I Am So Glad When Christmas Comes

Here's a wonderful Lutheran Christmas hymn from Norway:

Jeg er så glad hver julekveld, for da ble Jesus født,
da lyste stjernen som en sol, og engler sang så søtt.

Det lille barn i Betlehem han var en konge stor,
som kom fra himlens høye slott ned til vår arme jord.

Nå bor han høyt i himmerik - han er Guds egen sønn,
men husker alltid på de små og hører deres bønn.

Jeg er så glad hver julekveld, da synger vi hans pris;
da åpner han for alle små sitt søte paradis.

Da tenner moder alle lys, så ingen krok er mørk;
hun sier stjernen lyste så i hele verdens ørk.

Hun sier at den lyser enn og slokner aldri ut,
og hvis den skinner på min vei, da kommer jeg til Gud.

Hun sier at de engler små de synger og i dag,
om fred og fryd på jorderik og om Guds velbehag.

Å gid jeg kunne synge så, da ble visst Jesus glad;
for jeg jo også ble Guds barn engang i dåpens bad.

Jeg holder av vår julekveld og av den Herre Krist,
og at han elsker meg igjen, det vet jeg ganske visst.


Here's the English from ,,Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary" of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod:

I am so glad when Christmas comes, The night of Jesus' birth,
When Bethl'em's star shone as the sun And angels sang with mirth.

The little Child of Bethlehem, The King of heav'nly grace,
Came down from His exalted throne To save our fallen race.

He's now returned to heav'n above, God's Son He is alway;
He ne'er forgets His little ones But hears them when they pray.

I too would sing my Savior's praise, My joy, my crown, my Lord;
For He has made me His own child By Water and the Word.

I love this precious Christmas eve And my dear Savior mild,
And I shall not forget the truth: He loves me as His child.

I am so glad when Christmas comes: Let anthems fill the air!
He opens wide for ev'ry child His paradise so fair.

O Tannenbaum

As the Christmas season draws closer, a classic (but rarely heard nowadays) German hymn is ,,O Tannenbaum". There are a number of variations on several stanzas. Here's verse one:

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!
Du grünst nicht nur zur Sommerszeit,
nein auch im Winter, wenn es schneit,
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum,
wie treu sind deine Blätter!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How green your leaves are!
Not only in the summertime,
But even in winter is your prime.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How green your leaves are!

This hymn actually appeared in the American Lutheran Hymnal of 1930. This hymnal was published by the American Lutheran Church. I have not seen this hymn in any other Lutheran hymnal I have in my possession.

When I was in the second grade, we actually sang this hymn for the Christmas pageant in both English and in German. Even more remarkable, this was in the public school around 1975. Man alive, things have changed in the public schools since then.

Bavarian Ancestry

I don't know exactly where my great-great-grandparents came from in Bayern. I know they were Lutheran, and that helps narrow it down a bit. Possibly they were from Arzberg or Roethenbach (near Nuremberg in the southwestern Bavaria). Until I find the exact dorf, I'm adopting Muenchen (Munich) as my ancestral hearth. The city hosts the awesome Bayern-Muenchen Reds (German football) and a SELK church (Trinitatis Church). Wunderbar!

An Advent Sermon from Rev. Armin Wenz

2.Advent - 10.12.2006 – Jesaja 35,3-10 - Oberursel – Armin Wenz

Liebe Gemeinde!

Wir wollen daher zunächst betrachten, wie Gott den Weg für die Verlorenen bahnt, um dann über deren wunderbare Heimfahrt zu staunen. Zuerst also geht es um Gottes Kommen in eine gebundene Welt, dann geht es um der Erlösten Wiederkommen zu ihrem Gott.

1. Wenden wir uns zunächst dem Kommen Gottes zu, so läßt uns Jesaja entdecken, daß dieses Kommen Gottes zwei Seiten hat, die unlösbar miteinander verbunden sind: Gott kommt zur Rache, und er kommt zur Hilfe. Warum das so ist? Liebe Gemeinde! Das ist so, weil Gottes Hilfe Rettung und Befreiung meint.

Rettung und Befreiung kann es aber nur geben, wenn die Mächte, die Menschen gefangen halten, besiegt werden. Es gibt einen Grundzug, der sich durch die ganze Heilige Schrift zieht, der vielen Christen unangenehm ist. Da ist so oft von Feindschaft, von Kampf, von Waffenrüstung die Rede. Und wir wünschen uns von Gott doch die Idylle, den Frieden, die Geborgenheit.

Doch Frieden und Geborgenheit, auch der Frieden und die Geborgenheit bei Gott kosten etwas. Das Volk Israel in der babylonischen Gefangenschaft wird erst dann wieder heimkehren können ins gelobte Land, wenn die unterdrückende Weltmacht von einer anderen Macht besiegt sein wird, so sollte es Jesaja zu seiner Zeit ankündigen.

Eine Schafherde kann nur dann im Frieden leben, wenn der Hirte dem Wolf wehrt. Der Paradiesgarten kann nur gedeihen, wenn es Schutz vor den Wüstenwinden gibt, die alles auszutrocknen drohen. Menschen können ihre Heimat bei Gott nur dann finden, wenn den vielen falschen Propheten und Ideologen das Handwerk gelegt wird.

Seit der ersten Verheißung auf den Messias zieht sich das Motiv der Feindschaft durch die Bibel und durch die Geschichte. Gott sprach zur Schlange: Ich will Feindschaft setzen zwischen dir und dem Weibe und zwischen deinem Nachkommen und ihrem Nachkommen; der soll dir den Kopf zertreten, und du wirst ihn in die Ferse stechen. (1. Mose 3,15) Und im wichtigsten messianischen Psalm des Alten Testaments, der so oft wie keine andere Stelle sonst im Neuen Testament zitiert und auf Christus bezogen wird, heißt es: Der Herr sprach zu meinem Herrn: „Setze dich zu meiner Rechten, bis ich deine Feinde zum Schemel deiner Füße mache.“ Der Herr wird das Zepter deiner Macht ausstrecken aus Zion. Herrsche mitten unter deinen Feinden! (Ps 110)

Wenn das so ist, dann müssen wir fragen: Wer sind denn die Feinde Gottes, die Feinde des Messias, des Heilandes Jesus Christus? Es gibt nicht wenige Stellen vor allem im Alten Testament, an denen diese Feinde Menschen zu sein scheinen. Und darum, daß Gott die ihm feindlichen Menschen einmal richten wird, geht es ja bei Jesu Verkündigung des Gerichts.

Es gibt Menschen, die sich mit Gottes Feinden solidarisch erklären, die selber als Feinde Gottes leben wollen, die sich um ihn und sein Wort nicht scheren. Ja, die Heilige Schrift lehrt uns, daß die Gefangenschaft, in der die Menschheit lebt, so beschaffen ist, daß diese Feindschaft alle Menschen trifft. Wir kennen das ja aus Diktaturen, daß sie immer darauf angelegt sind, möglichst alle Menschen zu Mitwissern, Mitläufern, Mittätern zu machen. Genau das aber tut der Teufel, der Feind Gottes, mit der Menschheit. Der Unterschied zwischen ihm und den Menschen, der Unterschied zwischen dem Unterdrücker und den Unterdrückten, dem Verführer und den Verführten, soll nicht mehr erkennbar sein. Denn der Teufel will nicht, daß Gott einen Unterschied macht zwischen ihm und uns.

Wenn er schon der Rache Gottes verfallen wird, sollen möglichst viele Menschen mit ins Verderben gezogen werden. Und weil der Teufel zwischen sich und den Menschen keinen Unterschied machen will, darum hat er in der Tat dort schon gewonnen, wo seine Existenz geleugnet wird. Denn wenn es keine Gefangenschaft, keine Unterdrückung, kein Verderben gibt, wozu sollte dann ein Befreier, ein Heiland nötig sein?

Der Teufel versteckt sich und verdeckt sich, damit sich die Menschheit um so sicherer wiegt. Doch als Christus kommt, der Verheißene, der ihm den Kopf zertreten soll, da kommt er aus seiner Deckung heraus. Die ganze Sendung Jesu ist eine einziger Kampf, ja ein einziger Siegeszug gegen den altbösen Feind, von der Versuchung in der Wüste, bis hin in die Nacht des Verrats und den Tag der Kreuzigung.

Und auf dem Weg dahin, da zeigt Christus in Wort und Tat, daß Gott selbst einen Unterschied macht zwischen uns und dem Teufel, den Verführten und dem Verführer. Das merken wir daran, daß die Rache am Teufel zugleich Hilfe für die Menschen ist.

Denn Jesus tut in seiner Sendung nichts anderes, als in Wort und Tat den Teufel und seine Werke auszutreiben aus Menschen, die er gefangen hält. Das geschieht besonders drastisch in den Dämonenaustreibungen. Das geschieht aber auch, wo Jesus Blinde, Lahme, Taube, Stumme und Aussätzige heilt. Denn überall geht es darum, daß Menschen, die vom Gottesdienst ausgeschlossen waren, die jenseits von Eden leben mußten, daß sie eingelassen werden in die Gemeinschaft mit Gott.

Und diejenigen, die das verhindern wollen, allen voran die Pharisäer, bezeichnet Jesus darum als Feinde Gottes und der Menschen. Sie unterstellen ihm ja, er würde die Dämonen austreiben, weil er selbst mit dem Teufel im Bunde stünde. Das ist die letzte Verzweiflungstat des Teufels, Christus und Gott selbst zum Feind der Menschen zu machen.

Doch Christus läßt sich nicht davon abhalten, sein Befreiungswerk fortzusetzen. Er bringt, was allein Gott bringen kann: Vergebung der Sünden und heiles Leben, Frieden mit Gott, Zuversicht im letzten Gericht. Er haßt wie sein Vater die Sünde als die den Menschen versklavende Macht. Aber er liebt den Sünder.

In seinem Tod und seiner Auferstehung ist die Niederlage des Teufels, der Sünde und des Todes besiegelt. Eine wundersame Rache Gottes ist dies. Gott gibt seinen Sohn in den Tod dahin. Doch der Teufel hat sich hier übernommen. Nur scheinbar trägt er den Sieg davon. Denn gegen die Liebe des himmlischen Vaters zu seinem Sohn und seiner Menschheit und gegen dessen Allmacht, kommt der Teufel nicht an. Darum läßt Christus seit seiner Auferstehung diesen wirksamen, den Tod bezwingenden Sieg auf der ganzen Welt ansagen und austeilen durch sein heiliges Evangelium, durch Taufe, Beichte und Abendmahl.

Es hat daher seinen guten Sinn, wenn die lutherische Kirche mit der alten Kirche daran festhält, daß vor der Taufhandlung ein Exorzismus gesprochen wird, daß also Jesu Worte, durch die er den Teufel verjagt, gesprochen und gehandelt werden. Es hat einen guten Sinn, daß wir vor dem Empfang des Allerheiligsten im Abendmahl auch immer wieder die Vergebung unter Handauflegung suchen und empfangen.

