Welcome to the Pastor's Corner! On this page you'll find resources related to a variety of aspects of your Christian faith. I pray that this page helps you both to understand and embrace the gifts God gives to you in Word and Sacrament, as well as helps you live out the risen life God has given you in everything you do. Unless otherwise noted, the resources on this page have been created by the Pastor at St. John's and are free to use and distribute to the glory of God and for the good of His Church. |
LESSONS ON THE LITURGY
Here is a collection of the "Lessons on the Liturgy" that are on the back of our announcements sheets throughout the year. The lessons are divided by tabs according to subject matter.
Here is a collection of the "Lessons on the Liturgy" that are on the back of our announcements sheets throughout the year. The lessons are divided by tabs according to subject matter.
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Parts of the Liturgy
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Rituals & Traditions
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Art & Architecture
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Church Year
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Catechesis
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the divine service
We call our worship a Divine Service because the best part of our worship isn’t what we do but what God does. In this Divine Service God serves us His absolution, His Word and preaching, and His Holy Supper. Our natural response to receiving these great gifts of God in His Divine Service is to praise His name with psalms and hymns and to joyfully confess back to him in prayers and Creeds what He has done for us. You can read more about this term “Divine Service” on page viii of Lutheran Service Book. – The content of this lesson comes from Scot Kinnaman, Worshiping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service, 4-5.
what do we call what happens on sunday morning?
When most people go to church on Sunday morning they say they are going to worship. This is true; on Sunday mornings we worship our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. However, there are even better words than that to describe the Sunday morning gathering. One is Divine Service. The main reason we go to church on Sunday is for God to serve us with His Word and Sacrament. It is fitting, then, that we call that thing that happens on Sundays the Divine Service. The Germans have any even stronger word for Divine Service: Gottesdienst - God’s Service. We can also refer to the Divine Service as the Liturgy. Liturgy comes from a Greek word that means public service. On Sunday mornings God provides a public service to His people by providing us His gifts of grace.
Rubrics
Rubric is Latin for “red”. These are the liturgical instructions in our hymnal that are written in red. Rubrics often give us direction on how to move during the service. These rubrics are useful because they allow the liturgy to flow like a beautiful and well-rehearsed symphony rather than having the pastor frequently pause the liturgy to direct traffic. – The content of this lesson comes from Scot Kinnaman, Worshiping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service, 7.
invocation
Invocation is Latin for “call upon.” We begin every Divine Service with the Invocation of the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In so doing we call upon the name of the Lord to be present to deliver His Word and Sacrament to us during His Divine Service. We make the sign of the cross on ourselves during the Invocation to remind ourselves that the name of our Triune God is always upon us because we have been Baptized into His name. – The content of this lesson comes from Scot Kinnaman, Worshiping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service, 8-9.
kyrie eleison
Kyrie Eleison is Latin for “Lord, have mercy.” The Kyrie is the first prayer we pray during the Divine Service after confession and absolution. This short prayer is prayed often by the saints in Scripture, for example, by the Canaanite woman (Mt. 15:22), by blind Bartimaeus (Mk. 10:46-47), and the ten lepers (Lu. 17:12-13). Just as the prayer was used in Scripture, we pray Kyrie Eleison to our Lord and King that he might show mercy on us through His Word and Supper which we are about to receive. – The content of this lesson comes from Scot Kinnaman, Worshiping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service, 14.
gloria in excelsis
Gloria in Excelsis is Latin for “Glory [to God] in the highest.” These are the first words of the traditional hymn of praise sung near the beginning of the Divine Service. These words are taken from the angelic hymn of Christ’s birth in Luke 2:14. In the Gloria, the Church celebrates Christmas all year long, and we, along with the shepherds, are invited to go and see Jesus in the Scripture readings that follow. – The content of this lesson comes from Scot Kinnaman, Worshiping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service, 16.
the creed
Creed is a word that comes from the Latin word credo which means “I believe.” On Sunday we confess either the Apostles or Nicene Creed. In so doing we express our unity in the faith with the whole Church of all time and all places. Thus the Creed expresses our personal faith in God as well as the faith held among the community of believers in which we gather. – The content of this lesson comes from Scot Kinnaman, Worshiping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service, 24-25.
the athanasian creed
Early in the fourth century, a north African pastor named Arius began teaching that Jesus Christ was not truly God. The Church responded decisively in AD 325 with a statement of faith (The Nicene Creed), which confessed that Jesus is, in fact, true God. Toward the end of the fifth century, another creed was written that delved further into the mystery of the Trinity. Though attributed to Athanasius, a fourth-century opponent of Arius, this anonymous creed clearly came at a later stage in the debate.
The Athanasian Creed declares that its teachings concerning the Holy Trinity and our Lord’s incarnation are “the catholic faith.” In other words, this is what the true Church of all times and all places has confessed. More than fifteen centuries later, the Church continues to confess this truth, confident that the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have given Himself for our salvation. - Quoted from Lutheran Service Book, 319.
The Athanasian Creed declares that its teachings concerning the Holy Trinity and our Lord’s incarnation are “the catholic faith.” In other words, this is what the true Church of all times and all places has confessed. More than fifteen centuries later, the Church continues to confess this truth, confident that the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have given Himself for our salvation. - Quoted from Lutheran Service Book, 319.
the preface
The verses and prayer spoken before the Sanctus is one of the oldest traditions in our liturgy. The prefaces of the LSB are very similar to the prefaces dating to the third century. Here we turn our hearts to the Sacrament we are about to receive. The preface marks the Sacrament as a meal of thanksgiving (Eucharist) as we lift our hearts in thanks and praise to the Lord. The preface also marks our Lord’s body and blood as a meal of unity (Communion) as we gather with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven to laud and magnify the glorious name of our Lord who gives himself to us for the forgiveness of sins.
the sanctus
Sanctus is Latin for “Holy.” This ancient hymn, likely originating in the 2nd century, combines the song of the seraphim in Isaiah’s vision of the Lord in his throne room (Holy, Holy, Holy…) with the Palm Sunday praises of the people as Jesus entered Jerusalem (Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord). We sing the Sanctus as a song of adoration and celebration as the king and savior of all creation enters our presence at the Sacrament of the Altar.
come, lord jesus
Many of us pray what is known as the common table prayer at mealtime: “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed.” Those first three words: “Come Lord Jesus,” are a reference to the final words of the Revelation to St. John. When we pray “Come Lord Jesus” at supper we are asking Jesus to come take us from our table to the eternal marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom as He revealed it to St. John. We pray the same thing when we occasionally use these words in the Communion liturgy on page 162 of our hymnal. Yet even here on earth as we pray “Come Lord Jesus,” we know that these gifts to us, both the gifts on our dinner tables and the gifts of the Lord’s Table, are blessed by God for our benefit.
the pax domini
When Pastor says: “The peace of the Lord be with you always” during the Communion Liturgy he presents to you the Body and Blood of Jesus. He does this to show you the source of the peace that he gives to you: the very crucified and resurrected body of Jesus that is given to you at Communion.
The agnus dei
Agnus Dei is Latin for “Lamb of God.” This hymn became part of the liturgy around 700 A.D. The hymn sings the word of John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The Agnus Dei also brings to mind the Lamb who was slain who sits victoriously on the throne of God in the book of Revelation. We sing the Agnus Dei as we approach the altar to receive the body and blood of Christ. This hymn reminds us that Jesus is both our Good Shepherd and the Lamb of God by whose sacrifice we have eternal life.
the nunc dimittis
The Nunc Dimittis, or, Song of Simeon makes a great bedtime prayer. It also makes a great Advent prayer, especially as it is sung in Compline (LSB 258-9) with an additional antiphon:
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping
that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.
Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace; Your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation which You have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal You to the nations and the glory of Your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping
that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping
that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.
Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace; Your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation which You have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal You to the nations and the glory of Your people Israel.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping
that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.
the great o antiphons
The beloved Advent hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel finds its origins in a seven-day prayer from the 12th Century. The prayer begins on Dec. 17th and ends on Dec. 23rd. Each day has a different “O antiphon” which features a particular name of Jesus and a prayer focusing on the salvific attributes of each name. The antiphons include O Wisdom, Adonai, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Dayspring, King of the Nations, and Emmanuel. The prayer is printed in the hymnal following O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (LSB 357). Take a picture with your phone or ask Pastor to make a copy for you and pray these prayers with the Church of all ages in the week before Christmas.
phos hilaron (joyous Light)
The Phos Hilaron, or Hymn of Light, is a hymn composed in the 3rd Century which still sung by Christians today. We sing this hymn during Evening Prayer (LSB 244). When we sing this hymn as the sun is setting we remember and praise the Joyous Light of Glory, Jesus Christ, who is the Light no darkness can overcome, who led Israel by a pillar of fire by night and who leads us by his Word which is is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. The words of the hymn are easy to learn by heart and make a great spoken or sung prayer every evening, especially in these darkest days of winter:
Joyous light of glory: of the immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the sun, and we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life: the universe proclaims Your glory.
Joyous light of glory: of the immortal Father, heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the sun, and we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life: the universe proclaims Your glory.
matins
The service of Matins originated as one of the monastic “hours” or prayer services that were sung seven times a day. The Lutheran church has historically retained Matins as a prayer service to be used Monday through Saturday in the morning, with the Divine Service being held every Sunday. The chief functions of Matins are meditation on the Word, morning praise of our Creator and Redeemer, and prayer for the day which we are about to begin.
the litany
The following is an excerpt from LCMS President Matthew Harrison encouraging us to pray the Litany. You can find the Litany on p. 288 of the hymnal.
“I've long enjoyed praying the Litany. Luther did too. The prayer has an amazing longevity in the church, having found its form by the 6th century (Gregory the Great regularized it). [...] Left to ourselves, bereft of texts as the foundation of our prayers, we are often left praying "Dear God, give me a mini-bike," as I was wont to pray as a 12 year old - and am prone to pray even today! Texts of the scriptures (Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments) and scriptural texts (Creed, Litany!) lay down God's thoughts as the foundation of prayer, the tarmac if you will, from which our meditations may gently or quickly rise, aided by the Holy Spirit. The fulsome petitions of the Litany take us out of ourselves, to pray for the church, pastors and teachers, our enemies, women with children, the poor, the imprisoned and much much more. And all for mercy, growing out of the great petitions of the blind, the lame and the ill who comes to Jesus in the New Testament, "Lord have mercy!" "Kyrie eleison!" The Lord loves to have mercy. The Lord came to have mercy. The Lord continues to have mercy.”
- taken from http://mercyjourney.blogspot.com/2011/03/lets-pray-litany-daily-kyrie-eleison.html
“I've long enjoyed praying the Litany. Luther did too. The prayer has an amazing longevity in the church, having found its form by the 6th century (Gregory the Great regularized it). [...] Left to ourselves, bereft of texts as the foundation of our prayers, we are often left praying "Dear God, give me a mini-bike," as I was wont to pray as a 12 year old - and am prone to pray even today! Texts of the scriptures (Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments) and scriptural texts (Creed, Litany!) lay down God's thoughts as the foundation of prayer, the tarmac if you will, from which our meditations may gently or quickly rise, aided by the Holy Spirit. The fulsome petitions of the Litany take us out of ourselves, to pray for the church, pastors and teachers, our enemies, women with children, the poor, the imprisoned and much much more. And all for mercy, growing out of the great petitions of the blind, the lame and the ill who comes to Jesus in the New Testament, "Lord have mercy!" "Kyrie eleison!" The Lord loves to have mercy. The Lord came to have mercy. The Lord continues to have mercy.”
- taken from http://mercyjourney.blogspot.com/2011/03/lets-pray-litany-daily-kyrie-eleison.html
mea culpa
The confession of sins in the order of Compline (LSB 253-259) uses a phrase that has been used in liturgies of confession for over 1,000 years: “I have sinned [...] by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grievous fault (mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa).” In some traditions as Christians confess this three-fold apology they tap their chest three times with a closed fist to symbolize the “beating of the breast” that accompanies repentance in Scripture in places like Luke 18:13 when the tax collector beat his breast and prayed “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” When you confess your sins, either to God in prayer or to your neighbor, consider using this sincere three-fold mea culpa confession.
confirmation
Confirmation is a public rite of the Church that is preceded by a period of instruction designed to help baptized Christians identify with the life and mission of the Christian community. Having been instructed in the Christian faith prior to admission to the Lord’s Supper, the rite of Confirmation provides an opportunity for the individual Christian, relying on God’s promise of Holy Baptism, to make a personal public confession of the faith and a lifelong pledge of fidelity to Christ. - Explanation taken from Lutheran Worship: Altar Book.
the hand of blessing
Do you notice during the Invocation, Absolution, and Benediction that Pastor’s fingers are bent in a strange way? That’s because he is using his fingers to spell an abbreviation of “Jesus Christ.” In the early Greek language common words were abbreviated with the first and last letter of the word. So, “Jesus Christ” in Greek is “IC XC.” Therefore you are literally blessed with the name of Jesus Christ during the Divine Liturgy!
hands at prayer
The Church doesn’t know exactly how we came to fold our hands during prayer. The important thing is that when we pray our hands are resting hands. These resting hands are hands of faith. As we fold our hands together and put them to rest we direct our eyes and hearts to the nail-marked hands of Jesus. These crucified hands of Jesus are always the answer to our prayers.
the sign of the cross
The making of the sign of the cross is perhaps the oldest rubric in the history of the Christian Church, likely dating to the times of the apostles themselves. The sign of the cross is made on you first by the pastor at your Baptism. Every time you cross yourself you are retracing the sign first made upon you at your Baptism, thus bringing to mind the gifts of the forgiveness, life, and salvation of Christ’s cross given to you there in water and word. Look for places in the liturgy such as the Invocation, Absolution, Creed, Sacrament, and Benediction to trace this reminder of your Baptism on yourself.
bowing toward the altar
The entire church building is a holy place because it has been set apart from other buildings as the place where Jesus comes to us with his Word and Body and Blood. The altar is especially holy because that is the place where the Body and Blood of Jesus sits. Bowing toward the altar during Communion, as well as any other time we approach it, is a way of showing reverence to the place that God regularly hallows with his bodily presence.
