We were taught not be ashamed of the Gospel “for it is the power of God.”
We learned that good sermons teach the truths of God faithfully and clearly. Listening to Christ-Centered, Cross-focused sermons from Rev. Bill Cwirla, Rev. Will Weedon, and Dr. David Scaer were favored by all. When we applied the sermon diagnostic tool to the Christ-less sermons so prevalent today we were appalled.
We now know what we believe, teach, and confess as Lutherans because of Dr. Lawrence White, Dr. Karl Barth, Rev. Peter Bender and Dr. Ken Schurb who provided catechetical instruction grounded in God’s Word.
Instruction in the proper distinction between Law and Gospel was provided by Dr. Carl Fickenscher, Dr. Tom Baker, Dr. Cory Maas, and Dr. Richard Eyer. They brought to bear the teachings and C.F.W. Walther.
There was a battle for the Bible during the 1970’s. Thanks to Dr. Zimmerman and Dr. Barth we now know what was at stake. And as I speak we are seeing first hand history repeat.
Life issues such as stem cell research, abortion, and euthanasia were addressed by Wesley Smith, Scott Klusendorf, Greg Koukl and Dr. Jim Lamb. We were taught and equipped to “defend life from beginning to end.”
We are more informed about Islam and other world religions thanks to scholars such as Dr. Alvin Schmidt and Dr. John Warwick Montgomery. We now know the two faces of Islam – one when in the minority and another when in the majority.
We studied many Hymns including “What Child is This” and “Stricken Smitten and Afflicted” with Dr. Art Just and Pastor Henry Gerike. Lutherans gave the church hymns because hymns teach us doctrine. Through hymns we praise God by telling everyone what he has done.
We unpacked the myths about Luther and Worship with Rev. Will Weedon and Dr. Ken Schurb, and in so doing learned that worship is not about what we do for God, but about receiving his gifts and hearing God’s Word.
The doctrine of vocation was thoroughly explored by Dr. Gene Edward Veith and Dr. Steven Hein. The purpose of vocation is to serve and love one another - we are all masks of God. “God doesn’t need our good works. But our neighbor does.”
We were taught “Why Bad Things Happen” from Rev. Matt Harrison. We learned how suffering is the Lord’s alien work as Martin Luther would say. Suffering drives us to Jesus for he is the way.
Our seminaries were well represented by Dr. Jeff Gibbs, Dr. Larry Rast, Dr. Cameron MacKenzie, Dr. David Adams and many others. They spoke on such topics as Scripture and Tradition, The Bodily Resurrection of Jesus, Fundamentalism, and Civil Religion.
Where would we be without a clear understanding of how Doctrine and Practice affect one another? Rev. Klemet Preus’s book “The Fire and The Staff” and numerous discussions were invaluable it is true. Doctrine is what you believe about Jesus—His life and death and their meaning to you.
Articles of faith such as Repentance, Prayer and The Person and Work of the Holy Sprit were clearly expressed by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, Dr. Andrew Steinman, and Dr. Richard Schuta. We believe faith in Jesus Christ is a gift from God, given by the power of the Holy Sprit; thus all the glory belongs to God alone it is not something we merit.
Justification is the doctrine on which the Church stands or falls and Sanctification not rightly understood can turn into Law. Dr. Daniel Preus, Dr. Steve Hein and Dr. Carl Fickenscher clearly explained from scripture how God works to save.
We were introduced to a new generation of defenders of the faith including Rev. Brain Wolfmueller, Rev. Steven Parks, and Chris Rosebrough who addressed important topics like Baptism, God and Suffering, and Christ-less Christianity.
We studied books of the Bible with Dr. John Seleska and Tim Seleska including the Psalms. Each week we prepared for our Sunday school lesson with Deaconess Pam Nielson. What important insights and knowledge we were able to glean.
History was another topic often discussed with Dr. Paul Maier and Dr. Martin Noland. The topics included The Events Surrounding the Death & Resurrection of Jesus Christ, The Reformation, Roman Catholicism, and Early Christian Historian Eusebuis.
The errors of Pietism and the Church Growth Movement were exposed by Aaron Wolf, Dr. Larry Rast, Rev. Rod Zwonitzer, Craig Parton, and Chris Rosebrough. We learned what the true marks of a church involve - the means of grace and salvation, the proclamation of the Gospel and sacrament administration.