Christus zum Heil empfangen können wir nur, wenn wir dem Teufel und seinen Werken entsagen, wenn wir bekennen, daß wir nicht mehr unserm Eigensinn, sondern allein dem Herrn Christus dienen wollen. Er will ja auch uns befreien, aus Blindheit, Zweifel und Verirrung des Herzens und Gewissens. Er will uns nicht mit unserer Sünde strafen, sondern uns davon lösen, davon befreien und an ihrer Stelle unser Leben mit Segen füllen. In ihm kommt uns Gott so weit entgegen, daß der Weg für uns zu Gott ein ganz leichter und ebener wird. Und so kommen wir 2. zur Betrachtung des Wiederkommens der Erlösten auf dem Weg, den Gott in Christus gebahnt hat.

Man kann es vielleicht so sagen: Die Hauptstraße zu Gott ist seit dem Ostersieg Jesu gebahnt und steht aller Welt offen. Was jetzt noch passiert, ist, daß Christus durch seinen Geist und seine Kirche die Nebenstraßen zu allen Völkern bahnt. Der Wegebau, von dem schon Jesaja spricht, vollzieht sich durchaus über einen längeren Zeitraum hinweg.

Das Heil Gottes ist wie ein verborgenes unterirdisches Netz, das über die ganze Welt ausgebreitet ist, und nun hier und da an die Oberfläche tritt, wie Wasser in der Wüste. So wachsen mitten in einer Welt an vielen Orten Oasen. Und wenn wir unsere Lebenszeit als Wüstenwanderung sehen, dann stellt Gott auch uns auf diesem Weg Oasen zur Verfügung.

Sonntag für Sonntag tritt das Lebenswasser an die Oberfläche, wird das Lebenswort verkündet, wird das Lebensbrot ausgeteilt. Wir dürfen schöpfen Gnade um Gnade. Und weil auch unsere Lebenstage oft einer Wüstenwanderung gleichen, steht uns das Lebenswort in geschriebener Form in der Bibel und in Andachten auch für zuhause zur Verfügung.

Wir brauchen diese Oasen unseres Gottes, denn im Leben aus der Heiligen Schrift geht auch an uns das Wort Jesajas in Erfüllung, daß kein Unreiner und kein Tor uns mehr verwirrt und verführt, auch, daß wir selber niemanden verführen, sondern zur Wahrheit leiten, weil uns das klare Licht des Wortes Gottes leuchtet und den Weg zur ewigen Heimat zeigt.

So können wir selber in unserer Worten und Werken hier und da für Menschen, die unseren Lebensweg kreuzen, zur Oase werden; wir können sie am Trost des Evangeliums und an unserer Freude über unsere Rettung teilhaben lassen, gerade dann, wenn wir in Freud und Leid nicht mehr die Wege der Sünde, die Wege ohne Gott und von Gott weg mitgehen. So werden auch wir Lichter des Advents, die verlorene Menschen zum Heiland weisen, die müde Hände und wankende Knie stärken und verzagte Herzen trösten.

Darum gibt ja Christus dieser Welt noch Zeit und seiner Kirche einen Auftrag, nämlich immer wieder aus der Oase hinaus in die Wüste zu gehen, um die Verdurstenden hereinzuholen. Wo Menschen entdecken, daß unsere Welt allzuoft einer Wüste gleicht, so daß sie ziellos im Kreise gehen, wo Menschen nach Hilfe und Entlastung fragen, da ist es ein Segen, wenn sie jemandem begegnen, der den Weg zu Gottes Oasen kennt.

So bekommt unser Leben Ziel und Inhalt, Segen und Gnade. Seid getrost, fürchtet euch nicht! Seht, da ist euer Gott! Er kommt zur Rache; Gott, der da vergilt, kommt und wird euch helfen. - Die Erlösten des HERRN werden wiederkommen und nach Zion kommen mit Jauchzen; ewige Freude wird über ihrem Haupte sein; Freude und Wonne werden sie ergreifen, und Schmerz und Seufzen wird entfliehen.

Die Straße ist gebaut. Gott hat es sich viel Aufwand und Mühe kosten lassen, hat seinen eigenen Sohn schmerzvoll in den Tod gegeben, um uns aus allem Verderben zu befreien. Kein Hindernis gibt es mehr auf der Straße, die Gott in Christus gebahnt hat. Die Adventszeit erinnert ähnlich wie die Passionszeit an den unendlich großen Aufwand, den es unseren Gott gekostet hat, uns den Weg zu seinem Heil in Christus zu bahnen.

Gottes Kommen in eine gebundene Welt und die Wallfahrt der Völker zum Zion ist aber längst im Gange, und wir sind dabei, wie der Hebräerbrief zu seiner Zeit an die angefochtene Christenheit schreibt, deren Hände, Knie und Herzen er stärkt mit den Worten: Ihr seid gekommen zu dem Berg Zion und zu der Stadt des lebendigen Gottes, dem himmlischen Jerusalem, und zu den viel tausend Engeln, und zu der Versammlung und Gemeinde der Erstgeborenen, die im Himmel aufgeschrieben sind. (Hebr 12,22f) Amen.

6. The Lord's Supper

VI. Das Sakrament des Altars,
wie ein Hausvater dasselbe seinem Gesinde einfältiglich vorhalten soll.

Was ist das Sakrament des Altars?
Antwort.

Es ist der wahre Leib und Blut unseres Herrn Jesus Christi, unter dem Brot und Wein uns Christen zu essen und zu trinken, von Christo selbst eingesetzt.

Wo steht das geschrieben?
Antwort.

So schreiben die heiligen Evangelisten Matthäus, Markus, Lukas und der St. Paulus:

Unser Herr Jesus Christus, in der Nacht, da er verraten ward, nahm er das Brot, dankte und brach’s und gab’s seinen Jüngern und sprach: Nehmet hin, esset! Das ist mein Leib, der für euch gegeben wird. Solches tut zu meinem Gedächtnis!

Desselbengleichen nahm er auch den Kelch nach dem Abendmahl, dankte und gab ihnen den und sprach: Nehmet hin und trinket alle daraus! Dieser Kelch ist das Neue Testament in meinem Blut, das für euch vergossen wird zur Vergebung der Sünden. Solches tut, sooft ihr’s trinket, zu meinem Gedächtnis!

Was nützt denn solch Essen und Trinken?
Antwort.

Das zeigen uns diese Worte: ,,Für euch gegeben und vergossen zur Vergebung der Sünden”, nämlich daß uns im Sakrament Vergebung der Sünden, Leben und Seligkeit durch solche Worte gegeben wird; denn wo Vergebung der Sünden ist, da ist auch Leben und Seligkeit.

Wie kann leiblich Essen und Trinken solch große Dinge tun?
Antwort.

Essen und Trinken tut’s freilich nicht, sondern die Worte, so da stehen: ,,Für euch gegeben und vergossen zur Vergebung der Sünden.” Welche Worte sind neben dem leiblichen Essen und Trinken das Hauptstück im Sakrament. Und wer denselben Worten glaubt, der hat, was sie sagen und wie sie lauten, nämlich: Vergebung der Sünden.

Wer empfängt denn solch Sakrament würdiglich?
Antwort.

Fasten und leiblich sich bereiten ist wohl eine feine äuß erliche Zucht; aber der ist recht würdig und wohlgeschickt, wer den Glauben hat an diese Worte: ,,Für euch gegeben und vergossen zur Vergebung der Sünden.”

Wer aber diesen Worten nicht glaubt oder zweifelt, der ist unwürdig und ungeschickt; denn das Wort ,,Für euch” fordert eitel gläubige Herzen.

5. Confession

V. Wie man die Einfältigen soll lehren beichten.

[Was ist die Beichte? — Antwort.]

Die Beichte begreist zwei Stücke in sich: eines, daß man die Sünde bekenne; das andere, daß man die absolutio oder Vergebung von dem Beichtiger empfange als von Gott selbst und ja nicht daran zweifle, sondern fest glaube, die Sünden seien dadurch vergeben vor Gott in Himmel.

Welche Sünden soll man denn beichten?
[Antwort.]

Vor Gott soll man aller Sünden sich schuldig geben, auch die wir nicht erkennen, wie wir im Vaterunser tun; aber vor dem Beichtiger sollen wir allein die Sü nden bekennen, die wir wissen und fühlen im Herzen.

Welche sind die?
[Antwort.]

Da siehe deinen Stand an nach den zehn Geboten:, ob du Vater, Mutter, Sohn, Tochter, Herr, Frau, Knecht seiest; ob du ungehorsam, untreu, unfleißig gewesen seiest; ob du jemand Leid getan hast mit Worten oder Werken; ob du gestohlen, versäumet, verwahrlost, Schaden getan hast.

Lieber, stelle mir eine kurze Weise zu beichten.
Antwort.

So sollst du zum Beichtiger sprechen:

Wü rdiger, lieber Herr, ich bitte Euch, wollet meine Beichte hören und mir die Vergebung sprechen um Gottes willen.

Sage an!

Ich armer Sünder bekenne mich vor Gott aller Sünden schuldig; insonderheit bekenne ich vor Euch, daß ich ein Knecht, Magd usw. bin; aber ich diene leider untreulich meinem Herrn; denn da und da habe ich nicht getan, was sie mich hieß en, habe sie erzürnt und zu fluchen bewegt, habe versäumt und Schaden lassen geschehen; bin auch in Worten und Werken schambar [schamlos, anstößig] gewesen, habe mit meinesgleichen gezürnt, wider meine Frau gemurrt und geflucht usw. Das alles ist mir leid, und bitte um Gnade; ich will mich bessern.

Ein Herr oder Frau sage also:

Insonderheit bekenne ich vor Euch, daß ich mein Kind und Gefinde, Weib nicht treulich gezogen habe zu Gottes Ehren. Ich habe geflucht, böse Erempel mit unzüchtigen [unanständigen] Worten und Werken gegeben, meinem Nachbar Schaden getan und übel nachgeredet, zu teuer verkauft, falsche und nicht ganze Ware gegeben.

Und was er mehr wider die Gebote Gottes und seinen Stand getan usw.

Wenn aber jemand sich nicht befindet beschwert mit solcher oder größeren Sünden, der soll nicht sorgen oder weiter Sünde suchen noch erdichten und damit eine Marter aus der Beichte machen, sondern erzähle eine oder zwei, die du weißt; also: Insonderheit bekenne ich, daß ich einmal geflucht; item, einmal unhü bsch mit Worten gewesen, einmal dies N. versäumt habe usw. Also laß es genug sein.

Weißt du aber gar keine (welches doch nicht wohl sollte möglich sein), so sage auch keine insonderheit, sondern nimm die Vergebung auf die gemeine Beichte, so du vor Gott tust gegen den Beichtiger.