Kneeling at communion
In the old days people would kneel when a king entered his throne room. We do the same when Christ our King comes to us at the Lord’s Supper. Pastor kneels to one knee as the Body and Blood of Jesus enter the room in the Words of Institution (the congregation can also bow at this time). Then as we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus we show our greatest reverence to our king and kneel with both knees.
the elevation of the host and chalice
After the bread and wine is consecrated during the Communion Liturgy, Pastor holds them above his head for the congregation to see. He does this so that we can all adore and worship the Body and Blood of Jesus who is now present in the bread and wine. This adoration is a great moment of faith. Our eyes see bread and wine lifted up, but our hearts see Body and Blood. This adoration lasts only a few seconds so that we can move on to the most important part: the eating and drinking for the forgiveness of sins.
lighting the candles
Traditionally the candles closest to the altar are lit first and extinguished last. It is as if the light originates from the altar and spreads out into the world. This symbolizes what happens during the Divine Liturgy: Jesus Christ the light of the world enlightens us with forgiveness, life, and salvation at the Sacrament of the Altar and sends us out to reflect his light on the world.
chanting
Chanting is strange, and it’s supposed to be! Chanting the liturgy lets us know that something is happening at church that doesn’t happen anywhere else on earth. These are the words of faith, the words of the Holy Spirit. The liturgy, especially the Psalms, have been chanted from the moment they were written. When St. Gregory the Great (around 600 A.D.) finally began to write down these ancient psalm tones he used the tones that had been passed down to him from the Jewish synagogue. So when we use Gregorian chants in our liturgy we are likely singing the Psalms in a similar way to how King David, and how Christ himself, sang them.
the tithe
In the Old Testament God’s people were required to tithe (give ten percent of their goods) for the support of the priests as well as poor and needy among them. On the cross Jesus set us free from the law of the tithe. We no longer give to God and those in need under compulsion, but we give freely from our redeemed hearts. The widow’s mite in today’s Gospel lesson is a good example of a person who gave by faith and not under compulsion. When you consider how much to put in the offering plate think not only about how Jesus has freed you from the requirement of the tithe, but how he has freed you to give even more than ten percent of your income, time, talent, and prayer - from a willing and joyful heart - to the service of the church and those in need. Putting ten percent of your paycheck into the offering plate is only the beginning of the works of love Christ has freed you to pursue in his name.
red or white wine at communion?
Our Lord didn’t specify that we use a certain type of wine for the Lord’s Supper, only that we use wine just as He did. Whether we use red or white wine, merlot or zinfandel, is up to our own discretion. Lutherans do, however, have an interesting history concerning our choice of wine. During the Reformation other Protestant churches required the use of red wine during the Lord’s Supper. Since they believed the wine only represented Jesus’ blood as a metaphor then the wine should only be red because it more closely represents blood (they still used wine because unfermented grape juice didn’t exist until the 1900’s). In reply many Lutherans resolved to use only white wine for the Lord’s Supper to confess that Christ can make His blood present in the wine of His Supper no matter the color of the wine.
preparing for worship
It’s a good idea to prepare yourself to receive God’s Divine Service with prayer, either before you arrive at church or as you sit in the pew a few minutes before the service begins. You can pray using your own words or use this prayer found in the inside cover of the hymnal:
“O Lord, my creator, redeemer, and comforter, as I come to worship You in spirit and in truth, I humbly pray that You would open my heart to the preaching of Your Word so that I may repent of my sins, believe in Jesus Christ as my only Savior, and grow in grace and holiness. Hear me for the sake of His name. Amen.”
“O Lord, my creator, redeemer, and comforter, as I come to worship You in spirit and in truth, I humbly pray that You would open my heart to the preaching of Your Word so that I may repent of my sins, believe in Jesus Christ as my only Savior, and grow in grace and holiness. Hear me for the sake of His name. Amen.”
praying after communion
Some people find it helpful to pray a silent prayer by themselves after they receive the Lord’s Supper. This prayer from the inside cover of our hymnal can help you give thanks after receiving the Sacrament:
“Almighty and everlasting God, I thank and praise You for feeding me the life-giving body and blood of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Send Your Holy Spirit that, having with my mouth received the holy Sacrament, I may by faith obtain and eternally enjoy Your divine grace, the forgiveness of sins, unity with Christ, and life eternal; through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.”
“Almighty and everlasting God, I thank and praise You for feeding me the life-giving body and blood of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Send Your Holy Spirit that, having with my mouth received the holy Sacrament, I may by faith obtain and eternally enjoy Your divine grace, the forgiveness of sins, unity with Christ, and life eternal; through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.”
The kiss of peace
You may have noticed the rubric in our Divine Service following the Prayer of the Church which reads:
Following the prayers, the people may greet one another in the name of the Lord, saying, “Peace be with you,” as a sign of reconciliation and of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Matt. 5:22-24; Eph. 4:1-3).
This tradition of greeting each other during the Divine Service originated very early in the life of the New Testament Church. The only difference is that the original form of this tradition included exchanging a “kiss of peace,” which is a common way of greeting each other and acknowledging friendship in different cultures and time periods. When a congregation exchanges the kiss of peace, or greeting of peace, during a Divine Service they are confessing that just as Jesus turned them from enemies of God to friends and children of God, so too are they bound in fellowship to one another by this forgiveness. While we do not practice this tradition at St. John’s, we too acknowledge that in Christ we are at peace with God and at peace with our neighbor!
Following the prayers, the people may greet one another in the name of the Lord, saying, “Peace be with you,” as a sign of reconciliation and of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Matt. 5:22-24; Eph. 4:1-3).
This tradition of greeting each other during the Divine Service originated very early in the life of the New Testament Church. The only difference is that the original form of this tradition included exchanging a “kiss of peace,” which is a common way of greeting each other and acknowledging friendship in different cultures and time periods. When a congregation exchanges the kiss of peace, or greeting of peace, during a Divine Service they are confessing that just as Jesus turned them from enemies of God to friends and children of God, so too are they bound in fellowship to one another by this forgiveness. While we do not practice this tradition at St. John’s, we too acknowledge that in Christ we are at peace with God and at peace with our neighbor!
stained-glass windows
Stained-glass windows serve three functions in the church. First, they give us pictures of the Scripture lessons we are hearing from the lectern. In this way the windows give us an opportunity to meditate on the Word which these images illustrate. Second, stained-glass windows are beautiful. Filling the eyes with beautiful things at worship reminds us that God himself is the author of beauty, seen foremost in the beauty of his incarnation in Jesus Christ. Third, light filtered through stained-glass provides a “heavenly” effect. Thus the windows show church to be the place where heaven and earth meet in Christ’s Word and Sacrament.
church ceilings
We all know that church ceilings often look like upside-down boats with reference to God's preservation of Noah and his family in the ark. But have you also noticed how church ceilings (like St. John’s) often have “ribs” that, when standing in the back of the church, give the sense of a picture frame within a picture frame within a picture frame. At the altar the rib typically narrows and is distinguished from the others (in our case by being white instead of brown). This is meant to create the effect of walking into an entirely different realm, or dimension, as one approaches the altar. That is exactly what happens as we come up for Communion. We place one foot on earth and one foot into heaven and receive the mystery of the truly divine and truly human Christ.
paschal candle
The Paschal Candle is the large, decorated candle that stand near the pulpit in the sanctuary. The Paschal Candle is lit on Easter Sunday and remains lit until the Ascension of our Lord forty days later. This light represents the bodily presence of Christ in the midst of His disciples during the forty days after his resurrection. The only other times the Paschal Candle is lit is on special holidays like Christmas and Pentecost, and at baptisms and funerals as a special reminder that Christ is bodily present among those being baptized into His name and those who die in the faith and now rest with Him.
the eight-sided font
Many baptismal fonts, including ours at St. John’s, are an eight-sided structure. The number eight represents resurrection and new creation. Ever since God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, time has passed in seven day increments. When Jesus came to save the world from sin He was crucified on the sixth day (Friday), rested in the tomb on the seventh day (Saturday), and by raising from the tomb on Sunday introduced a new eighth day into creation - the day of the new creation. Our eight-sided baptismal font reminds us that all who are baptized into Christ are baptized into His resurrection and are made new creations in Him.
the house of god
God dwells anywhere that His Word is spoken. We especially recognize the presence of God in the church building. This is the place where we specifically go to receive God’s Word and Sacrament for us. For this reason church buildings are sometimes called “the house of God.” Likewise, because the Word and Spirit of God dwell within us Christians Scripture also refers to Christians as a spiritual household, and a temple of the Holy Spirit. Our great respect and reverence for the church building as well as our own bodies confesses that we believe these are dwelling places of God.
ixthus
Ever wonder why some Christians have a bumper sticker of a fish on the back of their car? In the early days of the Church many Christians were martyred for their faith. In order to continue to spread the Gospel Christians began identifying themselves by a code word: ixthus (ΙΧΘΥΣ) which is Greek for “fish.” These letters created an acronym for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior.” Thus the sign of the fish (ΙΧΘΥΣ) became a symbol for the Christian faith. – The content of this lesson comes from Pamela Nielsen, Behold the Lamb: An Introduction to the Signs and Symbols of the Church, 16-17.
chi-rho
A popular symbol of Christ is the Chi-Rho (kie-row). This is the symbol that appears to us to be an english X on top of a P. Those are actually two Greek letters, the “X” being the chi and the “P” being the rho. These are the first two letters of the title “Christ.” Therefore when you see the Chi-Rho on stoles, paraments, altars, or anywhere else in the church you are reminded that this is a place where Christ is present to fulfill his role as the one anointed to be your savior and eternal king.
i-h-s
The letters “I-H-S” are often found on liturgical artwork in sanctuaries. The symbol is present in the middle of our altar cross at St. John’s. These are the first two letters and the last letter of “Jesus” as it is rendered in the Greek language, which was a common way of abbreviating a name in the old days. Therefore the letters “IHS” in a sanctuary is an indication that this a place where the name of Jesus is proclaimed and placed on us in Word and Sacrament.
INRI
Often times the letters INRI are hung above Christ on crucifixes and artwork. These four letters are an abbreviation of the title in Latin that Pontius Pilate had posted on Jesus’ cross as he was crucified: Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum. In english that’s: Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. That title of which the Jews protested, is a title in which we rejoice. Jesus is not only king of the Jews, but the king of all creation who reigns forgiveness and peace from the throne of the cross and the kingdom of his resurrection.
thee we adore, o hidden savior (lsb 640)
The third stanza of Thomas Aquinas’ well-known hymn, Thee We Adore, O Hidden Savior (LSB 640), is quite obscure without some historical background. The stanza says:
“Thou, like the pelican to feed her brood, Didst pierce Thyself to give us living food;
Thy blood, O Lord, one drop has pow’r to win, Forgiveness for our world and all its sin.”
This image comes from the old legend of the pelican, which says that if a mother pelican does not have food to feed her children in the nest she will let them drink her blood to keep them alive, but the mother will die as a result. Mother pelicans do not, in fact, feed their children like this, but our Lord has poured out his blood to feed us eternal life at His Holy Supper. – The content of this lesson comes from Pamela Nielsen, Behold the Lamb: An Introduction to the Signs and Symbols of the Church, 26-27.
“Thou, like the pelican to feed her brood, Didst pierce Thyself to give us living food;
Thy blood, O Lord, one drop has pow’r to win, Forgiveness for our world and all its sin.”
