by men, without the commandment of God, and to teach that such service justifies men. For the righteousness of faith, which chiefly ought to be taught in the Church, is obscured when these wonderful angelic forms of worship, with their show of poverty, humility, and celibacy, are cast before the eyes of men.

Furthermore, the precepts of God and the true service of God are obscured when men hear that only monks are in a state of perfection. For Christian perfection is to fear God from the heart, and yet to conceive great faith, and to trust that for Christ’s sake we have a God who has been reconciled, to ask of God, and assuredly to expect His aid in all things that, according to our calling, are to be done; and meanwhile, to be diligent in outward good works, and to serve our calling. In these things consist the true perfection and the true service of God. It does not consist in celibacy, or in begging, or in vile apparel. But the people conceive many pernicious opinions from the false commendations of monastic life. They hear celibacy praised above measure; therefore they lead their married life with offense to their consciences. They hear that only beggars are perfect; therefore they keep their possessions and do business with offense to their consciences. They hear that it is an evangelical counsel not to seek revenge; therefore some in private life are not afraid to take revenge, for they hear that it is but a counsel, and not a commandment. Others judge that the Christian cannot properly hold a civil office or be a magistrate.

There are on record examples of men who, forsaking marriage and the administration of the Commonwealth, have hid themselves in monasteries. This they called fleeing from the world, and seeking a kind of life which would be more pleasing to God. Neither did they see that God ought to be served in those commandments which He Himself has given and not in commandments devised by men. A good and perfect kind of life is that which has for it the commandment of God. It is necessary to admonish men of these things.

And before these times, Gerson rebukes this error of the monks concerning perfection, and testifies that in his day it was a new saying that the monastic life is a state of perfection.

So many wicked opinions are inherent in the vows, namely, that they justify, that they constitute Christian perfection, that they keep the counsels and commandments, that they have works of supererogation. All these things, since they are false and empty, make vows null and void.

(To Be Continued….)

How Must God’s Word Be Preached

In Order to Produce Faith in the Hearts of the Hearers?

By Franz Pieper

Luther-Hour Lectures presented to the Seminary Students

(From Concordia Theological Monthly)

FIFTH LECTURE

(C.T.M., October, 1933, pp. 721-726)

In the last lecture I demonstrated to you that you must proclaim universal grace if you want to preach faith in Christ and faith in the grace of God into the hearts of men. But it is not enough that you preach universal grace; you must also proclaim grace alone. And today I want to direct your attention to the “grace alone” (sola gratia in the original text). Hold fast to this, that only when you preach both grace alone and universal grace can faith in Christ be produced by your preaching.

If I should have to proclaim the forgiveness of sins in God’s name to you who are here assembled, but with the condition that you must previously or concurrently perform something for God, whether from so-called natural powers (justitia civilis or Probitas) or spiritual powers (justitia spiritualis) or partially from each; if I should have to make the condition that you must conduct yourselves better toward the grace of God in comparison with other men, or that you must have a lesser guilt before God than others, then the grace of God would become uncertain for you through this condition. Why? It would always remain uncertain for you whether the required performance of the right quality in the right quantity, or the better conduct, or the lesser guilt In comparison with others, was at hand. Yes, I must always repeat Luther’s declaration: If the forgiveness were dependent even upon a single Lord’s Prayer, the forgiveness of sins would thereby become uncertain for us. Then you would have to inquire into the quality of the Lord’s prayer which you had uttered. And there is even among Christians, in consequence of the flesh which cleaves to them, no Lord’s Prayer of the right and perfect quality. Therefore there belongs to the production of faith in Christ the proclamation of the grace alone, that God forgives men their sins and receives them into everlasting life by grace alone. But if you do, on the basis of the testimony of Holy Scripture, so proclaim the grace alone, that the grace of God is entirely free and makes no demand for one’s own worthiness and one’s own works, that grace receives the godless, that grace receives men just as they are, from the gallows, from the highway and the hedges, then the sinner who is stricken by the Law will include himself and say: “Then is God gracious also to me.” And this motion, produced by the Holy Ghost in the heart of a man, which says “God is gracious also to me,” is faith; this is the appropriation of the grace of God which the Gospel proclaims. Thus you have, through the proclamation of the grace alone, of free grace, preached faith into the heart. God the Holy Ghost is operative through you and opens your mouth to proclaim the grace alone, free grace. Then you will be useful preachers in the world. The grace alone and nothing else is the Christian doctrine. He who places beside the grace of God in Christ an impelling cause of the forgiveness of sins and the bestowal of salvation even one work has surrendered the Christian doctrine and has already transformed the Christian doctrine of grace into a heathen doctrine of works. For so the Apostle Paul expressly says, Romans 11:6: “If by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.” And with good right all our old Church teachers repeat this expression.

Grace is not grace if it is not grace in every sense, free grace. Thus Holy Scripture ascribes justification to faith. Rom. 4: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Therefore once again: God grant you grace to open your mouth and proclaim the grace alone! Only so do you proclaim Christian doctrine; only so do you let Christ’s merit come to full avail; only so do you preach faith into the hearts; only so do you make Christians.