Darauf soll der Beichtiger sagen:

Gott sei der gnädig und stärke deinen Glauben! Amen.

Weiter:

Glaubst du auch, daß meine Vergebung Gottes Vergebung sei?

Antwort.
Ja, lieber Herr.
Darauf spreche er:

Wie du glaubst, so geschehe dir. Und ich aus dem Befehl unsers Herrn Jesu Christi vergebe dir deine Sünden im Namen des Vaters und des Sohnes und des Heiligen Geistes. Amen. Gehe hin in Frieden!

Welch aber große Beschwerungen des Gewissens haben oder betrübt und angefochten sind, die wird ein Beichtvater wohl wissen mit mehr Sprüchen zu trösten udn zum Glauben [zu] reizen. Das soll allein eine gemeine Weise der Beichte sein für die Einfältigen.

4. The Sacrament of Holy Baptism

IV. Das Sakrament der Heiligen Taufe,
wie dasselbe ein Hausvater seinem Gesinde soll einfä ltiglich vorhalten.

Zum ersten.
Was ist die Taufe?

Antwort.

Die Taufe ist nicht allein schlecht Wasser, sondern sie ist das Wasser in Gottes Gebot gefaßt und mit Gottes Wort verbunden.

Welches ist denn solch Wort Gottes?
Antwort.

Da unser Herr Christus spricht Matthäi am letzten: Gehet hin im alle Welt, lehret alle Heiden und taufet im Namen des Vaters und des Sohnes und des Heiligen Geistes.

Zum andern.
Was gibt oder nützt die Taufe?
Antwort.

Sie wirkt Vergebung der Sünden, erlöset vom Tod und Teufel und gibt die ewige Seligkeit allen, die es glauben, wie die Worte und Verheiß ungen Gottes lauten.

Welches sind denn solche Worte und Verheiß ungen Gottes?

Antwort.

Da unser Herr Christus spricht Marci am letzten: Wer da glaubet und getauft wird, der wird selig [werden]; wer aber nicht glaubet, der wird verdammt [werden].

Zum dritten.
Wie kann Wasser solch große Dinge tun?
Antwort.

Wasser tut’s freilich nicht, sondern das Wort Gottes, so mit und bei dem Wasser ist, und der Glaube, so solchem Worte Gottes im Wasser traut. Denn ohne Gottes Wort ist das Wasser schlecht Wasser und keine Taufe; aber mit dem Wort Gottes ist’s eine Taufe, das ist, ein gnadenreich Wasser des Lebens und ein Bad der neuen Geburt im Heiligen Geist, wie St. Paulus sagt zu Tito am 3. Kapitel:
,,Durch das Bad der Wiedergeburt und Erneuerung des Heiligen Geistes, welchen er ausgegossen hat ü ber uns reichlich durch Jesum Christum, unsern Heiland, auf daß wir durch desselben Gnade gerecht und Erben seien des ewigen Lebens nach der Hoffnung. Das ist gewiß lich wahr.”

Zum vierten.
Was bedeutet denn solch Wassertaufen?
Antwort.

Es bedeutet, daß der alte Adam in uns durch tägliche Reue und Buß e soll ersäuft werden und sterben mit allen Sünden und bösen Lüsten; und wiederum täglich herauskommen und auferstehn ein neuer Mensch, der in Gerechtigkeit und Reinigkeit vor Gott ewiglich lebe.

Wo steht das geschrieben?
Antwort.

St. Paulus zu den Rö mern am 6. spricht: ,,Wir sind samt Christo durch die Taufe begraben in den Tod, daß, gleichwie Christus ist von den Toten auferweckt durch die Herrlichkeit des Vaters, also sollen auch wir in einem neuen Leben wandeln.”

3. The Lord's Prayer

III. Das Vaterunser,

wie ein Hausvater dasselbe seinem Gesinde auf das einfältiglich vorhalten soll.

Vater unser, der du bist im Himmel.
Was ist das? — Antwort.

Gott will uns damit locken [will uns damit locken], daß wir glauben sollen, er sei unser rechter Vater und wir seine rechten Kinder, auf daß wir getrost und mit aller Zuversicht ihn bitten sollen wie die lieben Kinder ihren lieben Vater.

Die erste Bitte.
Geheiligt werde dein Name.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Gottes Name ist zwar an sich selbst heilig; aber wir bitten in diesem Gebet, daß er auch bei uns heilig werde.

Wie geschieht das? — Antwort.

Wo das Wort Gottes lauter und rein gelehrt wird, und wir auch heilig als die Kinder Gottes danach leben; das hilf uns, lieber Vater im Himmel! Wer aber anders lehrt und lebt, denn das Wort Gottes lehrt, der entheiligt unter uns den Namen Gottes; da behüte uns, [lieber] himmlischer Vater!

Die andere Bitte.
Dein Reich komme.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Gottes Reich kommt wohl ohne unser Gebet, von sich selbst; aber wir bitten in diesem Gebet, daß es auch zu uns komme.

Wie geschieht das? — Antwort.

Wenn der himmlische Vater uns seinen Heiligen Geist gibt, daß wir seinem heiligen Wort durch seine Gnade glauben und göttlich leben, hier zeitlich und dort ewiglich.

Die dritte Bitte.
Dein Wille geschehe, wie im Himmel, so auf Erden.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Gottes guter, gnädiger Wille geschieht wohl ohne unser Gebet; aber wir bitten in diesem Gebet, daß er auch bei uns geschehe.

Wie geschieht das? — Antwort.

Wenn Gott allen bösen Rat und Willen bricht und hindert, so uns den Namen Gottes nicht heiligen und sein Reich nicht kommen lassen wollen, als da ist des Teufels, der Welt und unsers Fleisches Wille, sondern stärkt und behält uns fest in seinem Wort und Glauben bis an unser Ende: das ist sein gnädiger, guter Wille.

Die vierte Bitte.
Unser tägliches Brot gib uns heute.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Gott gibt täglich Brot, auch wohl ohne unsere Bitte, allen bösen Menschen; aber wir bitten in diesem Gebet, dass er [er’s] uns erkennen lasse und mit Danksagung empfangen unser täglich Brot.

Was heißt denn täglich Brot?
Antwort.

Alles, was zur Leibesnahrung und -notdurft gehört, als Essen, Trinken, Kleider, Schuh’, Haus, Hof, Acker, Vieh, Geld, Gut, fromm Gemahl, fromme Kinder, fromm Gesinde, fromme und treue Oberherren, gut Regiment, gut Wetter, Friede, Gesundheit, Zucht, Ehre, gute Freunde, getreue Nachbarn und desgleichen.

Die fünfte Bitte.
Und verlaß [erlaß , vergib] uns unsere Schuld, als wir verlassen unsern Schuldigern.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Wir bitten in diesem Gebet, daß der Vater im Himmel nicht ansehen wolle unsere Sünden und um derselben willen solche Bitten nicht versagen; denn wir sind der keines wert, das wir bitten, haben es auch nicht verdient; sondern er wolle es uns alles aus Gnaden geben, denn wir täglich viel sündigen und wohl eitel Strafe verdienen. So wollen wir zwar [,,zwarten”, wahrlich, in Wahrheit] wiederum auch herzlich vergeben und gerne [* wohl] tun denen, die sich an uns versündigen.

Die sechste Bitte.
Und fü hre uns nicht in Versuchung.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Gott versucht zwar niemand, aber wir bitten in diesem Gebet, daß uns Gott wolle behüten und erhalten, auf daß uns der Teufel, die Welt und unser Fleisch nicht betrüge und verführe in Mißglauben, Verzweifeln und andere große Schande und Laster; und ob wir damit angefochten würden, daß wir doch endlich gewinnen und den Sieg behalten.

Die siebente Bitte.
Sondern erlöse uns von dem Übel.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Wir bitten in diesem Gebet als in der Summa, daß uns der Vater im Himmel von allerlei Übel an Leibes und Seele, Gut und Ehre erlöse und zuletzt, wenn unser Stündlein kommt, ein seliges Ende beschere und mit Gnaden von diesem Jammertal zu sich nehme in den Himmel.

Amen.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Daß ich soll gewiß sein, solche Bitten sind dem Vater im Himmel angenehm und erhört; denn er selbst hat uns geboten, also zu beten, und verheiß en, daß er uns will erhören. Amen, Amen, das heißt: Ja, ja, es soll also geschehen.

2. The Creed

II. Der Glaube,

wie ein Hausvater denselbe seinem Gesinde auf das einfältigste vorhalten soll.

Der erste Artikel.
Von der Schöpfung.

Ich glaube an Gott den Vater allmächtigen, Schöpfer Himmels und der Erden.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Ich glaube, daß mich Gott geschaffen hat samt allen Kreaturen, mir Leib und Seele, Augen, Ohren und alle Glieder, Vernunft und alle Sinne gegeben hat und noch erhält; dazu Kleider und Schuh’, Essen und Trinken, Haus und Hof, Weib und Kind, Acker, Vieh und alle Güter; mit aller Notdurft und Nahrung des Leibes und Lebens mich reichlich und täglich versorget, wider alle Fährlichkeit beschirmt und vor allem Übel behütet und bewahrt; und das alles aus lauter väterlicher, göttlicher Güte und Barmherzigkeit; ohne all mein Verdienst und Würdigkeit; des alles ich ihm zu danken und zu loben und dafür zu dienen und gehorsam zu sein schuldig bin. Das ist gewiß lich wahr.

Der andere Artikel.
Von der Erlösung.

Und an Jesum Christum, seinen einigen Sohn, unsern Herrn, der empfangen ist von Heiligen Geist, geboren aus Maria der Jungfrau, gelitten unter Pontio Pilato, gekreuzigt, gestorben und begraben, niedergefahren zur Hölle, am dritten Tage auferstanden von den Toten, aufgefahren gen Himmel, sitzend zur Rechten Gottes, des allmächtigen Vaters, von dannen er kommen wird, zu richten die Lebendigen und die Toten.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Ich glaube, daß Jesus Christus, wahrhaftiger Gott, vom Vater in Ewigkeit geboren und auch wahrhaftiger Mensch von der Jungfrau Maria geboren, sei mein Herr, der mich verlornen und verdammten Menschen erlöst hat, erworben, gewonnen von allen Sünden, vom Tode und von der Gewalt des Teufels, nicht mit Gold oder Silber, sondern mit seinem heiligen, teuren Blut und mit seinem unschuldigen Leiden und Sterben, auf daß ich sein eigen sei und in seinem Reich unter ihm lebe und ihm diene in ewiger Gerechtigkeit, Unschuld und Seligkeit, gleichwie er ist auferstanden vom Tode, lebt und regiert in Ewigkeit. Das ist gewißlich wahr.

Der dritte Artikel.
Von der Heiligung.

