Christmas Eve

Monday, Dec. 24

Children’s Christmas Play  6:00 pm

Candlelight Service 7:00 pm

Christmas Day

Tuesday, Dec. 25

Divine Service 10:00 am

Lecture 22- Timothy, Titus, the Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 4

Lecture 22- Timothy, Titus, the Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word         Part 4                    (click here)

Timothy, Titus, Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 4

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

Saint Nicholas Day

Lecture 21 - Timothy, Titus, the Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 3

Lecture 21- Timothy, Titus, the Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 3 (Click Here)

Timothy, Titus, Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 3

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

Lecture 20- Timothy, Titus, Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 2

(click here) 

Timothy, Titus, Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 2

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

95 Theses

95 Theses

Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us may do so by letter. In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.
3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work diverse mortifications of the flesh.
4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.
7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.
8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.
9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.
11. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
12. This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept.
14. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
15. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.
16. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.
17. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
18. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
19. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
20. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
21. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it.
22. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
23. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
24. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
25. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.
26. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and high sounding promise of release from penalty.
27. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
28. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession.
29. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
30. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
31. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Saints Severinus and Paschal.
32. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission.
33. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
34. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of pardon.
35. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him;
36. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man.
37. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia.
38. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
39. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.
40. Nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the blessings of the Church] which are granted by the pope are in no way to be despised, for they are, as I have said, the declaration of divine remission.
41. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition.
42. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion [for hating them].
43. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love.
44. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.
45. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;
46. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty.
47. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
48. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons.
49. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
50. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring.
51. Christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God.
52. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.
53. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.
54. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.
55. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others.
56. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.
57. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.
58. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope, grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ.
59. That they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them.
60. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.
61. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were the Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.
62. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by Christ's merit, are that treasure;
63. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.
64. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
65. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.
66. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
67. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.
68. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
69. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.
70. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.
71. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence.
72. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the commission of the pope.
73. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed!
74. But he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
75. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
76. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.
77. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God - this is madness.
78. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned.
79. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope.
80. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in I. Corinthians xii.
81. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
82. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
83. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity.
84. To wit: - "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."
85. Again: - "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"
86. Again: - "What is this new piety of God and the pope, that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God, and do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own need, free it for pure love's sake?"
87. Again: - "Why are the penitential canons long since in actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were still alive and in force?"
88. Again: - "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?"
89. Again: - "What is it that the pope remits, and what participation does he grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?"
90. Again: - "What greater blessing could come to the Church than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and participations?"
91. "Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?"
92. To repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christians unhappy.
93. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist.
94. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!
95. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!
96. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;
97. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

Lecture 19- Timothy, Titus, Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 1

Lecture 19- Timothy, Titus, Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 1 (Click Here)

Timothy, Titus, Successors to the Apostles, and the Written Word Part 1

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

Lecture 18- Sending the Apostles to the Jews and Gentiles

Lecture 18- Sending the Apostles to the Jews and Gentiles (click here)

Sending the Apostles to the Jews and Gentiles

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

As the Father sent Jesus so too Jesus sent the Apostles.  They were sent out in order to reveal the mystery of salvation in the name of Jesus to both Jews and Genitles.  Through baptizing and teaching, the Lord makes disciples.  As disciples, they were students of theology.  As students, they were to continue to learn and treasure all that Jesus had said.

LCMS President Harrison addressing the the International Conference on Confessional Leadership in Atlanta on Reformation Day

Happy Reformation Day!

Lecture 17 - Revealing the Mystery

Lecture 17 – Revealing the Mystery (click here)

Posted on July 2, 2012

Revealing the Mystery

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

The language of mystery is the language of revelation.  A person does not know a mystery until it is revealed.  And even when it is revealed, a person continues to grow in his understanding of it.  A mystery is something different from a secret.  A secret can be discovered on accident.  A secret can be decoded by the efforts of trial and error.  A mystery on the other hand needs to be revealed by someone else.