This image comes from the old legend of the pelican, which says that if a mother pelican does not have food to feed her children in the nest she will let them drink her blood to keep them alive, but the mother will die as a result. Mother pelicans do not, in fact, feed their children like this, but our Lord has poured out his blood to feed us eternal life at His Holy Supper. – The content of this lesson comes from Pamela Nielsen, Behold the Lamb: An Introduction to the Signs and Symbols of the Church, 26-27.
icons
Icon is a Greek word that means “image.” These images of biblical figures and events are not painted, but “written” by an iconographer. Icons can be thought of as windows into heaven because they help us to see heavenly things here on earth. Many congregations hang icons of Christ, the saints, and major events in the life of Christ in their sanctuary to aid in the preaching of the Gospel, as a visual aid for prayer, and to inspire worshippers to imitate the holiness of Christ and His saints.
cassock and surplice
The black gown that Pastor wears is called a cassock. The white garment on top of it is a surplice. There is a long and complicated history as to how pastors came to wear the cassock and surplice, but these vestments also teach two simple lessons. Notice how the white vestment covers the black, just as the righteousness of Christ covers our sin in Baptism. Notice also that when Pastor is wearing his vestments you can only see his head and his hands. In this way you are drawn to focus on his head (particularly his mouth) which proclaims God’s Word to you and his hands which deliver God’s Sacraments and blessing to you.
the stole
Like many of the vestments of the church, the origins and original purpose of the stole is complicated. However there is much that we can learn from its use among pastors today. The stole distinguishes its wearer as one called to the office of the holy ministry. When a pastor wears a stole he gives you confidence that he is the man who has been called by God to deliver God’s gifts to you. Also, the stole happens to look like a yoke. Your pastor has been yoked by Christ for service to his people. Therefore the words and actions of the pastor are never his own, but Christ’s words and deeds which the pastor delivers to you.
Feast Days and Festival Days
Over the centuries, the Christian Church has set aside specific days to remember persons and events that were significant in the proclamation of the Gospel. There are some saints in particular whose lives on earth are so closely connected with the earthly life and ministry of Jesus that their stories are literally part of the Gospel itself. Perhaps the most obvious examples would be the apostles and evangelists. The commemorations of these saints have been observed with special distinction—always to the praise and glory of Christ Jesus and His Gospel. These days are really treated as "Feasts of Christ," that is to say, as days when we remember, celebrate, and give thanks for the life that our Lord Jesus Christ lived for us in the flesh. Historical events which are especially notable in the furthering of Christ’s kingdom are celebrated as Festival Days. The Lutheran Reformation is one such festival.
Advent
Advent is a Latin word that means coming. During Advent we prepare to celebrate the past coming of our Lord into human flesh and the future coming of Jesus on the Last Day, even as we prepare for Jesus to come to us in the present at the Lord’s Supper. Thus the season of Advent is not only a time of preparation for Christmas, but it is a time to prepare our hearts for all the ways in which Christ has come, comes, and will come to be our Savior.
The Advent Wreath
The Advent wreath originated in eastern Germany prior to the Reformation. In its present form traditional Advent wreaths have three purple candles and one pink candle. The purple candles match the paraments on the altar (which were traditionally purple during Advent). The purple signifies the royalty of the coming King. The pink candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means "Rejoice!" in Latin. This Sunday features the Philippians 4 text: “Rejoice! [...] the Lord is near.” The white candle is lit during the 12 days of Christmas (Dec. 25 to Jan. 5) to celebrate Jesus’ arrival in human flesh at His birth.
christmas trees
The origins of the Christmas Tree is the source of an interesting scholarly debate. Several reputable scholars credit Martin Luther with decorating the first Christmas tree in his home. Lights represent the starry sky, the star on top is the star that led the Magi, or an angel on top is Gabriel who announced Jesus’ birth. One old tradition was to decorate the tree with red baubles to represent the fruit on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, showing that Jesus’ birth began to reintroduce Paradise to creation.
poinsettias
Poinsettias came to be associated with Christmas in Mexico. There they are called the “flower of the blessed night (Christmas Eve).” Their star-like shape reminds us of the star of Bethlehem. Their red color reminds us of the blood Christ would shed for the sins of the world. White poinsettias remind us of the purity of the baby Jesus who, being true God and true Man, was born without sin.
evergreen decorations
Churches and homes are filled with evergreen garlands, trees, and wreaths during the Christmas season. Evergreen wreaths have long been a symbol of peace, joy, and victory. Evergreens, obviously, stay green even throughout the winter. In this way they symbolize the unchanging nature of God and the everlasting life that is ours through Jesus Christ.
epiphany
Epiphany is a Greek word that means shed light upon or manifest or make visible. Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th (or the nearest Sunday). On this day we celebrate when Jesus manifested Himself to the Gentiles by way of the magi. During the season of Epiphany we remember various other ways in which Jesus revealed Himself to the world such as: at his Baptism, at the wedding at Cana when He changed water into wine, through His many healings and exorcisms, in His preached Word, and on the Mount of Transfiguration.
house blessings
There has long been a custom in many Christian traditions to bless houses during the season of Epiphany. This custom is in connection with the celebration of the Magi entering the house of the Holy Family to bless Jesus and present to him gifts. One custom is to write with chalk +C+M+B surrounded by the year on the entrance of the door of each house. So for this year: 20+C+M+B 20. One tradition says these letters stand for the supposed names of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar). Another says they stand for Christus mansionem benedicat (Christ bless this house). In any case, a cross drawn or crucifix hung in your entryway by Pastor or the head of the household would be just fine!
The Apostles Simon, Andrew, James, and John
In today’s Gospel lesson (Mark 1:14-20) we hear of Jesus calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to be His disciples. Simon-Peter is remembered by a pair of keys because Jesus gave Peter the office of the keys, as well as an upside-down cross because he was martyred in that way. Andrew is remembered by a fish because he was called to be a fisher of men, and an X-shaped cross for his martyrdom. James is remembered by a shell to symbolize baptism and a sword for his martyrdom. John is remembered by a book and a pen as the author of several New Testament books.
candlemas
We celebrate the Feast of the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord every year on February 02. The account of Mary and Jesus going to the temple to be purified is found at Luke 2:22-38. This feast is often called “Candlemas” because tradition has arose to bless candles on this day in lieu of Simeon’s song of praise in which he identifies Jesus as “a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel (Lu. 2:32).”
transfiguration sunday
Transfiguration Sunday is always the last Sunday of the Epiphany season and the Sunday directly preceding Ash Wednesday. We hear from St. Luke’s account that after Jesus was transfigured on the mount He descended and “set His face to go to Jerusalem (Lu. 9:53).” That is to say, after Jesus showed His glory on one mountain (the Mount of Transfiguration) He then set out to show His glory on an even greater mountain (the mount of the cross). So then, our Lenten journey will mirror the life of Christ as we descend with Christ into the penitential valley of Lent and finally arrive at the joyous mountain of the cross and empty tomb.
the feast of st. matthias
While today in church we celebrate the Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany, February 24th is also the day designated to celebrate St. Matthias, Apostle of Christ. The Scriptural account of St. Matthias is found in Acts 1:15-26. After the ascension of Jesus, Matthias was chosen by lot to fill Judas Iscariot’s empty spot among the Twelve. Several traditions exist as to where Matthias carried out his ministry. Some say Ethiopia, others Armenia, and others elsewhere in Asia Minor. Matthias was martyred for his faith around 50 AD, and is said to be buried at the Church of St. Matthias in Trier, Germany.
fat tuesday
Contrary to popular belief Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, did not originate as a day of wild debauchery before the drudgery of Lent began. The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, sometimes also called Shrove Tuesday or Carnival, was a day for Christians to clear out all the distractions from their houses so that they could focus solely on the merits of Christ’s passion for the forty days of Lent. This meant first and foremost clearing the sins out of their hearts by receiving private confession and absolution from their pastor, setting them on the right track of repentance and faith for the season of Lent. The second task was to clear all of the fat or other foods out of the house that one would be giving up for the Lenten fast. Not wanting to simply throw these ingredients out, the tradition of feasting on pancakes and other fattening foods came about, hence “Fat” Tuesday. As Fat Tuesday approaches, consider how the practice of private confession and absolution and the practice of fasting might be profitable to your faith during this Lenten season.
lent
The word Lent comes from the Old English word lencten (lengthen), which was the word used for the season that we call spring when the hours of daylight begin to lengthen. For Christians the season of Lent and the season of spring correspond well. Just as spring is a season of new life, during Lent we prepare to receive the new, eternal life that Christ gave to the world at His resurrection. Lent is also a time for us to experience a season of growth and renewal of our life in Christ through our intensified repentance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
lent (alternative explanation)
Our word “Lent” derives from a Germanic word meaning “springtime.” As the earth comes to life again after its long winter sleep, so Christ bursts from the tomb radiating the promise of eternal life. He reveals what we are called to be. During Lent we clear the debris of our lives in order to allow the mercy of God to fall upon them. Christ hallows the dust of our humanity with his own blood. What I am to be is presented in the wounded body of the glorified Christ. Lent begins with ashes and ends with the fire, the Paschal fire of the Resurrection-the assurance of what we shall be. - Father Allan James White, Magnificat (Wed., February 18th, 2015), p. 274
st. patrick's prayer
March 17th is the day we remember St. Patrick, 5th century missionary to Ireland. One of the great gifts that Patrick left the Church is his prayer known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate. Here are the final lines of the prayer:
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself today,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
The hymn version of this prayer can be found in Lutheran Service Book #604.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself today,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
The hymn version of this prayer can be found in Lutheran Service Book #604.
"giving something up" for lent
The recent tradition of “giving something up” for Lent grew out of the ancient tradition of seeing the season of Lent as a season of self-denial. We begin the season by putting ashes on our foreheads to confess that this is what we are without God. Adam was dust before God made him Adam, and we will return to dust and remain dust if we continue in sin apart from God. With ashes on our heads we begin the season denying ourselves of the things which otherwise identify us as human, which are truly dust. Then we seek to grow into the new humanity which Christ gave us at our Baptism. We spend forty days strengthening our attack against the things by which we are tempted to be defined, and forty days seeking to be defined by the life which Christ has delivered to us on the cross.
prayer, fasting, & Almsgiving
Our repentance during the Lenten season takes shape in the form of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Prayer is the primary discipline of Lent. We pray that God forgive us of our sins and conform our lives to Christ’s life. Fasting encourages us toward prayer as we seek not to live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Almsgiving gives us opportunity to share the fruits which a repentant faith produce within us by helping our neighbors in need. Practically speaking we fast during Lent so that we have more time for prayer and more money to share with our neighbor.
purple paraments
Purple, like black, is a penitential color, in contrast to a festive one. Purple was a very cherished and expensive color in the world Jesus lived, as the dye used to make the color was painstakingly acquired from a Mediterranean shellfish. Thus purple clothes were worn exclusively by royalty. As the soldiers mocked and tormented Jesus at his crucifixion they placed on him a purple garment in order to ridicule him and belittle the claim that he was the King of the Jews. Therefore, purple is used during this penitential season of Lent as a reminder of the contempt and scorn Jesus endured, and the sacrifice he made for our eternal salvation as our eternal king.
the palm sunday procession
In ancient days when a king rode into town the people would cover the dusty road with their coats or with branches from a tree in order to show their king the highest honor and respect: equivalent to rolling out the red carpet. Today we process into church with palm branches not only to mimic our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem to conquer sin and death on the cross, but also to celebrate his triumphal entry among us as he enters our midst in Word and Sacrament to travel with us through our somber remembrance of his cross and passion and to the victorious joy of Easter.
the easter triduum
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are all part of a single liturgy called the Easter Triduum, or the Paschal Triduum. We begin the Easter Triduum with the Invocation (“In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”) on Maundy Thursday and end with the Benediction (“The Lord bless you and keep you…”) on the Easter Vigil. This liturgy is of great comfort to us because it reminds us that Christ’s Holy Supper is never without the power of His death, and His death is never without the power of His resurrection.
the date of easter
Page xxiii of our hymnal gives this explanation for the date of Easter: “Easter Day is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox on March 21. This full moon may happen on any date between March 21 and April 18 inclusive. If the full moon falls on a Sunday, Easter Day is the Sunday following. Easter Day cannot be earlier than March 22 or later than April 25.” Praise God that we are saved by faith in Christ’s death and resurrection for us and not by our ability to calculate the appropriate time to celebrate it!
the paschal greeting
The Paschal Greeting, or Easter Acclamation, is a liturgical rubric as well as a common greeting among Christians in the Easter season. As one person says: “Christ is risen” the other responds: “He is risen indeed, Alleluia.” These words, recorded in Luke 24:34, were first spoken by the eleven disciples and it is thought that the phrase immediately became a common greeting among Christians. Thus when we use this Paschal Greeting in church and among ourselves we are joining the apostles and 2,000 years of saints before us in proclaiming the great joy that the good news of our resurrected Lord brings to us.
the new sabbath rest
In the Old Testament Saturday was the day of rest and worship. On Saturday, or the “Sabbath Day”, people would rest with God and celebrate the goodness of His creation just as He rested after the six days of creation. In the New Testament Sunday has become the day of rest and worship. This is because Jesus completed the Sabbath rest for all mankind as He rested dead in the tomb after his crucifixion. We now rest with Jesus on Sunday as we celebrate His resurrection at the Lord’s Supper, which is a new creation that restores and perfects the old. Coming to the Lord’s Supper is the best way to rest with God from His labors of creating, especially of the new creation of His Son’s crucified and resurrected body and blood. It is therefore appropriate and of the utmost joy for Christians to celebrate the Lord’s Supper every Sunday in order to rest with God in His new and perfect creation.