We may never have known of such great theologians as Dr. Norman Nagel, Dr. Louis Brighton, and Dr. Ron Feuerhahn who were eager to share their insightful instruction on Eternal Life, The Presence of God, The Lords Supper, and Papal Authority & Roman Doctrine.
Luther’s explanation in the Heidelberg Disputation of Theologians of the Cross was clearly conveyed by Dr. Paul Grime, Dr. Steven Hein, and Dr. R. Scott Clark. “That person deserves to be called a theologian who comprehends what is visible of God through suffering and the cross.”
Culturally relevant topics were discussed by Dr. Mike Horton and Dr. Laurence White. They involved American Evangelicalism, Christianity and Pop Culture, and the Secularization of the Church. We were taught that there is no such thing as Evangelical style and Lutheran substance. “It’s not style or substance; its style forms substance.” In the church, what we believe establishes what we do and who we are.
And let us not forget the thought provoking and educational articles published in the Issue etc. Journal including: “Locus and Focus,” Purpose Driven or Forgiveness Given,” and “Mere Monotheism.”
Such a wide range of topics were discussed on each and every show with guests including Ed Meese, John Shelby Spong, Dr. Alveda King, Bishop N.T. Wright, Dr. Albert Mohler, and Robert Schuller,. This speaks to Jeff Schawrz’s dedication and abilities as the Issues etc. producer to compile a guest list with the likes of these.
I would be remiss in not recognizing the invaluable contribution of Pastor Todd Wilken. Not only were his questions insightful and probing, but the fact that he too was able to address all of the topics mentioned from a scriptural and cultural perspective was nothing short of astounding.
Thanks to Issues Etc. I don’t want to be Emergent, Purpose-Driven, or to Become a Better Me. I want Jesus, only Jesus, nothing but Jesus who lived a perfect life and died for me.
This list is by no means exhaustive, yet I hope it conveys the blessing received from Issues ETC. There is much appreciation especially from the laity who received an education worthy of a degree.
While this “voice in the wilderness” has been silenced for now, “God works all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose” and I can’t wait to see how.
By
Mark Dowell, Columbia IL
31 March 2008
Long Day
Led devotions and taught two classes at TSP + Took the sacrament to a beloved shut in who is staying 2 hours away at her daughter's for treatments (and does she ever look GREAT - praise be to God!) + Visited with some wonderful folks considering membership + Cindi and I grabbed a bite of dinner + Board of Christian Life Meeting
That's all for the day. I'll have some comments on the day's developments regarding the Issues, Etc. front tomorrow, God willing. If you wrote me an email and I didn't get back to you, I'll try to address correspondence tomorrow too. Right now, I'm going to find out what Brother Odd intends to do about the problems facing the monastery. (Blame Philip!).
That's all for the day. I'll have some comments on the day's developments regarding the Issues, Etc. front tomorrow, God willing. If you wrote me an email and I didn't get back to you, I'll try to address correspondence tomorrow too. Right now, I'm going to find out what Brother Odd intends to do about the problems facing the monastery. (Blame Philip!).
30 March 2008
Our Beloved Schwarz Family from this Easter
That's Jeff, Jack, Emily, Katie, Justin, and Beth. God's blessings on Jeff and Beth's trip to Mayo this week! May the Holy Angels guard and protect them on their journeys and may God grant them good success. We love you guys.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Thus, as people doubly blessed we will not conclude our Easter festival. Instead, we will, from now on, daily keep it, daily eat our Passover Lamb in faith, daily purge the leaven of sin from our hearts, daily eat the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, and daily celebrate our resurrection with Christ and our new walk with Him. If, then, we were to die today or tomorrow, we would die in the Lord and by this blessed death, we would enter with Him into a life of eternal glory. May Jesus Christ, our precious Passover Lamb, help us all to do this through the power of His bloody sacrifice and His victorious resurrection. To Him be thanks, praise, glory, and honor, both in time and in eternity! -- C. F. W. Walther, *God Grant It!* p. 357,358
Reminder: Annunciation
St. Paul's will celebrate the Divine Service for the Annunciation of Our Lord this Wednesday at 6:15. As noted earlier, the day is transferred out of Easter Week to a week day following the Second Sunday of Easter according to LSB rubrics. The Angel Gabriel from heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, His eyes as flame,
All hail to thee, thou lowly Maiden Mary:
Most highly favored Lady:
Gloria!