Concordia Theological Seminary Library

Religious Liberty Resources

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. The presidential debates have ended, and we are being bombarded by political ads as Election Day fast approaches. One important issue that should not get lost in all the rhetoric is that of religious liberty, which has come under attack in recent months. To help spread the word about the importance of protecting our religious freedoms, we developed an education and awareness campaign called "Free to Be Faithful." Through this effort, we are offering resources that provide clarity regarding the church's role in matters of Christian citizenship. On the website, www.lcms.org/freetobefaithful, you can find: Articles such as "God Values Life" and "Repeating History" A timeline of the fight for religious liberty Tips on how to talk to your neighbor about religious freedom "Frequently Asked Questions" about this important matter A sample letter you can personalize and mail to your representatives We invite you to explore, learn more — and share — these wonderful resources. We encourage all members of the LCMS to follow "their reason and all their senses" in supporting candidates, legislation, and social and political efforts they believe would improve society — and safeguard our precious religious liberty.  As Scripture commands us, we pray that all of our elected leaders and those running for office lead according to God's righteous standards because "righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34 ESV). God bless you and God bless America.    Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison President The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Lecture 16- The Continuity of the Prophets and the Apostles

Lecture 16- The Continuity of the Prophets and the Apostles (Click Here)

The Continuity of the Propehts and the Apostles

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

The Apostles were taught by Jesus Himself and then they were sent out to teach others that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Prophets.  They did not make up stories themselves nor did they take stories from other people.  No, they knew firsthand what the Lord had said and it was the Holy Spirit who was with them as they taught.

Lecture 15- The Apostles Teach Us About the True Christ

Posted on June 15, 2012

Click Here for Lecture

The Apostles Teach us About the True Christ

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

The key to salvation is not your personal opinion about Jesus.  Rather, Jesus Himself is the key.  He taught His Aposltes the truth of who He is and what He does for the life of the world.  He sent out His Aposltes to proclaim His name to the nations.  Because of the Apostolic message, we too have life in Christ’s name.

Issues, Etc. November 2012

Bill Nye the Assertions Guy

Lecture 14- The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians Part 2

Click here

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians Part 2

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

The Holy Spirit is at work in the saints, that is, the baptized believers.  The devil is the spirit that is at work in the unbelievers.  He is blinding them from the truth.

Response to the so-called wife of Jesus

	CTS Professor Offers Response to Gospel of Jesus’ Wife
	For Immediate Release September 26, 2012 FORT WAYNE, IN (CTS)—In the last several days much has been circulated concerning a small, papyrus fragment of Coptic text which has been dubbed the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife by Professor Karen King of Harvard Divinity School. These types of “finds” always create quite a stir and that is why Dr. Charles Gieschen, Academic Dean and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, has studied this material and offered a brief analysis of its significance. His response may be read and downloaded at www.ctsfw.edu/response-to-the-gospel-of-jesus-wife. Dr. Gieschen, who earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan (1995) where his studies included the Coptic language and Gnostic writings, is an excellent resource for this topic. He has examined the digital image of this fragment, King's article and some early feedback of other scholars. His brief response walks the reader through the history of the fragment, discusses the various interpretations and comments on the import of the fragment. Dr. Gieschen concludes, “This fragment, therefore, may assist us in understanding the teaching of a Gnostic group concerning Jesus and His marital status, but it does not help us to understand the teaching of the historical Jesus or His actual marital status.” The best place to look for early and historically reliable evidence of Jesus' life, as Dr. Gieschen notes, is the four canonical Gospels. This fragment does nothing to displace the testimony of these Gospels that Jesus supported marriage as a divine institution, but was not himself married. Share ### Concordia Theological Seminary exists to form servants in Jesus Christ who teach the faithful, reach the lost, and care for all. For additional information concerning educational opportunities and events at CTS, please contact: Jayne Sheafer, CTS Director of Public Relations, 260-452-2250 or PublicRelations@ctsfw.edu. If you no longer wish to receive these updates you may opt-out.