ascension day
We celebrate the Ascension of our Lord forty days after Easter Day (therefore always on a Thursday). Here is the collect of the day for Ascension Day:
Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
the right hand of god
This Thursday we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord (forty days after Easter Day). We do well to remember that when our Lord ascended into heaven to the right hand of the Father, this does not mean that Christ remains in one set place in heaven. The right hand of God is wherever God’s almighty power and authority exists - and that is everywhere! The writer of Hebrews explains the presence and position of Jesus in this way:
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the Word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the Word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
catechesis
The term catechism comes from the Greek word katecho, which literally means to “sound back and forth.” (The word echo also comes from this Greek word.) Thus the “catechetical” method of teaching is rooted in classical Greek and Roman educational methods and was used throughout the Middle Ages down to Luther’s time: The teacher asks a question; the student responds with a fixed and set answer, and so it goes, echoing back and forth. Repetition and recitation of the material is used to instill in the student the words, phrases, and concepts being taught. An explanation is also added, according to the student’s level of understanding. In this way, the Christian Church taught, or catechized, the faith. The students learning the faith are known as catechumens, and they receive careful and thorough catechesis (instruction) in the Christian faith. - Concordia, The Lutheran Confessions: A Reader’s Edition of the Book of Concord (2006), p. 309.
what is the bible
The Bible gathers together the writings of God’s chosen prophets and apostles over a period of more than a thousand years. Through the Holy Spirit, God Himself gave these writers the thoughts and words they recorded (verbal inspiration), such that the Bible is God’s Word. For this reason, the Scriptures are both infallible (incapable of error) and inerrant (containing no mistakes). Holy Scripture is therefore entirely reliable and gives us everything we need to know and believe for Christian faith and life. See Hebrews 1:1-2; Ephesians 2:19-20; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21. - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 46-47
what is the small catechism
For Centuries, Christians have used three important texts as a basic summary for teaching the Christian faith and life: the Ten Commandments, Creed, and Lord’s Prayer. Martin Luther helpfully included biblical passages on Baptism, Confession, and the Lord’s Supper. The Small Catechism, written by Luther in 1529, includes these texts along with brief explanations. - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 50
law and gospel
The Law teaches what we are to do and not to do; the Gospel teaches what God has done, and still does, in Jesus, for our salvation. The Law shows us our sin and the wrath of God; the Gospel shows us our Savior and brings God’s grace and favor. The Law must be proclaimed to all people, but especially to sinners who refuse to repent; the Gospel must be proclaimed to sinners who are troubled by their sins. See Romans 3:20; John 6:63; Romans 1:16. - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 49
justification
Article IV of the Augsburg Confession has been called the chief doctrine of the Lutheran Church and the doctrine on which the Church either stands or falls. This article of faith confesses that our righteousness before God is won for us by Christ alone and is obtained by us through faith alone. Here is AC IV:
"[Our Churches, with common consent,] also teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4."
"[Our Churches, with common consent,] also teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4."
preparing for private or corporate confession
Consider how the Ten Commandments act as a mirror, showing us where we have sinned in our various places in life. How have you - as a husband, wife, mother, father, daughter, son, teacher, student, employer, employee, and so forth - failed to fear love, and trust in God and love your neighbor? - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 311
may women serve in the office of pastoral ministry?
No. God’s Word prohibits women from serving in the pastoral office. All Christians, both men and women, are gifted for service in Christ’s Church, but each according to God’s order, Word, and will. See 1 Corinthians 14:33-36; 1 Timothy 2:11-14; 1 Peter 4:10. Women have always served and continue to serve the Church in many different lay and professional vocations. As teachers or deaconesses, for instance, they often bring gifts that men cannot. - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 320-321
may those who are weak or struggling in faith come to the sacrament?
Yes. The words “for you” show us that Christ instituted this Sacrament for weak and struggling sinners like us, to draw us to Himself and to strengthen our faith in Him. See Mark 9:24; John 6:37; Isaiah 42:3. “Such people must learn that it is the highest art to know that our Sacrament does not depend upon our worthiness [...]. On the contrary, we go exactly because we are poor, miserable people. We go exactly because we are unworthy. This is true unless we are talking about someone who desires no grace and Absolution nor intends to change” (Large Catechism, V, 61). - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 341-342
reading god's word
Reading the Bible can seem daunting. Its words, however, are the very words of God and the words of life. God wants us to hear, understand, and believe His Word, and His Spirit works through it to enable us to do so. The first challenge in reading God’s Word is simply to open the book. The devil delights in distracting us with other activities or priorities that may seem more urgent, exciting, or important. So resist, and frustrate the devil! Sit down and open your Bible. - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 354
exorcisms
The work of casting out demons, or “exorcising” demons in Christ’s name was a task given to the Apostles, and it is a work that continues today. Exorcisms are commonly performed by Lutheran pastors in some African countries, for instance, where satanic cults or practices tied to tribal religions are present. Lutherans used to (and still can) perform what is called a “minor exorcism” at Baptism, saying toward the candidate something like: “come out you unclean spirit and make room for the Holy Spirit.” This confesses that although the baptismal candidate is not “possessed” by demons as we commonly think of the term, any person not filled with the Holy Spirit is filled with the spirits of the devil.
cemeteries
Cemetery is a Greek word which means sleeping place. The fact that we call our burial grounds a cemetery is a uniquely Christian custom that confesses the resurrection of the body. The following excerpts from a sermon by St. John Chrysostom on Good Friday which he preached in the midst of a cemetery make this point well:
"Since today Jesus descended to the dead, for this reason we gather here [at the cemetery]. For this reason also is this place called a "cemetery," in order that you might know that those who have completed their life and are lying here have not died but are sleeping and resting. For, before the coming of Christ, death was called "death". “On the day you eat from the tree," it says, "you shall die by death." And again: "the soul which sins indeed shall die.” [...] But since Christ came and died for the life of the world, death is no longer called "death” but “sleep" and “rest”. [...] Therefore, whenever you bring a dead person here, do not be smitten. For you bring him not to death but to sleep. This name suffices you for the consolation of misfortune. Learn where you are going. To the cemetery. And learn when you are going. After the death of Christ when the bonds of death have been cut."
"Since today Jesus descended to the dead, for this reason we gather here [at the cemetery]. For this reason also is this place called a "cemetery," in order that you might know that those who have completed their life and are lying here have not died but are sleeping and resting. For, before the coming of Christ, death was called "death". “On the day you eat from the tree," it says, "you shall die by death." And again: "the soul which sins indeed shall die.” [...] But since Christ came and died for the life of the world, death is no longer called "death” but “sleep" and “rest”. [...] Therefore, whenever you bring a dead person here, do not be smitten. For you bring him not to death but to sleep. This name suffices you for the consolation of misfortune. Learn where you are going. To the cemetery. And learn when you are going. After the death of Christ when the bonds of death have been cut."
The age requirement of the lord's supper
Contrary to popular belief, there is technically no age requirement for the Lord’s Supper. The only requirement is that a Christian ought be capable of acknowledging who they are (a sinner), who Jesus is (by way of the catechism), and what they are eating at the Holy Supper (Jesus’ body and blood for the forgiveness of sins). In fact Luther encourages parents to bring their children who are capable of discerning these things to the Supper. Johannes Bugenhagen, Luther’s pastor, says: “After this confession is made, also the little children of about eight years or less should be admitted to the table of Him who says: “Suffer the little children to come unto Me.”
a brief history of infrequent communion
There are two major reasons why American Lutheran churches have not celebrated the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day. The first reason was that back in the days of the American frontier not every church had a pastor, and so they had to wait until a pastor was in town to celebrate the Sacrament. The second reason, which pertains to present-day Lutheranism, is the wide acceptance of rationalism and other philosophies born out of the Enlightenment which encourage a faith that relies on the rational thoughts of the mind and not in the unexplainable mystery of the Sacrament, which in turn produces a suspicion for receiving the Sacrament too frequently. On the contrary, the Church unanimously celebrated the Lord’s Supper every Sunday and on other feast days for the first 1,500 years of Christianity, as did Luther and the first few generations of Lutherans. Only later in the history of Lutheranism did Lutherans succumb to the worldviews of secular society and other Protestant denominations who coincidentally had never confessed the bodily presence of Jesus in the Sacrament to begin with. If you have any additional questions about the history and practice of the Lord’s Supper in the Church feel free to speak with Pastor Cowell.
the circuit winkel
The LCMS has a long tradition of calling the periodic gathering of all the pastors in a circuit a winkel. Winkel is a German word that means corner. So, picture around ten pastors gathered in a corner of the church discussing theology, current news , and issues concerning their circuit and the synod as a whole. The Algona Circuit of Iowa District West consists of 14 area congregations. The 11 pastors of these 14 churches gather monthly for our circuit winkel.
words do things
Words do more than just convey information. People use words purposefully: to instruct, encourage, warn, comfort. Bible passages also have varying goals. It is important to ask, What is the author of this passage trying to do to his hearers? Is he warning against a certain sin or danger? encouraging the persecuted? humbling the arrogant? assuring sinners of God’s mercy? training Christians in godly living? instilling the hope of heaven? The question is not simply or subjectively “What does this passage mean to me?” The question is this: “What was this biblical writer trying to say - and do - to his readers?” And, in light of that, “What is God saying here - and doing here - to me?” - An Explanation of the Small Catechism (2017), p. 356
lutherans love the saints
Here’s what Article XXI of our Augsburg Confession says regarding our relationship with the saints in heaven:
"Our churches teach that the history of saints may be set before us so that we may follow the example of their faith and good works, according to our calling. For example, 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 Scriptures do not teach that we are to call on the saints or to ask the saints for help. Scripture sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Atoning Sacrifice, High Priest, and Intercessor. He is to be prayed to. He has promised that He will hear our prayer. This is the worship that He approves above all other worship, that He be called upon in all afflictions. “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1)."
In short, as Lutherans we love the saints past and presently dearly, but we also seek to let the saints be saints and let Jesus be Jesus. We praise God for the faith of the saints, we strive to follow their lead, and we are inspired by their good works and holy lives, but we look to Christ alone for forgiveness and life, and pray to God alone in times of need.
"Our churches teach that the history of saints may be set before us so that we may follow the example of their faith and good works, according to our calling. For example, 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 Scriptures do not teach that we are to call on the saints or to ask the saints for help. Scripture sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Atoning Sacrifice, High Priest, and Intercessor. He is to be prayed to. He has promised that He will hear our prayer. This is the worship that He approves above all other worship, that He be called upon in all afflictions. “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1)."
In short, as Lutherans we love the saints past and presently dearly, but we also seek to let the saints be saints and let Jesus be Jesus. We praise God for the faith of the saints, we strive to follow their lead, and we are inspired by their good works and holy lives, but we look to Christ alone for forgiveness and life, and pray to God alone in times of need.
the antichrist
One sign that we are living in the end times is the appearance of antichrists among us. Antichrists are not the devilish creatures with flames and pitchforks that we often imagine them to be. An antichrist is anyone who lives in direct opposition of Christ (hence “anti” Christ). The Power and Primacy of the Pope of our Lutheran Confessions identifies the pope as an antichrist among us:
"It is clear that the Roman pontiffs, with their followers, defend godless doctrines and godless services. And the marks of Antichrist plainly agree with the kingdom of the pope and his followers. For Paul, in describing Antichrist to the Thessalonians, calls
him an enemy of Christ, “Who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). He is not speaking about heathen kings, but about someone ruling in the
Church. He calls him the enemy of Christ, because he will invent doctrine conflicting with the Gospel and will claim for himself divine authority."
Therefore beware of teachers in the church who may appear outwardly pious and charitable, but who seek to replace Christ and His saving work with their own authority and unbiblical teachings.
"It is clear that the Roman pontiffs, with their followers, defend godless doctrines and godless services. And the marks of Antichrist plainly agree with the kingdom of the pope and his followers. For Paul, in describing Antichrist to the Thessalonians, calls
him an enemy of Christ, “Who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). He is not speaking about heathen kings, but about someone ruling in the
Church. He calls him the enemy of Christ, because he will invent doctrine conflicting with the Gospel and will claim for himself divine authority."
Therefore beware of teachers in the church who may appear outwardly pious and charitable, but who seek to replace Christ and His saving work with their own authority and unbiblical teachings.
christ's return for judgement
Here’s what Article XVII of our Augsburg Confession says about the Last Day:
"Our churches teach that at the end of the world Christ will appear for judgment and will raise all the dead. He will give the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but He will condemn ungodly people and the devils to be tormented without end. Our churches condemn the Anabaptists, who think that there will be an end to the punishments of condemned men and devils. Our churches also condemn those who are spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed. "
These are harsh words indeed, but they are words of supreme comfort for the “godly and elect” who have been chosen by God in Baptism and look to Christ alone as their righteousness before the Father in heaven.
"Our churches teach that at the end of the world Christ will appear for judgment and will raise all the dead. He will give the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but He will condemn ungodly people and the devils to be tormented without end. Our churches condemn the Anabaptists, who think that there will be an end to the punishments of condemned men and devils. Our churches also condemn those who are spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed. "
These are harsh words indeed, but they are words of supreme comfort for the “godly and elect” who have been chosen by God in Baptism and look to Christ alone as their righteousness before the Father in heaven.
the incarnation
The moment of God becoming man begins the climax of salvation history. While everyone has a favorite Christmas hymn, "O Jesus Christ, Thy Manger Is (LSB 372)" is among the best at communicating what the birth of Jesus means for us - and in beautiful poetic style fit for such an occasion. Here are the first four verses:
1 O Jesus Christ,/ Thy manger is/ My paradise at which my soul reclineth
For there, O Lord,/ Doth lie the Word/ Made flesh for us; here-in Thy grace forth shineth.