For know a blessed mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee.
Thy Son shall be Immanuel by seers foretold.
Most highly favored Lady:
Gloria!
O Lord, as we have known the incarnation of Your Son, Jesus Christ, by the message of the angel to the Virgin Mary, so by the message of His cross and passion bring us to the glory of His resurrection!
Low Sunday
What a joy it was today for the Liturgy to return to what we think of as "normal." Much as I love the great sacrifice of praise that is offered on Pascha, there is something simply sustaining about the return of our regular Divine Service. Well, almost. During the days of Easter the Gradual is omitted and the Alleluia Verse is lengthened. The hymns continued to bring us the bright joy of the Paschal Victory, yet this Sunday that joy was swathed in the familiar.
I've been a pastor for over 20 years, and yet when we come to the liturgical changes during Holy Week and Easter, I find myself nervous, jittery that the old habitual way of doing the service will take over, and I'll distract the people from their worship by my blunder. When Low Sunday arrives, except for the missing Gradual, it's back to the regular ordering of things and the Easter joy still is reigning. I confess it's a relief.
I've been a pastor for over 20 years, and yet when we come to the liturgical changes during Holy Week and Easter, I find myself nervous, jittery that the old habitual way of doing the service will take over, and I'll distract the people from their worship by my blunder. When Low Sunday arrives, except for the missing Gradual, it's back to the regular ordering of things and the Easter joy still is reigning. I confess it's a relief.
29 March 2008
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
We can pray without ceasing if we pray in the spirit, so that at least our mind is always watchful towards God in holy desires. It is not necessary that we should supplicate God with loud cries, because as He dwells in the hearts of the godly He hears the very sighs of our hearts. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *Sacred Meditations* XXV
Patristic Quote of the Day
Nothing pains the soul more than slander, whether directed against one's faith or one's manner of life. No one can be indifferent to it except those who like Susanna have their eyes firmly fixed on God. For only God has the power to rescue from peril, as He rescued her, to convince men of the truth, as He did in her case, and to encourage the soul with hope. To the extent that you pray with all your soul for the person who slanders you, God will make the truth known to those who have been scandalized by the slander. -- St. Maximos the Confessor, *Fourth Century on Love* par. 88, 89
Message from Todd Wilken
When I was on the air, I often joked about retreating each night to the “Wilken Compound” and closing the gate. Radio can be an isolating profession. I would even say in jest, “I have no friends.” I was wrong.
In fact, the first thing Jeff said to me as the International Center’s doors closed behind us on Holy Tuesday morning was, “Now we’ll find out who our friends really are.” We have.
“Thank you” seems to fall short. “Thanks be to God” is better. In the days to come, we will need all the friends we can get.
We’ll always have one. His enemies called Him “the Friend of sinners.” To that I can testify. “While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.”
The first person I called on that holy Tuesday morning was not my wife. The first person I called on that morning was my Pastor.
I love my wife (I called her next). My wife is my best friend in the world. But that morning I didn’t need a friend; I needed a pastor.
Our Church needs a faithful pastor too.
If you want to carry on the legacy of Issues, Etc., you already know what to do: Pastors, go to the pulpit and the altar, be faithful to God’s Word and the Lutheran Confession in everything you preach, teach and practice. Preach Christ crucified for sinners.
People of God, require your pastors to do nothing less and nothing more than that. Hear the Word, trust Jesus, live for your neighbor.
Everyone, when decisions are required (be they congregational, district or synodical), remember: You need a faithful pastor, and so does your Church.
I keep hearing in my head those words from Hebrews: “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” This is so true.
This story has no martyrs; no one has died. This story has no sacrificial lambs; no blood has been shed.
The only story I’m interested in telling is the story of the one Martyr, the story of the Lamb of God. That story has all the death and blood I will ever need.
The writer to the Hebrews also asks a question:
The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?
What can man do to me? What can man do to you?
The answer to that question is seen just inside the threshold of the hollow tomb; it is heard in the frightened voices of the women who saw Him alive again; it is written in the blood of the true martyrs mingled with the blood of their Savior.
What can man do to me? Nothing; Christ is risen.