The Apostle Peter teaches us, “...in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ”

(1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

Starting Sept. 30 @ 7 PM

Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church

2000 Diamond Dr.

Los Alamos, NM

“Serving GOD by Loving Your Neighbor in Your Vocations"

God teaches us to serve Him by loving our neighbor. He does not leave this instruction in the realm of ambiguity. Instead, He places us in a variety of vocations through which we love our neighbor in acts of service. A vocation is a “calling.” Every Christian is called to specific offices and tasks through which God works to govern and care for His creation. In this five week lecture series, we will discuss and investigate the teaching of vocation as it is related to the church, the family, and the society. All lectures are FREE and open to anyone interested in learning more about the teaching of vocation.

Lectures start at 7 PM.

Lecutre 1 (Sept. 30) -- Vocation
Lecture 2 (Oct. 7) -- The Church
Lecture 3 (Oc.t 14) -- The Family
Lecture 4 (Oct. 21) -- The Society
Lecture 5 (Oct. 28) -- Christian Love

The goal of the Redeemer Theological Academy is to enable the saints to confess the Christian Faith handed down to us from the Apostles. In this age of competing religions and spiritualities, it is the special gift that each Christian has the opportunity to confess the Faith in the midst of an unbelieving world. These courses are designed to help you articulate what you believe and why you believe it. Podcasts and other resources are available at the academy site.

Click on the link below to enter the Redeemer Theological Academy website:

www.redeemertheologicalacademy.org

Free to Be Faithful

Lecture 13- The Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians

Lecture 13- The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians

 

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit in the Epistle to the Ephesians
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
The Apostle Paul writes to the baptized souls in Ephesus teaching them that when they heard the word of truth, they were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He prays that they would continue to be filled with the Spirit. As those who have been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we too are encouraged to remain in the Spirit by abiding in the Spirit filled word. As we are in the Spirit listening to the word of God, we have access to the Father through the Son with the promise that He will hear our prayers. (Click here)

Lecture 12- The Words of Jesus are Spirit and Life

Lecture 12- THE WORDS OF JESUS ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE (Click here for podcast)

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier

Christ is the Son of God who was sent into the world in order to give to us life. By His death on the cross, we have life in Him. After the ascension of Christ, He sent the Holy Spirit to bring life to the world through His church on earth. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, we cannot come to God or hear the word of God. The Holy Spirit continues in our day to call, gather, and enlighten us in the knowledge of salvation found alone in Christ.

VBS Summer 2012

Vacation Bible School July 23-27

from 9:30 am until 11:30 am

FREE!!!

RSVP 662-0782

RIVER OF LIFE

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” (Titus 3:4–6, ESV)

Join us for Bible story time, songs, crafts, and snacks!!!

Day 1 - The Creation

Day 2 - The Flood

Day 3 - Parting the Red Sea

Day 4 - Jonah

Day 5 - Baptism of Jesus

Ages: preschool through 12 yrs

Lecture- God is Our Teacher

Lecture 11- God is Our Teacher (click here)

 

God is Our Teacher
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
Unless God is our Teacher, we will remain in the dark. The Holy Spirit enlightens us with the written scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. He desires for us to seek the knowledge of salvation in them. These are not the mere opinions of men, but rather the very word of God.

Lecture- The Revealed Rock in Daniel

Lecture 10- The Revealed Rock in Daniel (click here)

The Revealed Rock in Daniel
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
The Holy Spirit spoke through mouths of the prophets and apostles to reveal the knowledge of salvation. Through these insturmental means, he revealed the mystery of the coming kingdom brought by the Rock in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. This Rock would become a moutain and His kingdom would spread throughout the earth. It would be an everlasting kingdom not like the earthly kingdoms that preceded it. This kingdom would spread through the proclamation of the gospel to all nations.

Lecture- Today If You Hear His Voice Do Not Harden Your Hearts

Lecture 9- Today, If You Hear His Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts (click here)

           

Today, If You Hear His Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
The Holy Spirit is teaching us to continue to listen to Jesus. Faith comes from the words of Jesus. Moses had said that there would be a propeht great than him and we should listen to Him. At the Transfiguration, the Father said, “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.”