2 He whom the sea/ And wind obey/ Doth come to serve the sinner in great meekness.
Thou, God’s own Son,/ With us art one,/ Dost join us and our children in our weakness.
3 Thy light and grace/ Our guilt efface,/ Thy heav’nly riches all our loss retrieving.
Immanuel,/ Thy birth doth quell/ The pow’r of hell and Satan’s bold deceiving.
4 Thou Christian heart,/ Who-e’er thou art,/ Be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee!
For God’s own Child,/ In mercy mild,/ Joins thee to Him; how greatly God must love thee!
1 O Jesus Christ,/ Thy manger is/ My paradise at which my soul reclineth
For there, O Lord,/ Doth lie the Word/ Made flesh for us; here-in Thy grace forth shineth.
2 He whom the sea/ And wind obey/ Doth come to serve the sinner in great meekness.
Thou, God’s own Son,/ With us art one,/ Dost join us and our children in our weakness.
3 Thy light and grace/ Our guilt efface,/ Thy heav’nly riches all our loss retrieving.
Immanuel,/ Thy birth doth quell/ The pow’r of hell and Satan’s bold deceiving.
4 Thou Christian heart,/ Who-e’er thou art,/ Be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee!
For God’s own Child,/ In mercy mild,/ Joins thee to Him; how greatly God must love thee!
pray without ceasing
We know that our Father delights to hear and answer our prayers and that the whole world is in constant need of our intercession in the name of Jesus, but do you ever feel overwhelmed when you think of what and who you could be praying for? Page 294 in our hymnal has a division of topics for prayer spread across the seven days of the week. This list might help you be more specific in your daily prayers and help you to pray for a wider range of needs in the world and your own life each week. Take a picture with your phone or ask Pastor to photocopy this page for your use at home.
worship morning, noon, and night
Some Psalms and prayers are particularly well-suited for certain parts of the day. Pages 295-298 in our hymnal include short prayer services for the morning, noon, evening and close of the day. Even if you don’t use the full service, consider memorizing one of the prayers or verses and praying it during the appropriate time of day.
the family hymnal
If any Lutheran has only two Christian books in their home, it should be the Bible and The Lutheran Service Book. Our hymnal has a variety of uses outside of the Sunday service. There are several forms of daily prayer, individual prayers for many situations, Psalms, a daily Scripture lectionary, Luther’s Small Catechism, and hymns divided into seasons and subject matter which are great family devotion material either sung or spoken. Consider buying a hymnal for your home and exploring its uses as a daily worship and prayer tool. Ask Pastor if you need help ordering.
christian questions with their answers
Lent is traditionally the time when catechumens would be receiving their final instruction in the faith before their baptism and first Communion on the Easter Vigil. It’s now the case that Lent is a time for all Christians to review the foundational doctrine of our faith, which for us Lutherans is summarized in the Small Catechism. In addition to the six chief parts of the Small Catechism Martin Luther also prepared several questions that Christians can ask themselves before receiving the Lord’s Supper. They are on pages 329-330 in our hymnal. Consider taking some time this Lent to read through these questions and reflect on their answers, especially as you prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper on the night on which He instituted this blessed meal.
the office of the keys
What is the Office of the Keys?
The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent. Where is this written? This is what St. John the Evangelist writes in chapter twenty: The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:22-23) [Luther’s Small Catechism: Confession]
The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent. Where is this written? This is what St. John the Evangelist writes in chapter twenty: The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:22-23) [Luther’s Small Catechism: Confession]
the "distinction of meats"
The Church of the New Testament is no longer bound to the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. Article XXVI of the Augsburg Confession says this concerning the distinction of foods and other such human ceremonies that were required and commanded by the papacy:
"Our churches have taught that we cannot merit grace or be justified by observing human traditions. We must not think that such observances are necessary acts of worship. Here we add testimonies of Scripture [Matthew 15:3, 9, 11; Romans 14:17; Colossians 2:16, 20-21; Acts 15:10-11; 1 Timothy 4:1-3]. [...] We do not condemn fasting in itself, but the traditions that require certain days and certain meats, with peril of conscience, as though such works were a necessary service. Nevertheless, we keep many traditions that are leading to good order in the Church, such as the order of Scripture lessons in the Mass and the chief holy days. At the same time, we warn people that such observances do not justify us before God, and that it is not sinful if we omit such things, without causing offense."
"Our churches have taught that we cannot merit grace or be justified by observing human traditions. We must not think that such observances are necessary acts of worship. Here we add testimonies of Scripture [Matthew 15:3, 9, 11; Romans 14:17; Colossians 2:16, 20-21; Acts 15:10-11; 1 Timothy 4:1-3]. [...] We do not condemn fasting in itself, but the traditions that require certain days and certain meats, with peril of conscience, as though such works were a necessary service. Nevertheless, we keep many traditions that are leading to good order in the Church, such as the order of Scripture lessons in the Mass and the chief holy days. At the same time, we warn people that such observances do not justify us before God, and that it is not sinful if we omit such things, without causing offense."
what makes a christian pastor joyful?
As Pastor Cowell celebrates the third anniversary of his ordination into the Office of the Holy Ministry (6/25/2017) and three years of joyful service to St. John’s, consider these words from C.F.W. Walther quoted by Pastor Duane Miesner on his ordination day:
What makes a Christian pastor joyful?
First, that he comes not by his own choice, but by God’s call!
Secondly, that he comes not with his own wisdom, but with God’s Word!
Thirdly, that he comes trusting, not in his own power, but in God’s help!
(from C.F.W. Walther’s inaugural sermon, January 15, 1837, on Jeremiah 1:6-8)
What makes a Christian pastor joyful?
First, that he comes not by his own choice, but by God’s call!
Secondly, that he comes not with his own wisdom, but with God’s Word!
Thirdly, that he comes trusting, not in his own power, but in God’s help!
(from C.F.W. Walther’s inaugural sermon, January 15, 1837, on Jeremiah 1:6-8)
speaking in tongues
On Pentecost Day the disciples were “filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” While the word tongue is often a synonym for language, the term speaking in tongues in Scripture usually refers to the ability of someone to speak a language they did not previously know. This and other miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit validated the preaching of the apostles of the resurrection of Jesus. For the past 2,000 years the Church has widely agreed that the ability to speak in tongues came to an end after that first generation of disciples. We remember today that we no longer have any need for the gift of tongues, because we have the gift of faith from the Holy Spirit who works through the words of the apostles in Holy Scripture. In this sense the gift of tongues is still of great benefit to the Church today.
inspired and inerrant word of god
When Christians of the LCMS talk about the Bible we use words like inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility. We believe that the words of Scripture are inspired by the Holy Spirit. This means that God the Holy Spirit worked through the biblical authors to write the exact words He intended to deliver us. We believe that these words of God are inerrant and infallible, meaning they contain no errors or contradictions. Even when we consider the weaknesses of translating the Bible into different languages, we still believe the words of our English Bibles, if translated in an accurate and faithful way, are indeed the Word of God being spoken to us.
Perhaps most important of all we believe, as the Epitome of the Formula of Concord states, that “the only rule and norm according to which all teachings, together with all teachers, should be evaluated and judged (2 Timothy 3:15-17) are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testament alone.” In other words, the Word of God is the highest authority in our lives to which all other earthly wisdom and power ought to bow.
Perhaps most important of all we believe, as the Epitome of the Formula of Concord states, that “the only rule and norm according to which all teachings, together with all teachers, should be evaluated and judged (2 Timothy 3:15-17) are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testament alone.” In other words, the Word of God is the highest authority in our lives to which all other earthly wisdom and power ought to bow.
grace
The Sunday School definition of grace is undeserved love. This is a good definition, but the biblical word for grace has several other dimensions to it as well. The Greek word grace (charis) in the Bible can be used to denote things like a free gift, something that brings joy, generosity of a person, thankfulness, or a well-pleasing work. Anytime the word grace is used in the Bible it is a reference to God’s grace: God’s undeserved love, free gift, joy, generosity, thanks-causing, good work given to us. The next time you think about or talk about God’s grace, consider the fullness of what the gift of God’s grace means for us!
forgive us our trespasses
We, and many Christian denominations with us, pray in the Lord’s Prayer: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. You may know some Christians, however, who pray: forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. The reason for this difference is because when Jesus delivers His prayer to the disciples in Matthew 6 He uses the word for a financial debt to describe our sins against God. Jesus, though, does not have in mind an amount of money we owe God. Rather, because of our sins we owe God the penalty for trespassing, or transgressing, His holy will. Therefore those Christians who pray literally: forgive us our debts, and those Christians who pray according to the sense of the word: forgive us our trespasses, are both praying a faithful prayer to God who hears us and promises to answer us.
Christian virtue
The Epistles of Holy Scripture are full of advice and encouragement toward loving our neighbor by living a virtuous life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church succinctly defines virtue as “a habitual and firm disposition to do the good.” The Church often divides the concept of virtue into seven categories with these or similar titles: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. In addition to being a good way to love your neighbor, practicing these seven virtues also guards against temptation from the so-called seven deadly sins of: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.
You can also learn about different aspect of the liturgy and worship with this glossary from lcms.org: |
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HYMN OF THE MONTH
Here are devotions from our occasional "Hymn of the Month" at St. John's.
Here are devotions from our occasional "Hymn of the Month" at St. John's.
LSB 923: Almighty father, bless the word / the season of pentecost - june 2020
Almighty Father, bless the Word - LSB 923
Text and tune: Public domain
Created by Lutheran Service Builder, © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder, © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.
Our hymn of the month for the month of June in the season of Pentecost is “Almighty Father, bless the Word”. The author of this hymn, which originally contained only the first two stanzas, is unknown. The hymn was first published in 1823 in a collection compiled by William Augustus Muhlenberg with the less-than-brief title: Church Poetry: being portions of the Psalms in verse, and hymns suited to the festivals and fasts, and various occasions of the Church. The publisher of this hymn is notable because, even though he was an Episcopal priest, he was the son of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg who is regarded as the father of Lutheranism in America. The simplicity of the text and tune of this hymn has a fitting association with W.A. Muhlenberg considering that he was a founding member of the Sunday School Movement in America - which is a bit different of a concept than what we think of as “Sunday School”, but an interesting topic to Google sometime!
The first stanza of the hymn is based on Jesus’ parable of the sower, which we will hear in church on July 12th this summer. Jesus tells us that the seed in the parable of the sower is the Word of God. The seed that is sown on good soil, Jesus says “this is the one who hears the word and understands [i.e. believes] it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty (Matthew 13:23).” As we leave church we pray that the precious seed of the Word which we have heard would take root in us and bear abundant fruits of faith - good works - in our daily lives.
The second stanza prays that “as homeward now our steps we trace” we might continue a life of faith, powered by the means of grace, all the way until the end of our lives when we reach the gate of heaven.
The third stanza, which is the stanza added to the original two-stanza hymn is the well-known doxology “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.” It was once common, especially among American Protestant congregations, that every service would conclude with this praise of our Triune God, just as every service begins in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
God bless you as we sing this hymn this beginning of the Pentecost season and rejoice together in seeing the precious seed of God’s Word take root, spring up, and bear abundant fruit among us!
Used in this devotion is content from Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns, Vol. 1 (CPH: 2019), p. 1485-1486.
LSB 523: o word of god incarnate / the season of pentecost - july 2020
Our hymn of the month for July, 2020 is written by Walsham How, an Anglican bishop of the 19th century known for his charity and kindness among the poorest Christians in London. The hymn is a magnificent commentary on Jesus the Word made flesh.
Bishop How packs an incredible amount of Scriptural references into his short hymn. The first stanza is themed from John 1:14 - “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Also coming to mind is John 8:12 - “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” as well as Psalm 119:105 - “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
The second stanza refers to the Word both as our light and as our chart and compass, bringing to mind God guiding His people through the wilderness to the Promised Land in a pillar of fire by night. This guiding language also reminds us that Christ speaks His Word to us as our Good Shepherd, leading us to springs of living water (Rev. 7:17).
The third stanza continues the light and guiding themes, mentioning the lampstands of Revelation, the light of the star guiding the nations to the infant Jesus, and the Exodus journey. He also references the cloud surrounding God’s divine presence: on Sinai, the temple, the Mount of Transfiguration, and finally the clouds from which our Lord will descend on the Last Day when we will see Him face to face (Rev. 22:4-5).
Unfortunately, the editors of Lutheran Service Book chose to combine two of the original hymn stanzas into one. It would be interesting to hear their reason for doing so, considering the edit omits three powerful descriptions of the Word of God:
1. The Word of God is a golden casket containing the treasure of truth.
2. The Word of God is a Divine picture of Christ, the Living Word.
3. The Word of God is a banner leading the army of God out to battle
Here are those two original stanzas from The Lutheran Hymnal (#294) for your edification:
The Church from her dear Master
Received the gift divine,
And still that light she lifteth
O’er all the earth to shine.