Wir sind alle Bettler,
Todd Wilken
In fact, the first thing Jeff said to me as the International Center’s doors closed behind us on Holy Tuesday morning was, “Now we’ll find out who our friends really are.” We have.
“Thank you” seems to fall short. “Thanks be to God” is better. In the days to come, we will need all the friends we can get.
We’ll always have one. His enemies called Him “the Friend of sinners.” To that I can testify. “While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.”
The first person I called on that holy Tuesday morning was not my wife. The first person I called on that morning was my Pastor.
I love my wife (I called her next). My wife is my best friend in the world. But that morning I didn’t need a friend; I needed a pastor.
Our Church needs a faithful pastor too.
If you want to carry on the legacy of Issues, Etc., you already know what to do: Pastors, go to the pulpit and the altar, be faithful to God’s Word and the Lutheran Confession in everything you preach, teach and practice. Preach Christ crucified for sinners.
People of God, require your pastors to do nothing less and nothing more than that. Hear the Word, trust Jesus, live for your neighbor.
Everyone, when decisions are required (be they congregational, district or synodical), remember: You need a faithful pastor, and so does your Church.
I keep hearing in my head those words from Hebrews: “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” This is so true.
This story has no martyrs; no one has died. This story has no sacrificial lambs; no blood has been shed.
The only story I’m interested in telling is the story of the one Martyr, the story of the Lamb of God. That story has all the death and blood I will ever need.
The writer to the Hebrews also asks a question:
The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?
What can man do to me? What can man do to you?
The answer to that question is seen just inside the threshold of the hollow tomb; it is heard in the frightened voices of the women who saw Him alive again; it is written in the blood of the true martyrs mingled with the blood of their Savior.
What can man do to me? Nothing; Christ is risen.
Wir sind alle Bettler,
Todd Wilken
Apples to Apples
No, not talking Macs today. Mr. Strand has written:
"During the last full month (February 2008) for which we have reports, the average number of live, streaming listeners during the “Issues” Monday-Friday timeslot was 64."
I asked for and received last year's report of the FM streaming numbers from the KFUO station manager yesterday. These numbers sound impressive: 281,445 stream hits from 3/07 to 3/08. If we divide this number by 365 since the FM station is on every day of the year, we end up with 771. But we need to further divide this number by the hours that FM operates each day - and that would be 24. What do we end up with? An average of 32 listeners via live stream per hour for the FM side of KFUO if you spread the figures evenly across their operating time.
Let's see: Issues drew an average of 64 hits on the live streams per hour, while the FM station draws an average of 32 hits on the live stream per hour. Hmm. Odd, what? I wonder if they're thinking of pulling off the live streaming for FM then? I wonder how much it costs KFUO (the Synod treats AM/FM under a unified budget, I believe) to stream the FM content 24 hours each day for about 32 listeners each hour?
P.S. I wonder if KFUO would share the AM stats for the other shows that remain and that they stream. What are those figures?
"During the last full month (February 2008) for which we have reports, the average number of live, streaming listeners during the “Issues” Monday-Friday timeslot was 64."
I asked for and received last year's report of the FM streaming numbers from the KFUO station manager yesterday. These numbers sound impressive: 281,445 stream hits from 3/07 to 3/08. If we divide this number by 365 since the FM station is on every day of the year, we end up with 771. But we need to further divide this number by the hours that FM operates each day - and that would be 24. What do we end up with? An average of 32 listeners via live stream per hour for the FM side of KFUO if you spread the figures evenly across their operating time.
Let's see: Issues drew an average of 64 hits on the live streams per hour, while the FM station draws an average of 32 hits on the live stream per hour. Hmm. Odd, what? I wonder if they're thinking of pulling off the live streaming for FM then? I wonder how much it costs KFUO (the Synod treats AM/FM under a unified budget, I believe) to stream the FM content 24 hours each day for about 32 listeners each hour?
P.S. I wonder if KFUO would share the AM stats for the other shows that remain and that they stream. What are those figures?
Vespers Service and Bratwurst Dinner
Folks: A Vespers service will be held at 5:00 P.M. on April 13, 2008 Emmaus Ev. Lutheran Church in St. Louis with a bratwurst dinner to follow. You can click here and then register to attend. This is a great opportunity to show our support for Issues, Etc., and to get together to pray, to sing, to hear God's Word, and to enjoy the comfort and support of fellow pilgrims who are saddened by the loss of the show.