Ich glaube an den Heiligen Geist, eine heilige, christliche Kirche, die Gemeinde der Heiligen, Vergebung der Sünden, Auferstehung des Fleisches und ein ewiges Leben. Amen.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Ich glaube, daß ich nicht aus eigener Vernunft noch Kraft an Jesum Christum meinen Herrn, glauben oder zu ihm kommen kann; sondern der Heilige Geist hat mich durch das Evangelium berufen, mit seinen Gaben erleuchtet, im rechten Glauben geheiligt und erhalten; gleichwie er die ganze Christenheit auf Erden beruft, sammelt, erleuchtet, heiligt und bei Jesu Christo erhält im rechten, einigen Glauben; in welcher Christenheit er mir und allen Glä ubigen täglich alle Sünden reichlich vergibt und am Jüngsten Tage mich und alle Toten auferwecken wird und mir samt allen Gläubigen in Christo ein ewiges Leben geben wird. Das ist gewißlich wahr.

1. The 10 Commandments

CATECHISMUS MINOR

I. Die Zehn Gebote,
wie sie ein Hausvater seinem Gesinde einfältiglich vorhalten soll.

Das erste Gebot.
Du sollst nicht andere Götter haben.

Was ist das? — Antwort.

Wir sollen Gott über alle Dinge fürchten, lieben und vertrauen.

Das andere Gebot.
Du sollst den Namen deines Gottes nicht mißbrauchen.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir bei seinem Namen nicht fluchen, schwören, zaubern, lügen oder trügen, sondern denselben in allen Nöten anrufen, beten, loben und danken.

Das dritte Gebot.
Du sollst den Feiertag heiligen.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir die Predigt und sein Wort nicht verachten, sondern dasselbe heilig halten, gerne hö ren und lernen.

Das vierte Gebot.
Du sollst deinen Vater und deine Mutter ehren [auf daß dir’s wohl gehe, und du lange lebest auf Erden].

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir unsere Eltern und Herren nicht verachten noch erzü rnen, sondern sie in Ehren halten, ihnen dienen, gehorchen, [sie] lieb und wert haben.

Das fü nfte Gebot.
Du sollst nicht töten.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir unserm Nächsten an seinem Leibe keinen Schaden noch Leid tun, sondern ihm helfen und fördern in allen Leibesnöten.

Das sechste Gebot.
Du sollst nicht ehebrechen.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir keusch und zü chtig leben in Worten und Werken, und ein jeglicher sein Gemahl lieben und ehren [liebe und ehre].

Das siebente Gebot.
Du sollst nicht stehlen.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir unsers Nächsten Geld oder Gut nicht nehmen, noch mit falscher Ware oder Handel an uns bringen, sondern ihm sein Gut und Nahrung helfen bessern und behüten.

Das achte Gebot.
Du sollst nicht falsch Gezeugnis [Zeugnis] reden wider deinen Nächsten.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir unsern Nächsten nicht fä lschlich belügen, verraten, afterreden oder bösen Leumund machen, sondern sollen ihn entschuldigen, Gutes von ihm reden und alles zum besten kehren.

Das neunte Gebot.
Du sollst nicht begehren deines Nächsten Haus.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir unserm Nächsten nicht mit List nach seinem Erbe oder Hause stehen und mit einem Schein des Rechts an uns bringen usw., sondern ihm dasselbe zu behalten, förderlich und dienstlich seien.

Das zehnte Gebot.
Du sollst nicht begehren deines Nächsten Weib, Knecht, Magd, Vieh oder alles, was sein ist.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Wir sollen Gott fürchten und lieben, daß wir unserm Nächsten nicht sein Weib, Gesinde oder Vieh abspannen, abdringen oder abwendig machen, sondern dieselben anhalten, daß sie bleiben und tun, was sie schuldig sind.

Was sagt nun Gott von diesen Geboten allen? — Antwort.
Er sagt also:
Ich, der Herr, dein Gott, bin ein eifriger Gott, der über die, so mich hassen, die Sünde der Väter heimsucht an den Kindern bis ins dritte und vierte Glied; aber denen, so mich lieben und meine Gebote halten, tue ich wohl in tausend Glied.

Was ist das? — Antwort.
Gott dräuet zu strafen alle, die diese Gebote übertreten; darum sollen wir uns fürchten vor seinem Zorn und nicht wider solche Gebote tun. Er verheißt aber Gnade und alles Gute allen, die solche Gebote halten; darum sollen wir ihn auch lieben und vertrauen und gerne tun nach seinen Geboten.

Luther's Small Catechism

After looking on the Internet for the Luther's Small Catechism in German, I found a nicely formatted one at the SELK website using a 1986 edition of Luther with modern German. Unfortunately, it didn't include the two Appendices. After more looking, I was unable to find a complete catechism on the Internet (I suppose there is one out there somewhere, but to wade through thousands of hits gets tiring after a while). I thought: ,,Perhaps some Synodical resources have the German version online." Nope, I couldn't find a single hit. The closest I got was on the Concordia Ft. Wayne Seminary site. It appeared to be from the Triglotta, but as I looked at it, there were differences in the text that did not match my big green book. Btw, the Triglotta is an awesome resource, and the English texts are now in the public domain. Anyway, even Concordia Ft. Wayne excised the two Appendices from their online resource.

I am disappointed that there is no Synodical resource that allows you to access the Small Catechism in German. Yes, there were plenty of resources for Luther in English, but not German. 'Tis a sad, sad state of affairs.

Why did I diligently search for Luther's Small Catechism in German? One of my Sunday School students wants to learn German, and we have been doing a little bit each week. A German catechism would be a great resource for him.

So I buckled down and typed in the whole thing from my Triglotta (Taking that typing class in high school is one of the most practical classes I had during those years!). It would have been much easier and quicker to scan it in, but scanners (at least my scanner) don't read the fancy German script very well and output a bunch of gibberish. I should see what I can do about linking the German to a website, but for now I will post the parts here.

The End Times

Now that we are less than a week away from Eternity Sunday, I want to highly recommend an excellent resource. Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs (exegetical professor at Concordia St. Louis) published a book based on his doctoral thesis several years ago. It is entitled Jerusalem and the Parousia. I read the pertinent sections of the book each time we approach the final three Sundays in the Church lectionary. Although he deals with the Gospel of Matthew, I have found that the material fits nicely with the other Synoptic Gospels (I fondly remember my theology class on the Synoptics all those years ago at university!).

I truly enjoy preaching on the final three Sundays of the lectionary. I am glad that the LSB lectionary got us back to the traditional practice of always using the readings for the final three Sundays in the lectionary. I had always done this since I was ordained. Those last three Sundays are so comforting and realign our thoughts as to how God will do things rather than the drivel we are served up by popular books, television specials, televangelists, and tabloid news regarding the return of Christ.

I do, however, think that the traditional One-year Lectionary preserves the themes of the last three Sundays in the Church year better than the Three-Year Lectionary. How I enjoy celebrating Eternity Sunday with Matthew's Wise and Foolish Virgins parable and the hymn "Wake, Awake, the Night is Flying".

All theology is Christology, and all Christology is eschatology (the study of the last day). Jesus inaugurated the last days with His incarnation and highlighted the last days with His death and resurrection. He is the firstfruits of the resurrection and the assurance that when He returns we will be raised up with a perfect and holy body. What an event to long for and rejoice in!

Proclaiming the "solas" of the Reformation

"The White Horse Inn" is a radio program that continually talks about the Reformation. A number of discussions are on faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and Scripture alone. You can download their forty-some minute conversations and listen to it throught such programs as Windows Player, an iPod, mp3 player, etc.

The month of October has four great discussions on the Reformation and why it is still important for us 500 years later.

Go on over to http://www.whitehorseinn.org/ and check out their audio and written articles.

We are justified by faith alone!

Blessed Reformation Day!

Below is a sermon from The Rev. Dr. Armin Wenz. He is the pastor of Evangelical Lutheran St. John's Church in Oberursel, Germany. St. John is a church in the SELK (the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is in fellowship with the LCMS). I translated this sermon last week and polished up my translation this week. I am glad I have it ready for today.

St. John's website is: http://www.selk-oberursel.de/index.htm

My Reformation sermon (text and audio) can be found here: http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage=page&mode=display&gid=01280001361019533903983181

Enjoy!

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Reformation Festival - 31.10.2006 - Galatians 5,1-6 - Oberursel- Armin Wenz

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

Dear congregation!

,,The Open Society and their Enemies,” is the title of a book by the English philosopher Charles Popper. Inside the scholar sits apart with the enemies of freedom on a political level. Since freedom is a lofty estate, it is necessary, always again to truly engage and repel what endangers freedom.

It is a hallmark of dictators, that they lull the people while they say: ,,Simply trust us with your needs; do not be concerned about the risk to your freedom.” In the Church, one also encounters this under the devout clothing, when the impression is awakened, that whoever shall warn against heresies that alter the gospel must not have any faith in God.

Paul and Martin Luther proceeded differently. For they heard the mission-task of the Lord Christ to His Church to faithfully teach only the gospel. And furthermore Paul and Luther were uncompromising in their quarrels against the enemies of the freedom of the gospel in the Church.

The Reformation thereby came about when Luther, charging through the holy Scriptures, calls out to the Church of his time, about the same sorrowful temptations he had experienced: You have lost Christ. Like Paul, Luther was not arbitrary with his unrelenting criticism, but reminded them about the reason of salvation for the lost: For freedom we have been released by Christ!

Reformation, therefore, means: Discovering again the freedom that we have from Christ as a gift. Reformation means: Discovering again Jesus Christ and His salvation. If the Son now sets you free, then you really are free; so says Jesus in John’s Gospel (8,36).

There rings with that freedom that Christ gives it as a present or gift, and it must not be added to. Freedom is lost to us if we attempt to obtain it through our own mighty works instead of receiving the gift. Whoever the Son has made free, he is really free.

Luther has summarized it with the famous solus Christus - Christ alone. He alone is the reason of our salvation and our freedom. However, adversaries surely then arise who endanger this freedom, in that they want to add to the work of Christ.

Against these enemies of freedom, Paul holds firm about a certain salvation, that we can only have salvation in Christ, if He alone comes to us by grace. And secondly he remains firm against the enemies of freedom, that we can receive the salvation in Christ alone by faith. With the Latin phrases it says: The solus Christus is inseparable from the sola gratia, that is: by grace alone, and likewise it is inseparable from the sola fide, that is: faith alone.

We come to the first argument of Paul against the enemies of freedom: Solus Christus stands only if sola gratia stands. That is: The salvation of Jesus Christ for us is grace and nothing but grace. Paul cries out to these same Galatians: You have Christ lost; you have fallen from grace.

What brings the apostle to speak these piercing words? It is the piety of the Galatians that has brought them to this serious danger. The Galatians had not all of a sudden reversed and become atheists. In the end, one must take ,,by faith” seriously.