It is the golden casket
Where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heav’n-drawn picture
Of Christ, the living Word
It floateth like a banner
Before God’s host unfurled;
It shineth like a beacon
Above the darkling world;
It is the chart and compass
That o’er life’s surging sea,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
Still guides, O Christ, to Thee.
Used in this devotion is content from Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns, Vol. 1 (CPH: 2019), p. 491-493.
Bishop How packs an incredible amount of Scriptural references into his short hymn. The first stanza is themed from John 1:14 - “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Also coming to mind is John 8:12 - “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” as well as Psalm 119:105 - “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
The second stanza refers to the Word both as our light and as our chart and compass, bringing to mind God guiding His people through the wilderness to the Promised Land in a pillar of fire by night. This guiding language also reminds us that Christ speaks His Word to us as our Good Shepherd, leading us to springs of living water (Rev. 7:17).
The third stanza continues the light and guiding themes, mentioning the lampstands of Revelation, the light of the star guiding the nations to the infant Jesus, and the Exodus journey. He also references the cloud surrounding God’s divine presence: on Sinai, the temple, the Mount of Transfiguration, and finally the clouds from which our Lord will descend on the Last Day when we will see Him face to face (Rev. 22:4-5).
Unfortunately, the editors of Lutheran Service Book chose to combine two of the original hymn stanzas into one. It would be interesting to hear their reason for doing so, considering the edit omits three powerful descriptions of the Word of God:
1. The Word of God is a golden casket containing the treasure of truth.
2. The Word of God is a Divine picture of Christ, the Living Word.
3. The Word of God is a banner leading the army of God out to battle
Here are those two original stanzas from The Lutheran Hymnal (#294) for your edification:
The Church from her dear Master
Received the gift divine,
And still that light she lifteth
O’er all the earth to shine.
It is the golden casket
Where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heav’n-drawn picture
Of Christ, the living Word
It floateth like a banner
Before God’s host unfurled;
It shineth like a beacon
Above the darkling world;
It is the chart and compass
That o’er life’s surging sea,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
Still guides, O Christ, to Thee.
Used in this devotion is content from Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Hymns, Vol. 1 (CPH: 2019), p. 491-493.
LSB 652: Father we thank thee / the season of pentecost - august 2020
The text of our hymn of the month this month is a translation of the oldest known Christian prayer outside of the texts of Holy Scripture. This prayer is found in a document known as the Didache, or, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. Many scholars guess that the Didache was written around the end of the first century, or perhaps even within the lifespan of the Twelve Apostles.
This prayer is known as the “eucharistic prayer”. Eucharist comes from the Greek word for thanksgiving. The Didache indicates that in the early Christian Church this word Eucharist had already become a name for the Lord’s Supper: the meal in which Jesus took bread and wine, gave thanks, and gave them to His disciples saying “Take eat, this is My body; Take eat, this is My blood.” The congregation would pray this eucharistic prayer before and after they received the Lord’s Supper each Sunday. We continue this tradition in our liturgy of the Divine Service in the prayer labeled the “prayer of thanksgiving.”
Here is another more literal translation of the eucharistic prayer from Didache so that you can see how it compares to the text of our hymn. Notice also the similarities between the eucharistic prayer of the Didache and the prayer of thanksgiving of our Divine Service.
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First, concerning the cup:
We give you thanks, our Father, for the holy vine of David your servant, which you have made known to us through Jesus, your servant; to you be the glory forever.
And concerning the broken bread:
We give you thanks, our Father, for the life and knowledge which you have made known to us through Jesus, your servant; to you be the glory forever.
Just as this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains and then was gathered together and became one, so may your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom; for yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ forever. [...]
And after you have had enough, give thanks as follows:
We give you thanks, Holy Father, for your holy name which you have caused to dwell in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which you have made known to us through Jesus your servant; to you be the glory forever.
You, almighty Master, created all things for your name’s sake, and gave food and drink to men to enjoy, that they might give you thanks; but to us you have graciously given spiritual food and drink, and eternal life through your servant. Above all we give thanks because you are mighty; to you be the glory forever.
Remember your church, Lord, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love; and gather it, the one that has been sanctified, from the four winds into your kingdom, which you have prepared for it; for yours is the power and the glory forever.
May grace come, and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him come; if anyone is not, let him repent. Maranatha! Amen.
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God bless you as we sing this ancient prayer during our Divine Service this month of August!
Text from the Didache is quoted from The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, ed. Michael W. Holmes (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 260-263.
This prayer is known as the “eucharistic prayer”. Eucharist comes from the Greek word for thanksgiving. The Didache indicates that in the early Christian Church this word Eucharist had already become a name for the Lord’s Supper: the meal in which Jesus took bread and wine, gave thanks, and gave them to His disciples saying “Take eat, this is My body; Take eat, this is My blood.” The congregation would pray this eucharistic prayer before and after they received the Lord’s Supper each Sunday. We continue this tradition in our liturgy of the Divine Service in the prayer labeled the “prayer of thanksgiving.”
Here is another more literal translation of the eucharistic prayer from Didache so that you can see how it compares to the text of our hymn. Notice also the similarities between the eucharistic prayer of the Didache and the prayer of thanksgiving of our Divine Service.
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First, concerning the cup:
We give you thanks, our Father, for the holy vine of David your servant, which you have made known to us through Jesus, your servant; to you be the glory forever.
And concerning the broken bread:
We give you thanks, our Father, for the life and knowledge which you have made known to us through Jesus, your servant; to you be the glory forever.
Just as this broken bread was scattered upon the mountains and then was gathered together and became one, so may your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom; for yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ forever. [...]
And after you have had enough, give thanks as follows:
We give you thanks, Holy Father, for your holy name which you have caused to dwell in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which you have made known to us through Jesus your servant; to you be the glory forever.
You, almighty Master, created all things for your name’s sake, and gave food and drink to men to enjoy, that they might give you thanks; but to us you have graciously given spiritual food and drink, and eternal life through your servant. Above all we give thanks because you are mighty; to you be the glory forever.
Remember your church, Lord, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love; and gather it, the one that has been sanctified, from the four winds into your kingdom, which you have prepared for it; for yours is the power and the glory forever.
May grace come, and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him come; if anyone is not, let him repent. Maranatha! Amen.
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God bless you as we sing this ancient prayer during our Divine Service this month of August!
Text from the Didache is quoted from The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, ed. Michael W. Holmes (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 260-263.
BIBLE STUDIES
Here are links and handouts from Bible studies that we've done in our adult Bible study at St. John's.
Here are links and handouts from Bible studies that we've done in our adult Bible study at St. John's.
ARTICLES & DEVOTIONS
Here are articles, devotions, and sermon manuscripts on a variety of topics of the Christian faith.
Here are articles, devotions, and sermon manuscripts on a variety of topics of the Christian faith.
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ARTICLES
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MEDITATIONS ON SCRIPTURE
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SELECTED SERMONS
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Reflection on our temporary postponement of the public divine service due to the covid-19 pandemic of 2020
Rejoicing in the Good, Hoping for the Better:
A Reflection on the Gospel in this Time of Quarantine
A Reflection on the Gospel in this Time of Quarantine
The law (of God) operates in the categories of good and bad. The law tells us what to do and what not to do, what is holy and what is not holy, what is the stuff of life and what is the stuff of death. The gospel, however, operates in the categories of good and better. This means that the gospel is always a gift; the answer of the gospel is always yes; the amount of the gospel is always more; the feel of the gospel is always joy; the relationship of the gospel is always unity; the proximity of the gospel is always close;… surely you get the point by now!
Whenever we receive the gospel of God, that is, the gifts of faith in Jesus and His death for us, we are always receiving something good. In this time of quarantine when we must receive the preaching of the Word via audio and YouTube and when Christians are restricted to gathering only with their immediate family, we continue to acknowledge that even in this present context we are receiving the gospel, and the gospel is always good. Therefore as we gather for family devotions and tune in on our computers or smartphones to watch the preacher:
- We continue to rejoice that salvation is ours in Christ.
- We continue to rejoice that the Word of God has power no matter how it is received into our ears.
- We continue to rejoice that the fellowship of saints continues to be bound together by our baptism into the death and resurrection of
Jesus even when we cannot gather in one place.
- We continue to rejoice that wherever and whenever our prayers ascend to our heavenly Father, He surely hears and answers them.
- We continue to rejoice that we have the opportunity to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy and to take this command of
God seriously even if not within the walls of the church building.
Yet even as we rejoice in the good of the gospel we receive during this time, we also remain hopeful for the better. We recognize that:
- Hearing the Word of God from our Bibles and computer screens and phones is good;
being physically present to hear the preached Word and to receive the Absolution from a called servant of God who is physically
present with us is better.
- Knowing that God continually upholds the universe by the Word of His power is good;
having our almighty God present with us by the body and blood of Jesus for our special comfort and confidence is better.
After all, our God is a God of presence: real, physical, historical presence. This is how God has always been:
- from the time He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden,
- to the time He reclined by the oaks of Mamre with Abraham,
- to the time He dwelt with His people in the temple,
- to the time He was made man among us in the person of Jesus Christ,
- to the times He is present with forgiveness and victory over death by His body and blood in the bread and wine,
- to the coming time when He will be really, physically, historically present with us who will be around the throne of God and of the
Lamb in ceaseless worship and joy for all eternity.
So then for the present time let us rejoice that God is blessing us with His good gospel in our daily family prayer and meditation on the Word, and through His gift of technology. Let us also not forget that the gospel is always more, and that soon we will be able to receive again the even better gift of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the real, physical, historical, forgiving, comforting, and strengthening presence of His body and blood at His Holy Supper together with the saints of our congregation of His holy Church.
Even when the day of assembling together at the Divine Service returns, let us also remain ever hopeful for the perfect and complete gospel of our final retreat from this great tribulation at the Day of Resurrection. At that time we will take up our eternal post before the unveiled presence of God on His throne. We will serve Him day and night in His temple, and He who sits on the throne will shelter us with His presence. Surely at that time we will have moved from the good, to the better, to the very best. Amen, come, Lord Jesus!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Thomas Cowell
St. John’s Lutheran Church LCMS, Burt IA
A Time of Minor Pestilence, Anno Domini 2020
Whenever we receive the gospel of God, that is, the gifts of faith in Jesus and His death for us, we are always receiving something good. In this time of quarantine when we must receive the preaching of the Word via audio and YouTube and when Christians are restricted to gathering only with their immediate family, we continue to acknowledge that even in this present context we are receiving the gospel, and the gospel is always good. Therefore as we gather for family devotions and tune in on our computers or smartphones to watch the preacher:
- We continue to rejoice that salvation is ours in Christ.
- We continue to rejoice that the Word of God has power no matter how it is received into our ears.
- We continue to rejoice that the fellowship of saints continues to be bound together by our baptism into the death and resurrection of
Jesus even when we cannot gather in one place.
- We continue to rejoice that wherever and whenever our prayers ascend to our heavenly Father, He surely hears and answers them.
- We continue to rejoice that we have the opportunity to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy and to take this command of
God seriously even if not within the walls of the church building.
Yet even as we rejoice in the good of the gospel we receive during this time, we also remain hopeful for the better. We recognize that:
- Hearing the Word of God from our Bibles and computer screens and phones is good;
being physically present to hear the preached Word and to receive the Absolution from a called servant of God who is physically
present with us is better.
- Knowing that God continually upholds the universe by the Word of His power is good;
having our almighty God present with us by the body and blood of Jesus for our special comfort and confidence is better.
After all, our God is a God of presence: real, physical, historical presence. This is how God has always been:
- from the time He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden,
- to the time He reclined by the oaks of Mamre with Abraham,
- to the time He dwelt with His people in the temple,
- to the time He was made man among us in the person of Jesus Christ,
- to the times He is present with forgiveness and victory over death by His body and blood in the bread and wine,
- to the coming time when He will be really, physically, historically present with us who will be around the throne of God and of the
Lamb in ceaseless worship and joy for all eternity.
So then for the present time let us rejoice that God is blessing us with His good gospel in our daily family prayer and meditation on the Word, and through His gift of technology. Let us also not forget that the gospel is always more, and that soon we will be able to receive again the even better gift of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the real, physical, historical, forgiving, comforting, and strengthening presence of His body and blood at His Holy Supper together with the saints of our congregation of His holy Church.
Even when the day of assembling together at the Divine Service returns, let us also remain ever hopeful for the perfect and complete gospel of our final retreat from this great tribulation at the Day of Resurrection. At that time we will take up our eternal post before the unveiled presence of God on His throne. We will serve Him day and night in His temple, and He who sits on the throne will shelter us with His presence. Surely at that time we will have moved from the good, to the better, to the very best. Amen, come, Lord Jesus!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Thomas Cowell
St. John’s Lutheran Church LCMS, Burt IA
A Time of Minor Pestilence, Anno Domini 2020
Advent letter to our partnership congregations
Happy Thanksgiving Christians of the St. John’s/Trinity Partnership!