28 March 2008
Worth A Rerun?
Here's some thoughts I put together a few years back on the whole matter of what I term "missiolatry" - something I think is having a very adverse affect on our Synod:
Missiolatry is a problem. If our “god” is that to which we look for every good and from which we expect help in every time of need, it’s clear the “god” of too many “Christians” (especially those that go by the Lutheran moniker) in this day and age is missions! If you ask 9 out of 10 members of the Lutheran Church what the Church’s primary task is, they’ll answer without hesitating: “Make disciples!”
I think it far better to say that the primary task of the Church is to worship God. "This is the Christian faith, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity." (Athanasian Creed) Jesus said: "For the Father seeks such to worship Him." John 4.
What is the purpose for the Church's existence? It's purpose does not and cannot cease when time ceases. It's purpose is eternal. This is the way the very first book of Lutheran Dogmatics (Melanchthon's 1543 Loci Communes) puts it: "The human race has been so created and then so redeemed that we as the image and temple of God might celebrate the praises of God, for God wills to be known and worshipped."
The relationship of this to the task of the Church in this age is then clarified: Christ has sent His whole people into this world to speak the Word that rescues people from their false worship (their idolatry, which leads only to eternal death), and brings them with us into the worship of Him who alone is LIFE, the Blessed Trinity.
This helps prevent us from thinking about the Church in the shallow way of a "come on in so that you can go out and get some more" club. WHAT are we calling people into? WHAT are we calling them away from? We call them into the worship of the Blessed Trinity, which is faith, the receiving of the divine Life of God through the gifts He gives – and one of those gifts is the liberation from individualism and the gift of true communion with each other in His Body. We call them away from the worship of false gods, which is death. As long as the Church is in this world, she is to work tirelessly at this, but it is not her ultimate vocation. Her ultimate vocation is found in that which she does now which she will continue to do forever.
The Psalmist exhorts "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Too many nowadays seem to describe the Church's life not in the "tasting and seeing." Just in the "inviting." But I am convinced that our evangelism efforts falter because our people are not tasting the goodness of the Lord! You see, if you enjoy something, you praise it to others.
Think about it. If you enjoy a movie, you say to others: "You have got to see this!" If you enjoy a restaurant, you say to others: "You have got to eat there!" If you enjoy a book, you say to others: "This is a must read!" We praise to others that which we natively enjoy. We can’t help ourselves!
So back to John 4. The woman tasted the living water (note that she left her bucket at the well!!!), and then goes to her countrymen and tells them: "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did!" She drank from the living water, and so she invites others to taste and enjoy it with her.
The answer to solving the wimpy witness is never to beat people over the head with the so-called "Great Commission." It is to get them to drink deeply of the living water, and then they too will be crying out with the Spirit and the Church: "Come, and drink freely of the water of life!" (Rev. 22)
Lord, deliver us from the sin of missiolatry and help us to truly find our life in worshipping You and receiving Your gifts and grant us the grace so to enjoy Your bounty that we constantly summon others to the Feast of Life, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Missiolatry is a problem. If our “god” is that to which we look for every good and from which we expect help in every time of need, it’s clear the “god” of too many “Christians” (especially those that go by the Lutheran moniker) in this day and age is missions! If you ask 9 out of 10 members of the Lutheran Church what the Church’s primary task is, they’ll answer without hesitating: “Make disciples!”
I think it far better to say that the primary task of the Church is to worship God. "This is the Christian faith, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity." (Athanasian Creed) Jesus said: "For the Father seeks such to worship Him." John 4.
What is the purpose for the Church's existence? It's purpose does not and cannot cease when time ceases. It's purpose is eternal. This is the way the very first book of Lutheran Dogmatics (Melanchthon's 1543 Loci Communes) puts it: "The human race has been so created and then so redeemed that we as the image and temple of God might celebrate the praises of God, for God wills to be known and worshipped."
The relationship of this to the task of the Church in this age is then clarified: Christ has sent His whole people into this world to speak the Word that rescues people from their false worship (their idolatry, which leads only to eternal death), and brings them with us into the worship of Him who alone is LIFE, the Blessed Trinity.