Christ has released us from the yoke of sin and death. They believed that also. However they experienced just as we do that sin and death are still a painful reality. This is the temptation.

Was the sin really forgiven if you must still ask for forgiveness? Was one now really a child of God with eternal life when you still had to suffer painful sickness and death?

What could be more appropriate than the visible signs of faith which help his own deeds? Jesus, however, had been a Jew. And Christians should nevertheless model their lives after Him. If it was so difficult to live as righteous and holy as He could, then at least one could let himself be circumcised.

Such regulations like the law of the circumcision can at least clearly redeem someone. If one is circumcised, then one has, so to speak, a mark of certainty on his body. What’s the objection? Paul doesn’t exaggerate here, when he exclaims: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then Christ will be of no use to you? For Paul, freedom is at stake here. You have lost Christ, if you want to be justified through the law, and you have fallen from grace.

He says that you cannot secure freedom by your own power and discretion. You may not help Christ. Whomever Christ has made free, is completely free; no additional mark of this freedom is needed, for Christ is the proof of this freedom.

Do not put on again the yoke of slavery! What does this mean for us? What does this mean for us, when we waver, become uncertain, and before long we are unsure whether we really belong to God? The question is then: Where do we look for help?

The answer to these questions is clear when Paul says, either you are looking for your salvation in Christ alone, or you have lost Christ. In medicine, many diseases simultaneously need different medications and treatment methods. Not so with freedom.

The answer to the question: ,,Who will I call on to help me when my faith wavers?” is: Christ alone. As soon as we join Christ ,,and” fill-in-the-blank, then we have lost our freedom and will become enslaved. Such examples of this enslavement are: Christ and circumcision or Christ and Buddha, Christ and the Anthroposophy, Christ and my holiness, Christ and my good works, Christ and my sacrificial life to family and career.

The whole system of relics and the countless works of penance in the Middle Ages go back to this desire of the Christian to reassure himself by imagining that God approves of me, and He does so rightly. Anyone can see it, because I have obtained it.

Luther’s Reformation turned itself against this mania beginning with his 95 Theses against indulgences. Whoever grounds his freedom and Christianity on own performances or on the performances of others, builds on sand. Why must Christ die, if we can achieve freedom with our works? Christ wants to give away His freedom, but if we want to even partially obtain this freedom by our own works, then aren’t we guilty of making Christ a liar?

Grace is not a measurable thing, that we can supplement or multiply. The grace of God in Christ is rather our recent acquittal in the court by virtue of the power of Baptism, because Christ bears eternal death for us and we have been reconciled with God. And that works itself also out of the question, how we properly receive the grace of Christ.

Again, the solus Christus, that is ,,Christ alone” shall not be encroached upon. Therefore, the second argument of the apostle against the enemies of freedom is: Solus Christus stands only if grace alone is received by faith.

For what applies for grace also applies for faith: it is not a work of the people, by which we complete or supplement God’s work or make it valid for us, but faith is entirely and truly a gift of Jesus Christ through the proclamation. In the third chapter Paul asks the Galatians: I just want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the preaching of faith? (3,2) As the acquittal stands by grace alone, so also faith as a gift of the Spirit is contrary to any notion that we are justified by the law.

This justification, which you still miss and cannot see, says Paul, is not fabricated through your chosen works, but by trusting on it, that God will accomplish what He has begun in you, as He has planted the seed of the word God into your hearts. Therefore he says: We wait in a spirit of faith for the justification on which we must hope.

We are completely justified for Christ’s sake, because He has acquitted us from our sin. At the same time, our justification is still hidden, it still waxes, because we repeatedly fall into sin. But in such situations our works don’t compensate, but our only help is that we take refuge in Jesus, receive His Absolution, and strengthen our faith through His holy meal.

The life from the Sacraments and from the proclamation is the only right answer for all temptations and doubts. It is no wonder that when the works of man and the pride in them become important, then one gives little respect to the work of God in preaching and the Sacraments. But this was exactly the situation that Luther interrupts at the end of the Middle Ages. Only in the intense life from God’s Word and Christ’s Sacraments do we remain in freedom, because we only receive Christ’s grace. The freedom must always be received anew and strengthened by the rescuer.

The tension is over now, so that only the right fulfillment of the law in the form of love becomes possible in us. Because if I am exempt from the necessity to achieve my salvation, then Christ makes me free to love the neighbor. I must now no longer devote my life’s strength to the purchase of my salvation. Circumcision is not necessary; an indulgence is not necessary. I must no longer be like a humming-top that is only spinning around for myself. So I find time and freedom in the works of life, that I don’t do so I will be saved, but I do them because I am saved and I want my neighbors to also find and experience this freedom.

Just as by faith, we put our hope in God alone and our relationship to God is repaired, so also faith that is active in love repairs the damage of our relationship to our neighbors.

The soul breathes because it is free from the coercion that it must continually prove something before God and the world, just what it always means, that we believe that we are obedient to God and man. With Christ’s forgiveness and grace, a person therefore also gladly and freely gives to the neighbor so that he can also breathe, in that he grants forgiveness and love to him, he also gladly gives everything as a gift, just as what he has received from God.

Luther had uniquely described this life of Christian freedom as: ,,The Christian lives in Christ by faith, and lives in the neighbor by love. By faith he runs to God, and from God he runs again by love and remains always in God and divine love. This Christian freedom, which makes the heart free, surpasses all other freedoms, just as heaven surpasses the earth.” Amen.

God: The Just Judge

One Biblical image of God is that of the just judge. People stand before a judge to get justice. God metes out justice, too. The problem is that His justice brings with it His wrath and punishment upon sin and sinners. His law hunts us down like a bounty hunter and drags us before the judge for sentencing. The law reveals our sins. The law reveals our ulterior motives. The law shames us. We have approached God seeking justice and reimbursement for what has been done against us, and instead we have received justice and reimbursement upon ourselves for our many sins.

The law reveals to us a heavenly Father, a divine Judge, who is angry and stern. His holiness cannot bear to be in the presence of sin or sinners. His justice demands that sinners be punished and put to death. His verdict upon us is “guilty” and we are subsequently given the death sentence. There is no way to appeal this decision. The gavel has rapped down. The court has been adjourned. God will quickly bring His justice against us.

The law always shows us the wrathful nature of God. But where is God’s mercy? Surely, God must love us.

God the Father does indeed love us. He loves us more than anything in all the universe, but we could never come to recognize the Father’s favor and grace were it not for Christ, who is the mirror of His Father’s heart (BKS 660.64 [38-42]; Large Catechism). Apart from Christ, we see nothing but an angry and terrible judge (BKS 660.64 [42-44]). But neither could we know anything of Christ, had it not been revealed by the Holy Spirit (BKS 660.65 [44-47]).

Christ is the mediator between God’s wrathful justice and us. Christ stands in the middle, between the fury of God’s punishment on sin and us who are about to bear that terrifying fury. Our heavenly Father’s wrath strikes down Christ, on the cross, and unleashes upon Him the full destructive nature of God’s anger over sin. Here we see God’s great mercy, for He desires to punish Christ so that we will be spared His tremendous fury. Christ paid the price for our forgiveness, and so on account of Him we are justified in the sight of God.


BKS: Die Bekenntnisschriften der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirche, 12th Edition © 1998 by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

The alien and proper works of God

Martin Luther wrote about the two works of God. One he labled God's alien work, and the other God's proper work.

The proper work of God is that He turns sinners into righteous Christians (Luther 19). God creates righteous, peaceful, patient, merciful, truthful, kind, joyful, wise, healthy people; we are His new creation (Luther 19). God, however, cannot come to this His proper work unless He undertakes a work that is alien and contrary to Himself (Luther 19). God’s alien work is to make men sinners, unrighteous, liars, miserable, foolish, lost (Luther 19).

God’s alien work is performed by His law. God sees us as filthy sinners, and therefore He gave us the law so that we could see ourselves the way God sees us. The law reveals an angry and wrathful God who punishes unrepentant sinners. The Bible shows this angry God in such instances as the Flood, Israel’s forty years of desert wandering, and the rich man who walked away from Jesus because He had been revealed to be a sinner; holy Scripture is replete with many other examples of God’s anger. God’s alien work then leads to the crucifixion and the mortification of our sinful flesh (Luther 19).

The culmination of God’s alien work is the sending of Jesus to suffer on the cross on our behalf (Luther 19). Thus, Paul tells the Corinthian Christians: I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him having been crucified (1 Corinthians 2.2). The Apostle Paul’s verb choice here is rather interesting. We normally think of the crucifixion of Christ as strictly a past event. Paul however uses the Perfect Passive Participle of the verb “to crucify” which means that Jesus’ crucifixion happened in the past, but the event is still influencing the present. The crucifixion of Jesus happened a long time ago, but the forgiveness and redemption that Jesus purchased on the cross is still effective, powerful, and influencing our lives to this very day.

God’s proper work, then, is the resurrection of Christ, justification in the Spirit, and giving life to the new man (Luther 19). The Apostle Paul says: Christ was handed over for our sins and was raised for our justification (Romans 4.25), and remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead (2 Timothy 2.8). “The proper work is to proclaim the gospel, which is God’s grace, through which He freely gives to all men and women peace, righteousness and truth, mitigating all His wrath (Luther 20). This work is called a sweet, friendly gospel, and the one who hears it finds it impossible not to rejoice (Luther 20). This happens whenever the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to our grieving consciences (Luther 20).

Our salvation is always linked to Christ suffering on the cross. St. Paul tells us: For if we died with Christ, we will also live with Him (2 Timothy 2.11). We gain the victory through Christ when we believe, when our hearts become uplifted and hold to the grace promised on account of Christ (Apology 4.80 [16-20]; BKS 176). Christ is grasped as the one who reconciles God’s differences with us (mediator) when we believe the word, which preaches Him as the mediator (Apology 4.81 [28-32]; BKS 176). By faith alone, therefore, we receive the forgiveness of sins when we are comforted and uplifted by the grace promised on account of Christ (Apology 4.81 [32-36]; BKS 176). Therefore we are reconciled to the Father and we receive the forgiveness of sins when we are comforted, holding on to the promise that grace and mercy are promised to us on account of Christ (Apology 4.81 [39-44]; BKS 176).


Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works, Vol. 51: Sermons I. “Sermon on St. Thomas’ Day, Ps. 19:1, December 21, 1516” (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald, and H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Copyright © 1959 by Fortress Press.

Die Bekenntnisschriften der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirche, 12th Edition © 1998 by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

The righteous will live by his faith

Oktoberfest has concluded, and the Festival of the Reformation is fast approaching.

The Prophet Habakkuk writes, "The righteous person will live by his or her faith" (Habakkuk 2.4). This is Article 4 in the Augsburg Confession, and it is the chief article of the Church.