Do consider what it means according to Scripture: Faith in Christ! Or to put the question in another form: What is faith in Christ according to its essence? It is simply reposing confidence only and alone upon Christ and His merit as the Savior of sinners. It is to place nothing beside Christ when dealing with the question: Is God gracious to me? Does God forgive me my sin? Will God take me into heaven? Faith in Christ is not the faith of the rationalists, who also pay many compliments to the Savior. They call Him the greatest man on earth. Their faith consists in calling Christ the father of virtue and example of life. But that is not faith in Christ. It is also no faith when papists and protestants teach words which let Christ be true God and true man in one Person, but beside grace in Christ make also human teaching an additional ground of justification and salvation. Faith in Christ is, as our Confession says: that one trusts alone in God’s grace and mercy and builds the hope of his salvation upon it. If you therefore, my dear young friends, want to make Christians and build the Christian Church, then you must unceasingly proclaim two things: you must continually through the Law of God make all your hearers and the individual souls who come under your pastoral care to be poor sinners, casting down all confidence in one’s own worthiness through the preaching of the Law; but then you must also just as freely and unconditionally preach the grace of God in Christ. You must lift those who through the Law have been cast into hell, without delay, into heaven through the Gospel, without making any demand for their own works. On this subject let us hear Luther; I have selected a passage in which Luther says that confidence in one’s own works, in one’s own virtue and superiority and worthiness, always hinders faith. In his Exposition of Genesis Luther says (St. Louis 1, 1430): “Therefore let us learn that God is hostile to all the proud.” By “proud” Luther understands not merely those people who pride themselves upon a fine garment or hat, but the proud are those who on the basis of some deed of theirs or some superiority which they find in themselves want to make claim to God’s favor. That is evident from the following. “But those who have been humbled and have felt the power of the Law, these He comforts; if not through men then He will still do it if need be through an angel from heaven. For He will not have such people lost” (1, 1430). Read through the entire Holy Scripture; there you will find a great number of instances in which men invoke God’s grace, favor, and mercy. In all these instances you will find the fact confirmed that whoever wants God’s grace must be humble; for God gives grace to the humble. God rejects none who wish to have His grace; but He rejects the proud who in any way pride themselves upon their own righteousness. “Even as He will not let the secure and proud remain in Abraham’s house (in the Church).” See how the Lord Christ brings this out in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. Both come into the Temple to pray. They step before God’s throne, and the Pharisee prays thus: “God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” The Pharisee did not lie, so far as outward works are concerned. To be sure, he had the probitas legalis (legal uprightness), and to this he appeals before God. Then another comes in, the publican. He also had something to speak of with God. But he casts his eyes down and cries out: “God be merciful to me a sinner!” All confidence in his own righteousness is obliterated. His heart cries only for forgiveness and grace. And what is God’s attitude toward these two worshipers, to him who trusted in his probitas naturalis (natural uprightness), and to him who merely smote upon his breast and pleaded only for grace and mercy? “This man,” says the Savior,” went down to his house justified rather than the other.” And then the Lord follows up with the general maxim: “Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” That is to say: He who in any way trusts in his own superiority before God and on that basis lays claim to God’s favor receives no grace; but he who refrains from all claims to God’s favor receives grace.

That is God’s way; so He deals in His kingdom. From this you may recognize how you as preachers of the Gospel and curates of the souls must deal. Therefore Luther continues: “But a teacher and preacher in the Church must be instructed, skilled, and experienced in these two things, that he may be able both to reprove and crush the gainsayers, and again comfort them, that they may not utterly despond and be swallowed up by the Law” (1, 1430). He is a good preacher who in his public preaching knows how to apply and distinguish Law and Gospel in such a way that everyone who trusts in himself and prides himself before God on his own deeds is constantly reproved and humbled. And the sermon must so be constructed that all who in humble contrition lie in the dust before God, are constantly comforted through the proclamation of the grace alone, of free grace. Luther enters further upon the subject of the necessity that our damnableness, our poverty, nakedness, and shame be revealed to us through the Law. “If our nature were not so thoroughly depraved by reason of sin we should not need the preaching of the Law at all. But now God cannot accomplish anything with us through His grace by reason of our hardness and profound security unless He has first broken and crushed our iron- and steel-hard hearts with the Law” (1, 1430). It should really not be necessary that we as preachers of the Gospel should first have to preach the Law, for truly there is Law enough before our eyes and Law enough in us. We all have an evil conscience before God. We know that we have sinned in God’s sight and cannot stand before Him. To what purpose are the fearful judgments of God displayed in the world? There we see that death inexorably swallows up all men. That is truly terrible. God’s punishments upon sin are constantly being carried into execution. But Luther correctly says that we are by nature so dull and obdurate that we in all this do not once mark how God’s wrath is inflamed against sin. Therefore God must open our eyes through special Law-preaching. We must say: “There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” We all belong in hell. We are as secure people as were the Jews of the synagogue. The Jews said that they were descendants of Abraham; and hence if any one were sitting in the bosom of God and held citizenship in the kingdom of God, it was surely they. And against everyone who would extend this claim to the kingdom of the Messiah also to others they exercised the most extreme hostility.