Before we get too far along into Advent, there is an age-old debate we really must settle. Every year as November arrives our nation turns her attention toward answering this momentous question: when should we put up our Christmas lights? Obviously while we’ve had plenty of other things to worry about this November, this life-altering decision has been at least in the back of most our minds. Now that I have brought up the topic of Christmas lights and decorations I know that many of you are eager to jump into this annual fiery debate of when is precisely the right time to deck the halls! The answers and explanations to this question vary widely, as does the level of emotion and conviction of those who give them. All of the variations of answers, however, can be condensed to two main arguments. One school of thought argues that Christmas lights can go up any time after Halloween, because Christmas is such a wonderful holiday that we should get to enjoy it as long as possible, and that its celebration should even take precedence over lesser holidays such as Thanksgiving. The other school of thought argues that Christmas lights cannot go up any earlier than the day after Thanksgiving – although effectively the day after Black Friday because of shopping obligations – because we lose the excitement of Christmas when the lights are up so long, and that it is proper that we give Thanksgiving its due honor. There is also the fringe opinion of some that Christmas lights can be left up all year round, much to the dismay of their more sensible neighbors. We must also factor into this argument the stipulations for decorating our churches for Christmas. Some congregations assert that if you put up Advent (not Christmas!) decorations even a day before the First Sunday in Advent then you are most assuredly a godless heathen. Others have the same view regarding turning on the lights on the tree, real vs. artificial trees, stars vs. angels on top, and much, much more! So, who is right? Which is the correct day to put up our Christmas lights and decorate our homes and churches? The answer is, of course, that there is no universal right or wrong day to put up your Christmas lights. The day which you choose to put up your lights depends on a variety of factors: factors which are themselves neither objectively good or bad. You are free to choose whichever day you’d like to put your lights up with a clear conscious, so long as it is done to the mutual satisfaction and benefit of the members of your household, and for the good of the faith of your congregation. This may be the answer for hanging decorations, but what about the singing of Christmas hymns? The added zeal which people bring to the Christmas hymn debate surely reflects that there must be some set-in-stone law about when we ought to begin singing them in church, right? Some argue that we should sing Christmas hymns all through Advent so that we can enjoy the Christmas season for a longer period of time. Others (actually mostly just pastors!) argue that we should sing only Advent hymns in Advent and Christmas hymns during the twelve days of Christmas so that we can experience each season of the Church Year as they come. So, who is right? When is the correct time to sing Christmas hymns? The answer, actually, is the same as with Christmas lights. There is no right or wrong time to sing Christmas hymns. Theologically speaking this question falls under a category we call adiaphora (indifferent things), which the Formula of Concord of our Lutheran Confessions describes as a ceremony or practice in the Church that is neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but is introduced into the Church with good intention, for the sake of good order and proper custom, or otherwise to maintain Christian discipline. The custom of the Church has traditionally been to hold off on singing Christmas hymns during the Advent season in order to spend that time preparing our hearts for the three “Advents” of the Son of God (Advent means coming): His birth as the baby Jesus, His presence in the Word and Sacraments, and His return as Judge on the Last Day. Our waiting to sing Christmas hymns (and the Gloria in Excelsis) is not a rule commanded by God, and neither is it as if we are pretending that Jesus hasn’t yet been born. Rather this custom helps us to: reflect on the significance of Jesus’ birth for our redemption, recognize His presence among us in Word and Sacrament, and hope with faith for His return at the resurrection of the dead. If you want to sing Christmas songs at home during Advent, then go right ahead! We might even sneak in one or two hymns from the Christmas section of the hymnal during Advent at St. John’s and Trinity if they help us reflect on the Scripture lessons for the day. Hopefully, though, you can appreciate the good intention of this Church tradition regarding Christmas hymns to help us all turn our hearts toward the three-fold Advent of Christ. In fact, Advent is full of these sorts of adiaphora: traditions and practices which are neither commanded nor forbidden yet which help focus our attention on the various arrivals of Christ among us. Think about how all of these various Advent traditions at St. John’s and Trinity can help inform, grow, and focus your faith this December. Here’s a taste of just a few: ____________________________________________________ - Blue Paraments: In Advent our churches change colors from green to blue. Blue has come to symbolize the hope of our waiting for Christ’s coming on the Last Day. - Evergreen Decorations: Evergreen trees and wreaths are green year-round. This reminds us that our eternal Lord was made man so we can live with Him forever. - Poinsettias: In Mexico, poinsettias are called the “Flower of the Blessed Night (Christmas Eve).” Their star-like shape reminds us of the star of Bethlehem. Their red color reminds us of the blood Christ would shed for the sins of the world. White poinsettias remind us of the purity of the baby Jesus who, being true God and true Man, was born without sin. - Advent Candles: Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome. Therefore the more candles in church this dark, winter season the better! Advent candles are usually purple which is sometimes used during Advent to remind us of the repentant nature of the season as well as our waiting for Christ our King. The one pink candle is for the Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudete Sunday), when we take a quick break from the more restrained character of the season to rejoice that Jesus has already been born, died, and risen for us. - Midweek Services: One of the ways of preparing our hearts for Christ’s Advents is by meditating on His Word and turning to Him in prayer. This Advent Trinity and St. John’s will host Advent midweek services with the theme: Jesse’s Tree. We will consider how various members of Jesus’ earthly family tree help us understand God’s narrative of salvation throughout human history. - Charity Opportunities: During Advent our congregations will be providing more opportunities to show Christian charity to those in need. This is also a great season for your family to find your own ways of being charitable to your neighbor as well. In this way we will shine the light of Christ through those we love in His name. - Sunday Preview YouTube Videos: You will notice at church how the readings, prayers, and hymns will all have a specific focus during Advent. The Partnership pastors have created a new YouTube series called “Sunday Preview” that will help you see and hear some of the unique themes of each Sunday service. While this resource will air all year, we are beginning these videos this Advent. Look for these videos every Thursday on Trinity’s YouTube channel. ____________________________________________________ Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to enjoy these Advent traditions for the good of your faith. Some of these traditions might be different than the ones you had growing up, or you might do them differently at home than we do at church. That’s ok! Again, these types of traditions are meant to fortify your faith, not burden it. What is not up for debate and is not subject to change, though, is that our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man. Thanks be to God for that! Pastor Thomas Cowell Advent, Anno Domini 2020 |
inaugural sermon of pastor cowell at St. john's, July 02, 2017
"Sermon Text: Matthew 10:34-42
Sermon Title: Follow Jesus
In the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.
When I got to the office on Monday morning this week I had to ask myself a very important question: "Now what?"
"I’m a newly ordained and installed pastor at my first day of work - what do I do now?"
Maybe you were asking the same sort of question after Sunday afternoon.
"Ok, we’ve got a new pastor. And in a sense now we have three new pastors
now that our partnership with Trinity has begun. " "Now what?"
Times like this, when new or different circumstances come up in our lives, we often feel a great sense of opportunity.
Other times we feel a great sense of apprehension.
I certainly see a lot of opportunity here with you.
I think to myself: "now that I am a pastor I can put into practice all my great ideas!"
"If everyone just listens to me, we’ll really go places!"
But then I think, "what if I’m not as great as I think I am?"
"What if I steer St. John’s down the wrong path?"
Maybe you feel the same way when you ask yourselves “now what.”
You’ve got a new pastor and a new partnership with Trinity.
Maybe you see an opportunity to set the course for a new path.
Perhaps, though, you also are a little worried that things might not work out.
"What if someone in the congregation has different ideas than me?"
"What if the pastor tries to do strange things during the service that I don’t like?"
"Or worse yet, what if the pastor prays for a Hawkeye victory over the Cyclones in September?!"
"I’m going to have to quit the church!"
Well, Jesus has an answer to our “now what” question.
Jesus says: “whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
Jesus uses a special word when He tells us to follow Him.
This word follow is a word that describes the relationship between a teacher and his disciples.
In the old days a master or philosopher or teacher would walk along the road speaking his words of wisdom.
His disciples or students would follow along and listen.
So, the farther the teacher and students would walk the closer the students would be to the teacher.
Likewise, the longer the teacher and students would walk together, the farther away the students would be from their old selves.
This word “follow” is the perfect word to describe our lives as Christians.
The Christian life is all about following Jesus.
It’s about forgetting our own plans and going to the places that Jesus leads us.
Christians come to find that the farther down the road we follow Jesus, the more and more we walk and talk like Jesus.
It’s not that we’re just copying Jesus.
We actually begin to be like Him.
We lose our own lives and identities and ideas and find our life in Jesus.
That’s what Baptism into Jesus is all about:
dying to sin, rising to Christ, and living a new, forgiven life with Jesus in the lead,
being directed by his Word and strengthened by his Body and Blood along the way.
This transformed life of following Jesus does have consequences though.
If you’re following Jesus, you simply cannot follow anyone else -
not your own selfish desires,
not the sins and pleasures of our world around us,
not the influence of politics or culture,
not even the acceptance of our own families.
Jesus says:
“I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than
me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
For many of you who have parents or siblings in the pew with you this is an easy saying, because you are following Jesus together.
But for many of us who have parents or siblings who are not Christian this is a hard saying.
To say that you love Jesus more than your family is a great offense to them.
There may even be times when they ask you to follow them instead of Jesus.
Giving in and thinking or acting or worshiping like your family or friends in opposition to Jesus is always the easier path to follow.
The path that Jesus leads us on is the difficult path.
It’s hard enough to avoid following the ways of the culture,
but it’s even harder to avoid following our own friends and family instead of Jesus.
That’s why the path that Jesus leads us on isn’t described as a tiptoe through the tulips, but as a cross we must bear.
But as we follow Jesus we find out that as hard as our path is,
Jesus has already walked this road on our behalf.
Jesus was rejected by almost everyone He knew for walking the path of righteousness.
Yet Jesus remained faithful and bore the cross for all humanity, dying for the sins of the whole world.
This means that even though when we follow anyone else our crosses end up crushing us,
when we follow Jesus we have our cross carried for us.
Then by the power of the saving death of Jesus us disciples begin to walk and talk like our teacher who we follow,
and our lives actually begin to look like crucified lives.
The forgiveness of Jesus’ cross shapes our lives into lives of cross bearing,
not for our own sake but for the sake of Jesus’ name and for the love of our neighbor.
So as Christians, we follow.
We follow Jesus on the path of humility while pride passes on the other side.
We follow Jesus on the path of charity instead of greed.
We follow Jesus on the path of suffering for each other and for the sake of the name of Jesus.
We repent when we turn and follow other paths,
and we hear the Word of forgiveness and receive the Body and Blood and take our place again right behind Jesus.
This is the answer to our big “now what” question.
What do we do in our new relationship as pastor and congregation?
What do we do when new opportunities or hardships face us every day?
What do we do when we have to choose between one voice or another?
We do what Christians always do.
We follow Jesus.
Yes it will be difficult, and yes your fellow Christians and even your pastor might need a little help carrying their crosses along the way,
and at other times you might need help carrying your own.
But ultimately through every sin and struggle,
through every new and different thing happening here at St. John’s and in your own lives,
it won’t be you following me or me following you.
We all will follow Jesus who bears every sin and evil for us,
and who blesses each day of those who follow Him for life everlasting.
To Christ alone be all power and glory now and forever. Amen.
Sermon Title: Follow Jesus
In the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.
When I got to the office on Monday morning this week I had to ask myself a very important question: "Now what?"
"I’m a newly ordained and installed pastor at my first day of work - what do I do now?"
Maybe you were asking the same sort of question after Sunday afternoon.
"Ok, we’ve got a new pastor. And in a sense now we have three new pastors
now that our partnership with Trinity has begun. " "Now what?"
Times like this, when new or different circumstances come up in our lives, we often feel a great sense of opportunity.
Other times we feel a great sense of apprehension.
I certainly see a lot of opportunity here with you.
I think to myself: "now that I am a pastor I can put into practice all my great ideas!"
"If everyone just listens to me, we’ll really go places!"
But then I think, "what if I’m not as great as I think I am?"
"What if I steer St. John’s down the wrong path?"
Maybe you feel the same way when you ask yourselves “now what.”
You’ve got a new pastor and a new partnership with Trinity.
Maybe you see an opportunity to set the course for a new path.
Perhaps, though, you also are a little worried that things might not work out.
"What if someone in the congregation has different ideas than me?"
"What if the pastor tries to do strange things during the service that I don’t like?"
"Or worse yet, what if the pastor prays for a Hawkeye victory over the Cyclones in September?!"
"I’m going to have to quit the church!"
Well, Jesus has an answer to our “now what” question.
Jesus says: “whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
Jesus uses a special word when He tells us to follow Him.
This word follow is a word that describes the relationship between a teacher and his disciples.
In the old days a master or philosopher or teacher would walk along the road speaking his words of wisdom.
His disciples or students would follow along and listen.
So, the farther the teacher and students would walk the closer the students would be to the teacher.
Likewise, the longer the teacher and students would walk together, the farther away the students would be from their old selves.
This word “follow” is the perfect word to describe our lives as Christians.
The Christian life is all about following Jesus.
It’s about forgetting our own plans and going to the places that Jesus leads us.
Christians come to find that the farther down the road we follow Jesus, the more and more we walk and talk like Jesus.
It’s not that we’re just copying Jesus.