A righteous person is someone whom God has forgiven and has given the promise of eternal life. A person is not righteous on account of the law. Grace will not be given on account of our good works (Apology 4.29 [36-38]; BKS 165). Believing that righteousness before God is based on the law and our good works is the false doctrine of works-righteousness (the belief that we must do something to be made righteous before God’s eyes).

The Apostle Paul sweeps all ideas of works-righteousness away when he declares that the law brings wrath, for the law always accuses and terrifies our consciences (Apology 4.39 [41-42, 44-45]; BKS 167). We cannot be set free from sin and be justified through the law (Apology 4.40 [1-3]; BKS 168). Instead, we have been given the promise of the forgiveness of sins and justification on account of Christ (Apology 4.40 [3-5]; BKS 168) which is the true and comforting declaration that we are liberated from our sins and are now justified through grace.

Justification is a synonymn of righteousness. Justification is the forensic (pertaining to the law) declaration that God forgives our sins. Christ, therefore, is the one who justifies us. He was given for us in order to make satisfaction for the sins of the world, and He has been appointed as the one who reconciles God’s differences with us (mediator) and the one who atones for our sins by sacrificing Himself (propitiator) (Apology 4.40 [5-7]; BKS 168). Jesus atones for us by taking all of our sins upon Himself, and thereby suffers the wrath of God for those sins, dies, and rises again.

Justification has three elements: the promise that God forgives our sins; this promise is free (i.e. by grace); and Christ’s blood and merit is the treasure by which our sins are paid (Apology 4.53 [53-55, 1-3]; BKS 171-2). Therefore we are not justified by our own merits, but we are justified by faith alone, justification being understood as the making of a righteous person out of an unrighteous one, i.e. regeneration (Apology 4.78 [39-43]; BKS 175).

Faith is that we trust in the mercy promised in Christ (Apology 4.45 [2-3]; BKS 169). Faith doesn’t justify or save because it is a worthy work in and of itself (i.e. something that we do), but only because faith receives the promised mercy as a gift which is given from the rich treasure (Apology 4.56 [21-23]; BKS 171). Faith consoles hearts in the midst of the fear of God’s wrath, receives the forgiveness of sins, justifies us, and makes alive (Apology 4.63 [53-56]; BKS 172). We obtain the forgiveness of sins only by faith in Christ, not through love, nor on account of love or works, although love follows faith (Apology 4.76-78 [31-38]; BKS 175).

We have been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2.8)!

Note: BKS (Bekenntnisschriften: the Lutheran Confessions in German)

Preaching the Gospel

I've been translating an essay written by Dr. Volker Stolle. The essay was published in the Lutheran Theological College of Oberursel's Festschrift. The Festschrift was printed in 1998 in celebration of a fifty-year jubilee. The German text of Stolle's essay can be found at the SELK website.

Dr. Stolle originally presented this essay in 1997 at a theologcial seminar; he reworked the presentation for printing in the Festschrift.

The following are a few paragraphs:

,,Preaching the gospel” - Proclaiming Jesus and Preaching in the Church

Volker Stolle

In the task, ,,to preach the gospel,” the proclamation of Jesus (Mark 1,14) stretches as an arc from the apostles (1 Thessalonians 2,9; Galatians 2,2) to the Church office today (Mark of 13,10). Wherefore the New Testament says that the proclamation of the gospel has continued until this day. In this solid expression ,,preach the gospel” lies, as well as a key to grasp the New Testament in its self-understanding, also a formation-point in order to recognize its current presence in Church practice. The sermon on the gospel is therefore the event that constitutes the permanent and actual message of the Bible throughout the ages. Whoever realizes this has then understood an essential part, namely, the connection of the Church’s life today with the New Testament.

I. The many gospels and the one gospel

A ,,gospel” means the transmission of news by a messenger. ,,Wages” means that appropriate payment is properly disbursed to the messenger. The apostolic gospel is valid based on an instruction of Jesus, that ,,those who proclaim the gospel should get their wages from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9,14), thus Paul chose to preach the gospel for free (1 Corinthians 9,[18]; 2 Corinthians 11,7). Such current messengers are commonplace in private and public life. Characteristically, it is only spoken about them in the plural in the New Testament era.

Since it concerns transmission of news in each case on completely determined persons, it lies in the fact that the messages already brought for its addressees have a significant meaning. When the message reaches its hearers, it more or less strongly changes their lives. The event communicated in the message becomes effective by this information for the message hearers of the message, by its interrelations in their life, it intervenes, arranges, and determines again their further development more or less enduringly. As Timothy, for instance, brought good tidings (euangelizestai) from the congregation in Thessalonica, he had the same concerns as Paul did; he revives, comforting the connecting congregation in faith and love (1 Thessalonians 3,6-8). A gospel, therefore, proves to be a powerful event for its hearers. It doesn’t remain without consequences; it can even dominate time in an almost epochal way.

Form A and Form B

The SELK Agenda mentions two communion forms: A and B.

Form A is based on Luther's German Mass of 1526. The Agenda doesn't list the order of the service, but it indicates that the consecration of the elements comes before the Lord's Prayer (which is referenced back to Bugenhagen).

Form B is based on the Brandenburg-Nuremberg Church Order of 1533, which follows Luther's Formula of the Mass of 1523. This form has an eucharistic prayer. The consecration of the elements with the words of institution are removed from the body of the eucharistic prayer. This is the format used in LSB. (LBW and ELW allow the option of the Lutheran or the Roman Catholic placement of the consecration pertaining to the eucharistic prayer.)

The Common Service and Lutheran Liturgy

For those familiar with The Lutheran Hymnal, the Common Service of 1888 has been the principal divine service in American Lutheran churches. (The service is strangely missing from the ELCA's "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" hymnal published in 2006). Setting Three in Lutheran Service Book follows the order of worship of the Common Service.

I recently downloaded an article on the worship service used by the SELK churches in Germany. I have only begun to look at the outline and commentary, but it seems to be what we would regognize (with a few differences) as the Common Service. Unless the article notes otherwise, I believe that this SELK divine service traces its liturgical history back to the Reformation.

The basic liturgy of the Common Service is:

Introit
Kyrie
Gloria in Excelsis
Collect
Epistle
Alleluia
Gospel
Creed
Sermon
General Prayer
Preface
Sanctus and Hosanna
Exhortation to Communicants
Lord's Prayer and Words of Institution or Words of Institution and Lord's Prayer
Agnus Dei
Distribution
Collect of Thanksgiving
Benediction

Three additons were noted: an invocation hymn prior to the Introit, a sermon hymn after the Creed, and a hymn after the General Prayer.

The Public Confession and Absolution was included before the service. Common European Lutheran liturgies used private confession and absolution, but the American Lutheran liturgies used public confession and absolution.

Some European Lutheran liturgies placed the Lord's Prayer before the Words of Institution, while others place the prayer after. I wonder how the SELK divine service has it?

The Nunc Dimittis was an optional post-communion canticle in the Common Service.

The Common Service drew upon the 16th century Lutheran liturgies, and helped bring liturgical unity among American Lutheran churches using English. The Missouri Synod's English hymnals used the Common Service exclusively until 1982. Every synodical hymnal since then has included the Common Service as an order of divine service, Each American Lutheran church body tweaked the service for their hymnals, but all of them retained the basic outline of the divine service.

What's your name?

Tolkien's epic, "The Lord of the Rings" is perhaps the best English work of literature in the 20th century. Although we are merely six years into the 21st century, I have not found a work of English literature that matches Tolkien's masterpiece.

Much of Tolkien's culture revolves around England, French, German, and Scandinavian sources. Dwarves and elves feature prominently in his books. Such people are found in the folklore of the Germanic tribes of Europe.

I used to read Tolkien's books every summer when I was in junior high and high school. On our long drives to reach our family vacation destination, I would immerse myself in "The Lord of the Rings". A few years ago I read the novels straight through, having received for Christmas all three books bound together in one massive hardcover edition (which is how it should be!). The three movies were awesome.

I recently found a site that generates Middle Earth names for you. Here are some of mine:

Teleplómëion (Elvish)
Valin Redears (Dwarvish)
Kildirândam (Adunaic, the Men of the West, i.e. Numenor)

Go to http://www.barrowdowns.com/ and scroll down to find the name generator link to find you Middle Earth names.

The parishoners have difficulty pronouncing my name now; imagine if they had to address me as Pastor Teleplómëion!

Football!!!

Football season kicks off this Thursday. I am looking forward to another great season of the best sport in America. I wonder how I will do in year two with fantasy football? I think I have a more rounded team this year. But who knows ... I started out well last year and then my players limped to the end.

Bundesliga (German Futbol) is well under way, and I am pleased to see Bayern Munich returning as a powerhouse team. They're 3-0 right now. They ought to be with the millions of euros they spent upgrading the team with even better players. About half of the German national team plays for Bayern Munich. I think Werder Bremen is also fielding a very good team on the pitch.

Haven't caught any Chelsea games yet. I wonder if Ballack is back from his injuries?

On the 40th Day

South Korea and the Taliban have agreed to a deal that releases the 19 hostages being held in Afghanistan. South Korea agreed to remove their 200 troops in Afghanistan by year's end (which was already being planned), to stop sending missionaries to the country, and from what I've read from other news sources, they have agreed to pay some sort of ransom.

This is an odd move on the part of South Korea. South Koreans can be very aggressive when pursuing what they want. South Koreans also have a tendency to ignore you when you tell them they can't do something and go ahead and do it anyway. Plus they have that honor code and don't like to lose face. Seems to me they were passive, responsive, and shamed -- all uncharacteristic of South Koreans. Maybe they realized they were not the big fish in the Afghanistan pond. At least they got all but two of their citizens home alive.

Luke 13.22-30 and Jesus Only

This week's Gospel Reading reminded me of Henric Schartau, an 18th century Swedish Lutheran pietist pastor. (Pietism was founded by Spener, a 17th century German Lutheran.) His sermons influenced other Swedish Lutheran pastors and ignited a revival in southern Sweden. Schartau's sermon "Jesus Only" is featured in part in Giertz's The Hammer of God (which, by the way, is an incredible novel about the gospel that spans about a hundred years in a particular Swedish town). Lars Walkers' four books are fine Norwegian Lutheran counterparts to Giertz, with Walker using Norse Vikings as the launchpad for the gospel.

The only extant English translation of Schartau's sermons that I have seen is his "Jesus Only" sermon and can be found at http://www.geocities.com/resourcesforlutherans/schartau.htm

(If anyone knows where to find other English translations of Schartau's sermons, PLEASE let me know!)

Jesus is the narrow door that opens into heaven's eternal life. Jesus only, as Schartau would say. What a sweet gospel that the Holy Spirit gives to His Church through the Word, holy Baptism, and the Lord's Supper.

An Alternate History of America

I've read a number of books and novels by Harry Turtledove. He is the one of the best science-fiction authors who has carved out a niche in writing alternate history stories. Earlier this week I finished reading his epic 11 volume set about America.