Stumbling Across a Concordia

Walk in Wisdom- The Power and Presence of God

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let you speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)

DON’T WALK WITHOUT WISDOM

Example of a weak confession found on the internet :

The Holy Spirit: We believe and teach that the Holy Spirit is the presence and power of God at work in the world, especially in human lives. The Spirit is at work in convicting sinners of their need for God’s grace, and in empowering people for effective Christian living. The Spirit produces “fruit” in the lives of believers as expressed in the fifth chapter of Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

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It is not helpful to talk about the person and work of the Holy Spirit as the presence and power of God. To begin with, this ambiguity leads to the idea that the Holy Spirit is not God; rather, He is merely the power or presence of God like a spiritual force acting out the will of God. We cannot separate the three persons of the Blessed Trinity from each other.

Likewise, this weak wording leads toward modalism in which the Spirit is just a different mode or form in which God is at work in His creation at a given time, as if, He is sometimes in the mode of the Father and at another time in the mode of the Son.

When the concept of the Holy Spirit working in human lives is asserted, there is no explanation of how that takes place. This vague statement lends itself to an understanding of a direct revelation from God, as if, the Holy Spirit separates Himself from the written word of the prophets and the apostles.
Furthermore, the emphasis is placed upon convicting of sin as one goal of the Holy Spirit and the empowering for effective Christian living as the other goal. Thus, the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts and empowers. Again, there is no indication of how the Spirit of God convicts and empowers. The gospel, the message about the person and work of Jesus, is completely left out of the picture.

Therefore, the above wording wanders aimlessly declaring that the Holy Spirit shows a need for God’s grace without delivering it. While at the same time, it promotes the idea of effective Christian living without any indication of faith in Christ. Yet, it is impossible to please God without faith. In the above statement, the Holy Spirit is not confessed as the one who gives the gift of faith which clings to the promises of God fulfilled in Christ. Take note that no mention is given of the Holy Spirit being the Comforter.

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We should walk in wisdom and make the best use of our time. Rather than confessing that the Holy Spirit is the presence and power of God, we should clarify that the Holy Spirit is God who is worshiped and glorified together with the Father and the Son. Our Triune God is omnipresent. Thus, wherever the Holy Spirit is present, the Father and the Son are present too.
We need to be clear that the person of the Holy Spirit is eternally distinct from the person of the Father and the person of the Son. The Father is eternally unbegotten, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Spirit of God is not a mode or a power of God.

The Holy Spirit works in human lives through instrumental means. He uses the law of God to reveal sin and to bring conviction and judgment. He uses the gospel to reveal to us our Savior and to bring mercy and forgiveness. The unique role of the Holy Spirit is to bring comfort through the power of the gospel by opening eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to believe the promises of God. He grants us faith and strengthens our faith in Christ alone for salvation. We cannot come to Jesus or believe in Him. The Holy Spirit calls us through the gospel and gives us faith to trust in Christ’s completed work of atonement on the cross.

The Spirit of the Lord works conversion in us and renewal in us through the means of grace which are holy baptism (the gospel with water), holy absolution (the gospel in spoken or written form), and holy communion (the gospel with the bread and wine and with the body and blood of Christ). We want to be clear on how the Holy Spirit works in human lives.

Lecture- Running Against the Rock

The rejection of the Rock of our salvation is a constant theme throughout the holy scriptures. As soon as the people of God were delivered from slavery in Egypt their praising of God’s work of salvation was quickly turned into grumbling and complaining. The refused to continue to listen to His voice in the mouths of His prophets. No wonder, that the leaders of Jerusalem rejected the Christ in the days of the apostles and people continue to refused to listen and be saved.

Click on the link below:
Running Against the Rock

Lutheran Public Radio

Christ is risen! Did you know that Easter isn't a day, it's a season? During the Great Fifty Days of Easter, you can listen to sacred Easter Music 24/7 at Lutheran Public Radio. You can hear Easter hymns like: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today, I Know That My Redeemer Lives, Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands, Bach's Easter Oratorio, The Strife is O'er, Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia and more. You can also listen to Lutheran Public Radio on mobile devices like an iPhone or iPad and any Android phone.

Christ is Risen! A Message from LCMS President

Walk in Wisdom- "We Believe"

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let you speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)

DON’T WALK WITHOUT WISDOM



Example of a weak confession found on the internet :

We Believe: worship of God should be Spiritual. Therefore: We remain flexible and yielded to the Holy Spirit to direct our worship.