We actually begin to be like Him.
We lose our own lives and identities and ideas and find our life in Jesus.
That’s what Baptism into Jesus is all about:
dying to sin, rising to Christ, and living a new, forgiven life with Jesus in the lead,
being directed by his Word and strengthened by his Body and Blood along the way.
This transformed life of following Jesus does have consequences though.
If you’re following Jesus, you simply cannot follow anyone else -
not your own selfish desires,
not the sins and pleasures of our world around us,
not the influence of politics or culture,
not even the acceptance of our own families.
Jesus says:
“I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than
me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
For many of you who have parents or siblings in the pew with you this is an easy saying, because you are following Jesus together.
But for many of us who have parents or siblings who are not Christian this is a hard saying.
To say that you love Jesus more than your family is a great offense to them.
There may even be times when they ask you to follow them instead of Jesus.
Giving in and thinking or acting or worshiping like your family or friends in opposition to Jesus is always the easier path to follow.
The path that Jesus leads us on is the difficult path.
It’s hard enough to avoid following the ways of the culture,
but it’s even harder to avoid following our own friends and family instead of Jesus.
That’s why the path that Jesus leads us on isn’t described as a tiptoe through the tulips, but as a cross we must bear.
But as we follow Jesus we find out that as hard as our path is,
Jesus has already walked this road on our behalf.
Jesus was rejected by almost everyone He knew for walking the path of righteousness.
Yet Jesus remained faithful and bore the cross for all humanity, dying for the sins of the whole world.
This means that even though when we follow anyone else our crosses end up crushing us,
when we follow Jesus we have our cross carried for us.
Then by the power of the saving death of Jesus us disciples begin to walk and talk like our teacher who we follow,
and our lives actually begin to look like crucified lives.
The forgiveness of Jesus’ cross shapes our lives into lives of cross bearing,
not for our own sake but for the sake of Jesus’ name and for the love of our neighbor.
So as Christians, we follow.
We follow Jesus on the path of humility while pride passes on the other side.
We follow Jesus on the path of charity instead of greed.
We follow Jesus on the path of suffering for each other and for the sake of the name of Jesus.
We repent when we turn and follow other paths,
and we hear the Word of forgiveness and receive the Body and Blood and take our place again right behind Jesus.
This is the answer to our big “now what” question.
What do we do in our new relationship as pastor and congregation?
What do we do when new opportunities or hardships face us every day?
What do we do when we have to choose between one voice or another?
We do what Christians always do.
We follow Jesus.
Yes it will be difficult, and yes your fellow Christians and even your pastor might need a little help carrying their crosses along the way,
and at other times you might need help carrying your own.
But ultimately through every sin and struggle,
through every new and different thing happening here at St. John’s and in your own lives,
it won’t be you following me or me following you.
We all will follow Jesus who bears every sin and evil for us,
and who blesses each day of those who follow Him for life everlasting.
To Christ alone be all power and glory now and forever. Amen.
Palm Sunday sermon, march 25, 2018
Pastor Thomas Cowell
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Burt IA, LCMS
Palm Sunday
25 March 2018
In the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
These are familiar words for us Christians.
These were also familiar words for God’s people in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament Christians would sing Psalms 113-118,
which they called the Hallel, during all of their major holidays,
namely: Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
During Passover these Psalms were especially connected to the the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb.
As the Passover Lambs for each family were being sacrificed in the temple,
the Levitical priests would sing the Hallel, Psalms 113-118, from start to finish.
And so picture this:
thousands of Jews,
thousands of lambs,
gallons and gallons of blood
being poured out on the altar of God, and the priests singing from the end of Psalm 118:
"Hosanna Yahweh, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
When the Jews heard the priests chanting Hosanna, which means “save us,” they had in their minds:
Passover,
Exodus,
blood on doorposts,
salvation from the angel of death,
rescue from Egypt,
the Red Sea Baptism,
following the glorious pillar of fire and cloud,
eating Manna from heaven,
And entering the promised land.
In short, as they watched the lamb being slaughtered and heard “Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,”
the Jews recalled the entire salvation history of God.
The whole story was wrapped up in that Passover Lamb
and those words: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
It would be foolish to assume that the crowd of today’s Gospel lesson didn’t know what they were saying when they waved their palm branches and cried out “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” when they saw Jesus entering Jerusalem.
Surely they connected the dots, at least in part.
The crowd saw Jesus,
the man who turned water into wine,
who healed the sick,
who fed 5,000 with a few loaves of bread,
who walked on water,
who raised Lazarus from the dead.
They saw this Jesus riding into Jerusalem in a royal
procession, and they saw their king.
The Jews were crying out to their king and savior,
to the one who they thought would continue God’s story of salvation among them.
However, like Israel of old, these Jews likely didn’t recognize the full extent of God’s plan for salvation.
The Israelites in Egypt thought they only needed rescue from oppressive slave drivers.
These Jews in Jerusalem likely thought they merely needed rescue
from oppressive Roman rule, or perhaps rescue from poverty or hunger or sickness.
It was only after Jesus was glorified on the cross did his disciples understand the fullness of God’s plan for rescue.
It was only in seeing Jesus hanging on the cross that they came to understand that their need for rescue was so much greater.
It’s only from the cross that we see that God wants to rescue us from so much more than Egyptians, or Romans, or the tyrants of our day. God wants to rescue us from so much more than even poverty or hunger or disease.
God will rescue you from those things for sure, but Jesus comes to save you from even more.
Jesus comes to save you from your sinful heart, from the power of Satan, and from eternal death.
That’s why God didn’t send to us a king dressed in armor or a king surrounded with wealth.
Those kinds of kings may well save us from earthly enemies or a poor economy.
But your king is different. Your king is greater.
Your king comes to you humble and sitting on the colt of a donkey.
Your king comes not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
Your king has the cross as his throne, where he can reign victorious over even sin, death, and the devil.
Your king doesn’t demand your blood for tribute, but he sheds his own blood for you.
From the cross Jesus shows himself to be more than just your king - he shows himself to also be your Passover Lamb.
There is then no better song for the crowd to sing when they see Jesus entering Jerusalem than:
“Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
It’s fitting that we should meet Christ our king in just the same way.
In a few minutes when you sing “Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” connect the dots.
Realize that you aren’t approaching just any king.
You are approaching the king of all creation.
You are kneeling before the savior of the Passover and the Exodus,
the king who blesses and heals,
the king who forgives and resurrects.
When you come to the altar, don’t make the mistake of expecting too little of Christ your king.
Jesus comes to you today in bread and wine to rescue you from so much more than what any other king could.
He comes to save you from sin and Satan, and death and hell.
He comes to claim you as a servant of his kingdom.
He comes to give to you a life of victory over sin, death, and the devil, which is a life of faith, hope, and love.
Therefore sing your Hosannas loudly today,
for whatever evil oppresses you,
whatever sin shames you,
whatever illness pulls you toward death,
Jesus has conquered it all on the cross,
and he has invited you to his victory feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which has no end.
To Christ alone be all glory and honor with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Amen.
St. John’s Lutheran Church, Burt IA, LCMS
Palm Sunday
25 March 2018
In the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.
“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
These are familiar words for us Christians.
These were also familiar words for God’s people in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament Christians would sing Psalms 113-118,
which they called the Hallel, during all of their major holidays,
namely: Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
During Passover these Psalms were especially connected to the the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb.
As the Passover Lambs for each family were being sacrificed in the temple,
the Levitical priests would sing the Hallel, Psalms 113-118, from start to finish.
And so picture this:
thousands of Jews,
thousands of lambs,
gallons and gallons of blood
being poured out on the altar of God, and the priests singing from the end of Psalm 118:
"Hosanna Yahweh, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
When the Jews heard the priests chanting Hosanna, which means “save us,” they had in their minds:
Passover,
Exodus,
blood on doorposts,
salvation from the angel of death,
rescue from Egypt,
the Red Sea Baptism,
following the glorious pillar of fire and cloud,
eating Manna from heaven,
And entering the promised land.
In short, as they watched the lamb being slaughtered and heard “Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,”
the Jews recalled the entire salvation history of God.
The whole story was wrapped up in that Passover Lamb
and those words: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
It would be foolish to assume that the crowd of today’s Gospel lesson didn’t know what they were saying when they waved their palm branches and cried out “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” when they saw Jesus entering Jerusalem.
Surely they connected the dots, at least in part.
The crowd saw Jesus,
the man who turned water into wine,
who healed the sick,
who fed 5,000 with a few loaves of bread,
who walked on water,
who raised Lazarus from the dead.
They saw this Jesus riding into Jerusalem in a royal
procession, and they saw their king.
The Jews were crying out to their king and savior,
to the one who they thought would continue God’s story of salvation among them.
However, like Israel of old, these Jews likely didn’t recognize the full extent of God’s plan for salvation.
The Israelites in Egypt thought they only needed rescue from oppressive slave drivers.
These Jews in Jerusalem likely thought they merely needed rescue
from oppressive Roman rule, or perhaps rescue from poverty or hunger or sickness.
It was only after Jesus was glorified on the cross did his disciples understand the fullness of God’s plan for rescue.
It was only in seeing Jesus hanging on the cross that they came to understand that their need for rescue was so much greater.
It’s only from the cross that we see that God wants to rescue us from so much more than Egyptians, or Romans, or the tyrants of our day. God wants to rescue us from so much more than even poverty or hunger or disease.
God will rescue you from those things for sure, but Jesus comes to save you from even more.
Jesus comes to save you from your sinful heart, from the power of Satan, and from eternal death.
That’s why God didn’t send to us a king dressed in armor or a king surrounded with wealth.
Those kinds of kings may well save us from earthly enemies or a poor economy.
But your king is different. Your king is greater.
Your king comes to you humble and sitting on the colt of a donkey.
Your king comes not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
Your king has the cross as his throne, where he can reign victorious over even sin, death, and the devil.
Your king doesn’t demand your blood for tribute, but he sheds his own blood for you.
From the cross Jesus shows himself to be more than just your king - he shows himself to also be your Passover Lamb.
There is then no better song for the crowd to sing when they see Jesus entering Jerusalem than:
“Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
It’s fitting that we should meet Christ our king in just the same way.
In a few minutes when you sing “Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” connect the dots.
Realize that you aren’t approaching just any king.
You are approaching the king of all creation.
You are kneeling before the savior of the Passover and the Exodus,
the king who blesses and heals,
the king who forgives and resurrects.
When you come to the altar, don’t make the mistake of expecting too little of Christ your king.
Jesus comes to you today in bread and wine to rescue you from so much more than what any other king could.
He comes to save you from sin and Satan, and death and hell.
He comes to claim you as a servant of his kingdom.
He comes to give to you a life of victory over sin, death, and the devil, which is a life of faith, hope, and love.
Therefore sing your Hosannas loudly today,
for whatever evil oppresses you,
whatever sin shames you,
whatever illness pulls you toward death,
Jesus has conquered it all on the cross,
and he has invited you to his victory feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which has no end.
To Christ alone be all glory and honor with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Amen.
PASTOR'S FAVORITE LINKS
Here is a list of Pastor's favorite websites for your faith.
Here is a list of Pastor's favorite websites for your faith.
- catechism.cph.org - This is an online version of Martin Luther's Small Catechism. Use the menu in the top right to navigate to each section.
- bookofconcord.org - This is an online version of the Book of Concord. This link will send you straight to the Augsburg Confession, which is a great place to start if you would like to begin reading this official confession of faith of our congregation! Be warned that that this online version is an older edition so the English might sound a bit dated, but you shouldn't have too many problems reading it.
- lutheranpublicradio.org - Click play on this website to listen to nonstop sacred music from the Church's greatest hymnwriters and composers of the past 2,000 years. This website makes for great background music at work and for listening to in the car through your phone or "smart" car system!
- issuesetc.org - Issues, Etc. is an LCMS talk radio program which spans a wide range of topics related to the Christian faith. One unique and notable feature of Issues, Etc. is that you will find confessional Lutheran commentary on current events and how we might interpret and react to them in a faithful way.
- gottesdienst.org - Gottesdienst is a print or digital journal which also publishes blog posts and podcasts on their website. Their articles focus on the faith as it is delivered and taught in the Divine Liturgy, but they also publish many helpful articles on interpreting the Bible and other subjects. These articles and podcasts may seem intimidating to read or listen to at first, but I think you will find them to be quite digestible and beneficial to your faith.
- wolfmueller.co - This website is full of written, audio, and video content created and compiled by LCMS Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller. Take some time opening tabs and I'm sure you will find something to learn! One of my favorite sections is "Martin Luther's Sermons" under the "Audio" tab, as well as the "Table Talk Radio" section under the same Audio tab.
- kfuo.org - KFUO is another LCMS radio station that you can access on demand online. KFUO hosts programs on many topics of the faith including Scripture, music and prayer, mercy work of the LCMS, culture, church and state, and several others.
- wordfitlyspoken.org - Word Fitly Spoken is a podcast and blog spanning the topics of biblical interpretation, the preaching of salvation, and the pursuit of Christian virtue in our present day. In addition to being a reliably excellent website for your faith, the Word Fitly Spoken podcast definitely wins the prize for best bumper music!