His premise in the first book (How Few Remain) begins with looking at what might have happened if the Confederacy managed to keep its independence. The rest of the novels follow an 80 year history of the North and the South co-existing in North America. He draws in Canada, Mexico, and the Mormons as recurring people and places of interest. In the earlier volumes Germany is mentioned, and takes a back seat until the final two volumes when important developments in Germany reverberate in North America.

His saga is divided into four groups of volumes.

Volume 1: 1880 (How Few Remain)
Volumes 2-4: The Great War
Volumes 5-7: American Empire
Volumes 8-11: Settling Accounts (World War II)

If you'd like to ponder what things might have been like if the Confederacy remained independent, Abe Lincoln was never assassinated, George Custer didn't die at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, an independent Mormon State in Utah, an alliance with Germany in World War I, and many other twists and turns that span the years from 1860-1946, then check out this saga.

LSB Funeral Service

I had the opportunity to use the funeral service from Lutheran Service Book on Saturday. It is different from what I was used to in the Lutheran Worship Agenda, and I found LSB to be a better service. The "Remembrance of Baptism" is much better than the version from LW. I also liked bracketing the Nunc Dimittis with "I am the resurrection and the life ..." (Luke 11.25-26). Having the service in the hymnal is a big improvement! Well done, hymnal committee, well done!

More Lutheran Hymnals

I thought I was finished with my American hymnal compilation. Wrong. I decided to add to the compilation two other hymnals: the Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal (1904, 1908) and the American Lutheran Hymnal (1930). Both hymnals were used by my paternal grandparents. The church they grew up in seems to have been affiliated with the Joint Synod of Ohio and Adjacent States (estab. 1818). Mergers over the years lead the church from the Ohio Synod to the ALC, and finally the ELCA. I am not sure when my grandparents' church was formed (at least one hundred years ago). It's an old German-American Lutheran church. I don't know if it utilized German or not. The church exercised the best form of "church growth" by establishing daughter congregations throughout Baltimore. I know of at least two ELCA churches in Baltimore that have direct ties to St. Paul Lutheran Church. My grandparents were actively involved in both of these daughter churches. Sadly, St. Paul Lutheran has fallen on difficult times (like so many other Lutheran churches), and she is located in a really run-down part of Baltimore. But the faithful continue onward grounded on the Word and Sacraments.

When the ELCA's Reclaim publishes an alternative hymnal to ELW, I will most likely add those hymns to my compilation list.

LCMS Response to the ELCA

I received yesterday via email President Kieschnick's LCMS response to the ELCA re. their final day of voting at the assembly. Kieschnick, by the way, spoke earlier that day, bringing official greetings from the LCMS to the ELCA. I didn't hear every representative that week who brought greetings to the assembly, but Kieschnick's was the most Christ-centered of all I heard, and definitely the best and most relevant greeting that week. He urged the assembly to prayerfully and Biblically consider their votes because they will effect their relationship with the LCMS.

Kieschnick's email highlighted a resolution from our 2001 convention acknowledging our brothers and sisters in the ELCA who remain faithful to the Gospel. There was another Resolved that he didn't quote. I'll provide the first two, pertinent resolves of Resolution 3-21A (2001):

Resolved, That the 2001 synodical convention affrim the late President Alvin L. Barry's judgment that "we cannot consider them [the ELCA] to be an orthodox Lutheran church body"; and therefore be it further

Resolved, That we of the LCMS recognize that many of our brothers and sisters of the ELCA remain faithful to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and we resolve to reach out to them in love and support.

I also noted that in our 2001 and 2004 conventions we had resolutions that dealt with many of the issues the ELCA has sent off to a task force. In 2009 that task force reports back to the assembly and there can be no more stalling. Decisions will have to be made.

It's evident what path the ELCA is treading. Since her formation in 1988, the presiding bishops (Chilstrom, Anderson, and Hanson) have taken them down this path. Let's make no mistake here: Chilstrom, Anderson, and Hanson want the ELCA to vote a certain way in 2009, and if they get that vote the ELCA will be at that position because the leadership of the that church lead the churches that way. After the 2005 Assembly, Dr. James Nestigen (Professor Emeritus of Church History at the ELCA's Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN) said that the ELCA has court theologians who ask the leadership what position they want to take and they will then write theological papers supporting that position. Sounds like their task force on sexuality might be made up of court theologians.

Thankfully, President Kieschnick is right: there are pastors, laity, and churches faithful to Scripture and the Confessions. Many seem to have focused their energies in WordAlone and Lutheran Core, the two recognizable leaders of Lutheran Reformation in the ELCA. May they call the ELCA to account, repent, and a return to faithful Lutheranism.

Two Hostages Released

Just read this on michellemalkin.com: two female Christian Korean hostages were released this morning. Let's not forget that two have been murdered, and 19 are still captive. It's been 25 days, folks! Keep praying.

Which Way for American Lutheranism?

The two largest Lutheran church bodies in America held conventions this summer. Some groups try to move the LCMS "left" and others try to move the ELCA "right". Left and right don't work in the Church, not at all. What really counts in the Church is not "left" or "right", "liberal" or "conservative", but Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. Are we grounded on the sola Scriptura (the word alone)? Are we being faithful to the Confessions which are grounded solidly upon the holy Scriptures? One determines the healthiness of American Lutheranism by how Scriptural and Confessional the individual synod or church is.

The Missouri Synod boldly proclaims that she is grounded upon the Word and the Confessions. By and large, this is true. There are some paths the Synod is taking that might need further Scriptural and Confessional guidance (the alternate paths to pastoral ministry, for one; worship questions are another). We claim to be grounded upon Scripture and the Confessions. Good. Don't forget this. Don't take it forgranted. Keep being grounded on Scripture and the Confessions. I don't want to see the Synod become a copy of the ELCA in another twenty years or so. We have a plethora of ambiguous protestant churches in America. We need to remain a solidily Lutheran synod standing upon Scripture and the Confessions, which is grounded upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets which has Christ Jesus as its cornerstone.

The ELCA makes the same claim to be Scriptural and Confessional. Yet, looking at her past assemblies (especially 2005 and 2007) and that clearly isn't the case. Hermeneutical ambiguity runs roughshod over hermeneutical clarity. In 2009 the ELCA has a supernova-temperature hot potato on her plate when the task force on human sexuality reports to the assembly its recommendations to decide all those devisive social and sexuality issues facing our brothers and sisters in the faith. The presiding bishop of the ELCA has spent two decades trying to make the ELCA more inclusive. Others have resisited. Most notably, Word Alone and Lutheran Core have undertaken to pull the ELCA back to Scriptural and Confessional Lutheranism.

Which way will the ELCA go? How will the LCMS respond? We've got two years to pray and encourage for Scripture and the Confessions to determine the way for American Lutheranism.

What's in a name?

My father and I were talking about the Lutheran Church this morning. Last month our Missouri Synod had her convention, and this week the ELCA is in assembly. We talked about the two mergers that formed ALC I and II. One occurred in the 1930s and the other in 1960. My father said that when the second ALC merger was being considered that a debate ensued concerning the name: is the "t" in the American Lutheran Church a "t" or "T"? (Seems to me the debate decided upon "T".) I said in our church polity class at the seminary we were told about a debate regarding the LC--MS: is it a short dash or a long dash? And the professor impressed upon us that it was definitely a long dash -- end of debate.

I had never known about that little, intense debate regarding the name of the ALC. My father and I chuckled about the "t" and the "dash" debates. We acknowledged, however, that both the LCMS and the ELCA have some important issues before them -- issues that are truly important and necessary to debate and come to decisions that are Biblical and Confessional. May God keep us faithful to the Scriptures and our Lutheran Confessions now and always.

ELCA in Assembly

I've been watching the ELCA Assembly in Chicago. Tuesday morning they unveiled a Bible reading campaign called "Book of Faith: Lutherans Read the Bible". Encouraging Bible reading is a commendable task, but a lively debate ensued when one delegate proposed an amendment calling for "the distinctive Lutheran focus on God's use of Scripture to bring sinners to repentance and salvation in Christ." The proposed amendment was defeated.

Odd that a Lutheran church body would defeat an amendment exhorting a Lutheran approach to the Scriptures. The ELCA, however, has had for some time a pull in two different directions. One pull wants the church to remain Lutheran; the other pull wants the church to diversify. Back at the ELCA's 2005 Assembly in Orlando, some delegates spoke of their concerns that the Lutheran identity of the church body was eroding. Criticism of the forthcoming "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" was mentioned at that assembly as an example of a watering down of Lutheran theology in the ELCA. Some want the ELCA to become a traditional Lutheran church; it seems that the current leadership is content to make the ELCA into the image of just another American liberal protestant church. The re-election of Presiding Bishop Hanson seems to indicate that the ELCA is committed to becoming just another protestant church in America. My initial skimming of the ELW seems to confirm that move.

On the bright side, there are some committed Lutheran pastors and lay people in the ELCA who continue to pull the church body in the direction of traditional Lutheranism. This wouldn't make the ELCA into a larger version of the LCMS. I suspect such a move back to traditional Lutheranism would center the ELCA into a more moderate position. That would be a big improvement from the path the ELCA seems committed to go down at the present.

Theology and Science-Fiction

Normally, theology and science-fiction don't go together. Most science-fiction shows ignore theology all-together, and others make a token mention once in a blue moon (aka Star Trek). Almost never do the two realms intersect.

Except with Babylon 5. I still think this television show/movies/novels is the best science-fiction ever produced. The show did not focus on theology, but theology and morality often came up in the episodes. Case in point, this is the only science-fiction show I have seen that actually mentions Christianity and the Church, and when they are mentioned it is not in a sarcastically critical mode.

Another case in point: the newly released for DVD movie "Babylon 5: The Lost Tales" has two short stories set ten years after the final episode. The first short story deals with Church, theology, and evil. The topics were wonderfully explored as the issue was delved into: What would be the result for Christianity if humans went travelling to the stars and did not find God, but numerous alien races each with their own concepts of God? And what is really going on when a Roman Catholic priest is brought to the space station "Babylon 5" to exorcise a demon-possessed man?

Babylon 5 again shows why it is the pinnacle of science-fiction. When theology and God are brought up, they are treated reverently and thoughtfully. While certainly not a primer for catechesis, "Babylon 5" nonetheless helps the viewer engage in serious theological, philosophical, and moral questions, questions which 99% of science-fiction pass right over in favor of action. Babylon 5 has plenty of action, and plenty of meditation on issues relevant for us in the 21st century.

Lutheran Hymnals

Early this morning, I finished a project I had undertaken nine months ago: compiling the hymns from a number of American Lutheran hymnals. Praise the Lord! I cross-referenced all the hymns from the LCMS, ALC/ELCA, and ELS. The document ended at 49 pages.