But it was not so with the Jews only. Luther continues: “We experience it every day that not only the Jews but all men are so minded, as I have said above of the Turks, who presume that they are God’s people because they have such good fortune and so much victory; also of the Pope and his church, who bear the name of church because they sit in such high office and honors. In short, this history depicts all such in such a way that they cannot be saved unless they are led into death and despair. For all presume to obtain God’s favor and the forgiveness of sins through their fleshly birth and the power it imparts” (1, 1430).

It is quite remarkable—one experiences it in the cure of souls—what men will confide in before God in order to ascribe to themselves a superiority to others. Some do this for the reason that all goes so well with them, as Luther adduces the example of a man in Wittenberg who reasoned thus: If you are so good and fortunate a man it cannot fail but that you must have a gracious God. Others pride themselves upon the fact that they have so much misfortune. The Papists indeed comfort the sinners in this way (it belongs among their sentences of consolation): You have suffered so much, and God will surely have regard to that. Still others pride themselves upon their beauty, and others again on their ugliness. In short, there is hardly anything for which men do not somehow take credit to themselves. Luther relates an example: “I still remember well that once upon a time a godless man and great enemy of the Gospel fell from a scaffold upon which he was viewing a building which was being erected in a certain place. When he suffered no harm from the fall – for not one of his members was injured – he cried with a loud voice: Now I know that I have a gracious God. So the world is accustomed to do. From bodily benefits they presume and imagine that God is gracious and favorable to them; for such is our constitution and nature. Therefore it is necessary that it be mortified, which occurs through the Law. Wherefore he who desires to be an heir of the promise must let everything go that is not promise, as St. Paul does in his Epistle to the Philippians, ch. 3 v. 8, where he calls the righteousness of the Law dung. Thus before God nothing counts but only the promise and grace which are held out to us in Christ.”

Luther himself makes the confession that he was also tempted, even after he had come to the knowledge of Christ, to trust in his own accomplishments: “This temptation plagues me also quite often, that I look about for good works upon which I might rely, namely, that I have taught and preached so much, served many people and done good, besides suffering much wrong through no fault of mine” (1, 1433).

Luther is indeed the angel who flies through the midst of heaven (of the Church). This still continues. Also we must bear the reproach of Christ, as did Luther. But our human nature is so constituted that we take a bit of credit for it to ourselves. As soon as such a frame of mind shows itself in us faith immediately declines; and if this frame of mind would get dominion over us, we should fall away from the faith; for faith in Christ is something very different from having regard for what we have done. Faith looks to Christ; “He is the Mediator.” Faith in Christ has no other object than Christ, who was crucified for us and shed His God-blood for us. If faith would even partially let go of its object, it would no longer be true faith. Luther says further, that it was of no moment to him whether his sermons were printed or not printed. He says that the temptation plagued him to look about for good works. When God illuminates our inward parts with His Law and we realize what we are before God, then we forget what we have done and say: O God, be gracious to me for the sake of the blood of Thy Son! “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant.” “Then I feel indeed that all this is nothing, so that I must say and confess with David, Ps. 32:5: Lord I am nothing else but just a poor sinner; again, as he says in Psalm 116:11: “I said in my haste, all men are liars,” that is to say: All men are vanity, who deceive and are deceived; again in Ps. 143:2: “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant.” But with this hope alone I sustain myself, that I see how in the Gospel comfort is promised those whom their sins press and trouble, and hope to the poor despondent consciences; besides, that to those who are led into hell heaven is promised. And it is a sure token of this hope that the Son of God without our foreknowledge offered Himself to the Father for us on the tree of the cross” (l.c.).

Note in these last words how free grace is, how entirely independent of that which we have done and are. This is evident from the fact that God gave His Son to be our Savior, who won grace for us before we were born or prayed for it. Then God through Christ reconciled the world unto Himself, and us, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We shall believe the grace which Christ won for us. In view of this free grace faith is wrought and preserved.

So may God bestow upon you His grace, that you, as long as you can open your mouth, may be here in the Christian Church heralds of grace alone!

(To Be Continued….)

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings appointed for Sunday are: Psalm 29; Acts 21:37 – 22:29; Romans 6:1-11; Matthew 3:13-17. 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 15:1ff.

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 recovering from hernia surgery; Dick Stueland, recovering from a second knee surgery; for Harley Woods, following 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; 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

The next congregational evening Bible study is tentatively planned for 7 p.m. on Jan. 19.

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

On-line video of worship services can be found at: http://goodshepherdrogers.org/blog/worship-service-video/

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.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10

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