We Believe: worship of God should be Inspirational. Therefore: We give a great place to music in our worship

We Believe: worship of God should be Intelligent. Therefore: Our services are designed with great emphasis upon teaching of the Word of God that He might instruct us how He should be worshiped

We Believe: worship of God is Fruitful. Therefore: We look for His Love in our lives as the supreme manifestation that we have truly been worshiping Him

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The above list of beliefs was found on a page that was titled “What We Believe.” Yet, there was nothing on the page that confesses the God in whom they believe; instead, they list five different things that they believe about worship. Each one of these components is ambiguous. Any church could squeeze herself into this mold. In fact, even non-Christian groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons could embrace this five point belief system of worship.

Point 1- Spiritual
The main problem with this point is the need to be certain that one is being led by the Holy Spirit. The only way to be certain that a service is of the Holy Spirit is to utilize the means of grace instituted by our Triune God. These means are tied to the written word of the prophets and the apostles who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The emphasis of the Divine Service should be upon Jesus Christ who is our Eternal High Priest who promises to be present with us in His means of grace. Thus, we gather to receive the means of grace which are holy baptism, holy communion, and holy absolution. These are three different ways through which we received the benefits of the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross. These gifts grant to us the promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Thus, the primary emphasis should not be placed upon our ability to be flexible and yielding, but rather, upon our receiving of the gifts of God.

Point 2- Inspirational
When we use the language and concept of inspiration, we are diving into the realm of feelings and emotions. The purpose of the Divine Service is not to move us. Instead, the purpose is to deliver the gifts of God to us through which the Holy Spirit is at work in us. We must be careful not to associate music with the vehicle through which the Holy Spirit comes to us. We do not induce God’s presence by performing inspiration music. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit is bestowed through the gospel.

Point 3- Intelligent
The purpose of preaching is not to teach us how to worship God. Rather, the purpose of teaching the word of God is to us assure us that for the sake of Jesus Christ we have found favor with God. In order to accomplish this goal, the law is preached which exposed our sin. It teaches us how we have failed to obey what God requires of us and forbids us from doing. Then, the gospel is proclaimed to take our sin away. It teaches us how Christ was obedient to the point of death in our stead. Our sin was declared to be His sin. His righteousness is declared to be our righteousness. This is a gift from God promised to us in the gospel connected to water (baptism), connected to the body, blood, bread, and wine (Lord’s Supper), and/or connected to the ink, paper or the voice of God’s chosen proclaimer (absolution).

Point 4- Fruitful
How can one look for the love of God in His life apart from the love of God declared to us in the gospel? According to this understanding presented above, one won’t know for certain if God was truly worshiped until love is made manifest. Faith is that worship which receives God’s offered gifts in the means of grace. Our Triune God gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. We respond by saying, “Thank you and amen.” These gifts are promised by God and as with any promise they can only rightfully be received by faith.
This is an example of how not to walk. In the place of identifying themselves as believers in the Holy Trinity tied to the historic Christian church, they want to be recognized as worshipers. Therefore, they end up confessing thier actions and neglecting to profess Christ’s actions for them and those who read their statement.
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We should walk in wisdom and make the best use of our time. Rather than confessing what we believe about worship, we should confess what we believe about the God whom we worship. Only when we correctly understand who Christ is and what He has done of us to atone for our sins, can we rightly worship God. True worship is believing in the promises of God found in Christ. Thus, it would be better to post the Nicene Creed on the internet under the title “What We Believe.”

THE NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church, we acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life + of the world to come. Amen.

Lecture- the Cornerstone is a Stumbling Stone

Lecture- the Cornerstone is a Stumbling Stone

I Bind unto Myself Today

I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever,
By pow’r of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
His Baptism in the Jordan River,
His cross of death for my salvation,
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heav’nly way,
His coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today
The pow’r of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The Word of God to give me speech,
His heav’nly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile foes that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In ev’ry place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me those holy pow’rs.

I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three,
Of whom all nature has creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ the Lord!