I haven't done a detailed analysis of the hymn traditions between American Lutherans, but I did note that some hymns appear in every (or nearly every) hymnal. Obviously, "A Mighty Fortress" would be one of those hymns. I found also that you can visually see a hymn's genealogy among the LCMS and ELCA. Each of these synods has a very definite core of hymns unique to their history. It is also interesting to see what hymns were in early hymnals, but were dropped from later ones.

Now I can pick up in earnest my other hymnal project: translating untranslated hymns from Synod's German hymnal (i.e. those German hymns that never made it into our English hymnals).

Martyrs in Afghanistan

It is a sad commentary on the American media, when one has to actively search for information regarding the 23 South Korean Christians being held hostage in Afghanistan. As of today, two have been murdered. People are on the airwaves screaming bloody murder about Michael Vick and the dog fighting ring he is accused of running (and lets not forget the maxim of the American judicial system: Vick is innocent until proven guilty). The silence is deafening regarding the killing of two human beings. This is the world in which Christians live.

The South Korean government is pleading with the international community to bend the rules and bargin for the lives of their citizens. I haven't heard anything from the United Nations, whose Secretary-General is a South Korean. Maybe the media is silent about this, too.

I understand the rationale for the South Korean government's pleading. However, they miss the point. These 23 South Koreans went to Afghanistan to provide medical help to poor villagers. These Koreans consider themselves Christians first, and Koreans second. This should be the way every Christian sees him or herself: Christian first, nationality second. Faith leads to doing good works for our neighbors, even if they live in a different country and have a different religious belief.

The lives of these Christian men and women are precious to God Almighty. We should pray for their safe release, and we should also pray for those keeping them captive. Truly, the Lord's Prayer is grander than we may have first thought.

The Lord's Prayer: A Perfect Prayer

Yesterday's Gospel from Luke 11 dealt with the Lord's Prayer. It is difficult to preach on the Lord's Prayer in one sermon, when the catechism divides it up into nine sections.

However, Jesus teaches us the simplicity of praying with this prayer.

There are seven (7) petitions that touch on every thing in our lives.

1. Make God's Name holy.
2. God's reign come on earth.
3. God's will be done on earth.
4. Give us our daily bread.
5. Forgive us of our trespasses.
6. Lead us not into temptation.
7. Deliver us from evil.

The petitions also touch on our physical life and our spiritual life. God sustains them both. By praying this prayer we not only petition God as He has commanded us to do in the 2nd Commandment, but the Holy Spirit is teaching us what a loving and caring heavenly Father we have who desires to bless us and provide for us.

The Lord's Prayer is a perfect prayer. It's petitions cover all the necessities of our life and teach us the deep things about God. It's petitions show us what a wonderful Father we have who sent His only Son to suffer, die, and rise again to make us righteous.

The Riches of Lutheran Hymnody

I have always enjoyed the wealth of German Lutheran hymns. I have developed an even greater appreciation for the mighty Lutheran hymnwriters over the centuries during the past few years as I have delved more into reading and translating untranslated Lutheran hymns.

The Lutherans brought to America a gift in their Lutheran hymnals. Lutheran Service Book has a fine collection of solid Lutheran hymns that have been in every major Lutheran hymnal and newer hymns from modern Lutheran authors that are just as rich. Another fine hymnal is the Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary produced by the Norwegian ELS (Evangelical Lutheran Synod). There are many wonderful Norwegian and Scandinavian hymns that are unfamiliar to those of us only reared on Missouri Synod hymnals.

I do have one SERIOUS negative complaint about LSB. Why didn't "A Mighty Fortress" get the German text printed? I would have rather given up the German text space of "Now the Light has Gone Away" in order to make room for Luther's grand hymn. Seems to me that if a hymnal is going to add the original German to several hymns, "A Mighty Fortress" should have had the utmost priority.

Football Season is upon us!

One of my good friend notes that a new football season will soon sweep in upon us. I look forward to NFL games and cheering on the half-dozen or so teams I follow.

American football has gotten a hold in Europe, especially Germany. The now defunct NFL Europa had built a sizeable fan base the last few years, as more and more Germans took to the sport. There are even high school teams playing American football in Germany!

Our brand of football will never replace European football. Soccer dominates the European landscape. And there's nothing like the European Cup and the World Cup.

As we in America gear up for a new season of football, so too do the Europeans. I look forward to cheering on my two favorite teams: the Cheslea Blues and Bayern-Muenich. Although we have professional soccer teams in the states, the games don't seem to have the same energy as the European teams do on the pitch.

Rugby is another manifestation of football. It's not real popular in Germany at the professional level. Countries like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji seem to have embraced rugby as their national past time.

Fans of football can enjoy many, many games soon. Soccer and rugby are almost ready to begin, and the NFL will not be far behind.

Here's hoping Chelsea can capture the Premiership this season and Bayern-Muenich can place in the top three in the Bundesliga. Go Packers, Giants, Cardinals, and Ravens.

A Little Brit Different

The English are producing some innovative television programs. If you have BBC America, check out some of their shows (or buy them on DVD).

Doctor Who (which also is shown on the Sci-Fi Channel) is remade and definitely a fine 21st century approach to the original 1960s classic British sci-fi show that ran for over two decades.

Torchwood (premieres in September) is a spin off from Doctor Who. There seems to be a cross over, as the Doctor seems to be bumping into the activities of the Torchwood Project on his adventures on Earth. By the way, Torchwood is a reworking of the letters in Doctor Who.

Life on Mars is a cop show set in 1973 England with a detective from 2006. Is he dreaming? Did he travel in time? Find out.

MI-5 is based loosely on our popular 24. It follows a group of British agents who must thwart terrorist activities in England.

What does this mean?

Every Lutheran remembers this phrase from their days of catechesis. "What does this mean?" is Luther's famous question in the Small Catechism, most notably in the part that deals with the Ten Commandments.

Here we have one of those situations where the translation doesn't do justice to the original text. The original German says, "Was ist das?" which properly translated is "What is this?" or "What is that?" "What does this mean?" would be something like "Was bedeutet dies?" Clearly, Martin Luther had something more in mind than "meaning" when he penned his famous catechetical question.

The First Commandment is: You shall have no other gods. Luther asks: What is this? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Luther is describing intent and actions with this explanation. What intent or actions follow from having no other gods? Answer: Fearing, loving, and trusting in the one, true God.

"What does this mean?" has an intellectual or academic sense. The danger here is that we might fall prey to the temptation to quantify God and define Him. Luther's answers are more than merely understanding or defining what God expects. Luther's answers involve both the mind and the body. The Apostle James tells us that faith leads to good works. Here, too, Luther says the same with his "Was ist das?" Not only must we understand the commandment, but we must do the commandment. We haven't understood the meaning of the commandment if we only intellectually know that we should fear, love, and trust in God. We must go a step farther; we must actually fear, love and trust in God with all our heart, soul, and strength.

Here the full force of the law (and Luther's answers) bear upon us. We cannot think, desire, or do what the commandments require. We cannot fear, love, and trust God as He commands. Which is why Luther wrote that beautiful explanation to the Second Article of the Creed.

What is this?
I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

Christ crucified and risen is not merely an intellectual statement to grasp, but it is a real action performed by a real person who redeemed us! We don't just know the facts; we also believe that Jesus did die and rise again to make us righteous. That's what it is.

Are we going to see a wholesale reprinting of Luther's "What does this mean?" into "What is this?"? No. The translation is too well ingrained in our memory and catechesis. But we don't want to imply that "meaning" merely has to do with academics, memorizing, and then forgetting about it once the confirmation quiz is complete.

We can get "What is this?" out of the translation "What does this mean?" We just need to be aware of what Luther is doing with this question and where he's taking us with it. He's taking us to the cross and the empty tomb, and these aren't rational equations, but actions by our Lord Jesus Christ who brings life to us. That is what it is; that is what it means.

Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878

July 22nd was the Feast of Mary Magdalene. A number of Christian women have blessed the Church throughout the ages. For German-American Lutherans, Catherine Winkworth is an important woman. She was born in England in the 19th century, and she is responsible for translating many German hymns into English. Page through the list of translators in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, and Lutheran Service Book, and you will find her name listed for many hymn translations. She translated more German hymns than are found in our synodical hymals.

Her published works include: Lyra Germanica (1854), The Chorale Book for England (1863), and Christian Singers of Germany (1869). These three books brought the rich German hymnody into English-speaking churches.

Paul Gerhardt was a prominent Lutheran hymn writer. Many of his hymns have been translated into English and have been included in our Lutheran hymnals. One of Gerhardt's hymns that is found in the Kirchen-Gesangbuch fuer Evangelisch-Lutherische Gemeinden (the hymnal used by the Missouri Synod until we transitioned to English) is entitled "I Know, my God, that all my Works". This hymn has never been included in any synodical English hymnal. Winkworth translated 6 of that hymn's 18 verses. I conclude with her translation of the first and second verses.

1. I know, my God, and I rejoice
That on Thy righteous will and choice
All human works and schemes must rest;
Success and blessing are of Thee,
What Thou shalt send is surely best!

2. It stands not in the power of man
To bring to pass the wisest plan
So surely that it cannot fail;
Thy counsel, Highest, must ensure
That our poor wisdom shall avail.

Synodical Convention + One Week

A week ago, the synodical convention was well underway in Houston. One of the most important resolutions passed involved altar and pulpit fellowship between the LCMS and the AALC. The LCMS was once in fellowship with the American Lutheran Church (ALC) from 1969-1981. (The ALC has a heritage of German, Dutch, and Norwegian churches). The American Association of Lutheran Churches is a remnant of the ALC. The AALC did not enter the merger that begat the ELCA.

Fellowship resolutions don't just appear from thin air. They are the end result of discussions between church bodies. The LCMS and the AALC have been talking about doctrine and fellowship for almost twenty years. Once a fellowship resolution hits the convention floor, all the "i"s have been dotted and the "t"s crossed.

The discussion that ensued over this resoltion was healthy. There are still some issues to be discussed (such as, what about those LCMS pastors who were rightly removed from the roster and who have now been accepted on the roster of the AALC).

The LCMS and the AALC seem to be on the right doctrinal page and walking down the same road. The same is not true between the LCMS and the ELCA. When the ELCA meets in assembly this August, we may find our paths have diverged even farther apart. I know some ELCA pastors who wish they had sided with the AALC at the merger. I am sure there are other pastors and congregations in the ELCA who are thinking the same thing.

We should keep the LCMS and the AALC in our prayers, asking God to keep us firmly grounded on the Scriptures and the Confessions. When we err, may the Holy Spirit reveal this and guide us back to pure doctrine and practice. When we are right, may the Holy Spirit keep us on the orthodox path. Let us not forget the pastors and congregations in the ELCA who need our prayers, too. They have some contentious items on their agenda. May the Spirit guide them to be pure in doctrine and practice.