Saturday, July 27, 2013

The Vocabulary


The vocabulary used here are words such as missional, intentional, lifestyle, living practices, goal, process. Conspicuously absent is a Lutheran vocabulary, such as forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, repentance, resurrection, grace, mercy, liturgy, sacrament.

It does the heart good to know you will not sit idly by while certain teachers in the Church rob themselves and others of the comfort we receive through the sound pattern of words and instruction that, together with vessels of humble appearance, declare us righteous while bestowing every good gift from Above. The fact that you are able to recognize departures from the Truth may be attributed to your dear Savior, whose tender voice you have heard and known from youth; whose grace day by day has kept you faithful.

The proliferation of notions akin to those expressed by many in Church officialdom is nothing new. How to address them to salutary effect is an art I am not particularly adept at practicing. My tendency is to flee in the opposite direction. This I may do, because I know a place where these alien teachings do not hold sway, namely the place where together we are recipients of, and conductors for, the grace of God in Christ Jesus at Emmaus, South Bend. Many other such places have, by the grace of God, been put forth in this land and around the world. The Holy Spirit calls you to seek them out.

As we draw nearer to the end of time in this world, the opportunities to confess the Faith clearly will increase. I take Pastor Stuckwisch, President Harrison, you, and several others as examples of those whose teaching, life and conduct are exemplary in dealing with matters like this. There is definite, inward stress that comes about when those in the Church continually place emphasis on our work and activity, making it a starting point, when in fact all we are and have is, from one moment to the next, sustained by grace through the same Word that created the heavens and the earth.

Perhaps there will be others who, like you, take time to express concern. The LCMS seems to be taking significant steps toward doctrinal oversight, so we may see an increase in faithful teaching and practice in our midst for which we may give thanks and praise to Christ Jesus. At the same time, based on my few visits outside of Emmaus over the years, chopped liver tends to be more in evidence than one Body. Well . . . we walk by faith!

I was reminded by your concern to reach back to Dr. Herman Sasse, whose life of teaching in the Church, in the paraphrased words of Dr. J.W. Kleinig, "frequently reminds us that the church is not sinless and free from the ravages of original sin. Nor has it ever been! It isn’t as if only heretics, liberal theologians and heterodox churches have erred. No, the church has often erred and would always err; even its most saintly leaders and all its greatest theologians have erred and have perhaps done the cause of Christ the greatest damage; even Luther and our orthodox fathers have erred; he himself has erred, and we, too, will err. Only Christ and His Word have never erred, and they will never err."

It is to this we are given to yield as we deal with one another under the grace we have received, in Whom we abide, namely that all sufficiency for all time is ours in Christ alone. Since He is proven to know our weakness, we may also deal in love with our neighbor's weakness, knowing no weakness ultimately nullifies the end of all that has been ordained from the beginning for the Body of Christ.

Peace be with you.
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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Threads


She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. – Proverbs 31:19


You are joined to the Bride of Christ, The Church, holy and without blemish because the merits and righteousness of Christ Jesus have been given to you in Holy Baptism, and you abide in His Word by His grace.

So the beginning and end of each day - although you only know this by faith - are times of taking what is incomplete and unfinished in the way of good works, and working it into all that is built up to the end of the age. Your garment of righteousness has been woven and spun not by your own efforts, but by your Creator who, through His Bride, keeps hand on spindle and distaff, never tiring of this good and wholesome process.

It is the same for your day-to-day life, or garment, of sanctification. In every respect you are forging ahead in faith under the cross, with your body of sin crucified and joined to the Living One.

Just as threads going into fabric are neither self-aware nor contrary in behavior, you who were once dead in trespasses and sin have are continually built up as Christ is at work in you both to desire and to do His good pleasure. As you look inward you see nothing but sin and death, but the Seamstress has an end in mind that is glorious and beyond your understanding.

This all takes place over time, and it all involves the work of Jesus on your behalf, in Whom you may take rest and comfort as he enjoins and invites you to do. It is through His Bride that all needs are given and taught, so that you need not wrestle under pretensions and manmade notions, but may instead rejoice in the Truth, having a path in which to walk that is clearly delineated day by day, serving neighbor with the same love and forgiveness you yourself have received.

The threads and fabric in spinning do not change in substance when they go from distaff to spindle, but remain the same substance under the careful attention of She who hears and believes the voice of her Husband, even though the latter stage is more glorious than the first. The Bride of Christ will bring you good, and not harm, all the days of your life; from beginning to end; from distaff to spindle.

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Saturday, July 20, 2013

Three Men


When Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.

One God in three persons has bound Himself to us in the flesh of Christ Jesus, who, after making atonement for the sin of the world on the tree of the cross, rose again from the dead, bringing a new creation to bear upon all that is fallen and dying before our eyes.

The life and benefits of this Christ are distributed widely and concretely in those places where His Word rings out clearly and truly. He is the Christ born of the virgin Mary, whose flesh also was, in time, derived from that of Eve and of Sarah, to whom the LORD spoke as He speaks to all in His everlasting, unchanging Word.

He is the Living Christ who abides in and with His people throughout time and eternity.
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