This helps prevent us from thinking about the Church in the shallow way of a "come on in so that you can go out and get some more" club. WHAT are we calling people into? WHAT are we calling them away from? We call them into the worship of the Blessed Trinity, which is faith, the receiving of the divine Life of God through the gifts He gives – and one of those gifts is the liberation from individualism and the gift of true communion with each other in His Body. We call them away from the worship of false gods, which is death. As long as the Church is in this world, she is to work tirelessly at this, but it is not her ultimate vocation. Her ultimate vocation is found in that which she does now which she will continue to do forever.
The Psalmist exhorts "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." Too many nowadays seem to describe the Church's life not in the "tasting and seeing." Just in the "inviting." But I am convinced that our evangelism efforts falter because our people are not tasting the goodness of the Lord! You see, if you enjoy something, you praise it to others.
Think about it. If you enjoy a movie, you say to others: "You have got to see this!" If you enjoy a restaurant, you say to others: "You have got to eat there!" If you enjoy a book, you say to others: "This is a must read!" We praise to others that which we natively enjoy. We can’t help ourselves!
So back to John 4. The woman tasted the living water (note that she left her bucket at the well!!!), and then goes to her countrymen and tells them: "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did!" She drank from the living water, and so she invites others to taste and enjoy it with her.
The answer to solving the wimpy witness is never to beat people over the head with the so-called "Great Commission." It is to get them to drink deeply of the living water, and then they too will be crying out with the Spirit and the Church: "Come, and drink freely of the water of life!" (Rev. 22)
Lord, deliver us from the sin of missiolatry and help us to truly find our life in worshipping You and receiving Your gifts and grant us the grace so to enjoy Your bounty that we constantly summon others to the Feast of Life, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Rod Dreher
has also chimed in (and I couldn't resist the temptation to chime in to what was said over there):
Crunchy Con
HT: Christine
Crunchy Con
HT: Christine
A Jump on Miscericordias Domini (Good Shepherd)
Here's a homily from yesteryear that I've always particularly enjoyed preaching:
Once upon a time (a real time, mind you, not an imagined one), there was a wolf. He was a fat old thing. You see, he had it pretty easy. Whenever he wanted to eat, he only had to walk his door of his cave and look at the sheep that fed right outside. He’d eye this one or that one. And then he’d go after it and with a pretty minimal struggle, he’d bring the sheep down and eat away. And the more that he ate, the bigger he got, and the bigger he grew, the hungrier he got. He was a wicked old thing; sometimes he’d just poke his head out the door and howl. All the sheep began to shiver at the very sound of him. He’d chuckle to himself. “Yes, you better be afraid, you stupid sheep because one of these days I am going to eat you, and it won’t be pleasant, oh no it won’t. Ha! Ha!” This big, bad wolf, you see, had a name. A name of fear. The sheep had only to think of his name and they’d get wobbly on their knees and some would faint outright. His name, you see, was Death. And Death was always hungry and never satisfied. Always eating sheep and always wanting more. And he stank. The very smell of him was worse than his name or his howl. He was altogether dreadful, let me tell you! He was in charge and all the sheep knew it.
There came a day when he was feeling hungrier than usual. He poked his head out the cave door to roar and he couldn’t believe his eyes. Why, right there in front of his door, on his very door-step almost was the fattest, juiciest sheep he’d ever laid his eyes on. The effrontery of it! He drew in the air to fill his vast lungs and then he let out a stone-splitting howl. All the other sheep in the vicinity turned tail and ran. They were afraid. All but the sheep that grazed still just outside his cave. That sheep paid him no heed at all. Kept on eating, just like it hadn’t even heard him. He was getting mad now. He came bounding out the door and right up to that impertinent animal. Again he sucked the air into his lungs and this time he breathed out right in the sheep’s face. The sheep looked up and blinked as the hideous odor of decay was blasted in its face. Totally unconcerned the sheep blinked and then stared.
Now the wolf was getting himself into quite a tizzy. “Don’t you know who I am?” he snarled. The sheep looked at him and said: “Yes. I know.” Calm, at peace even. The other sheep began to creep back at a distance to watch. They couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. “Well,” snarled the Wolf, “aren’t you afraid?” The sheep looked Death, that old wolf, right in the eyes and said: “Of you? You have got to be kidding!” Now the wolf was so livid with anger that he spoke low and menacing: “You’re for it, lamb chops. You are not going to have it easy. I’m going to take you out slow and painfully.” There was a moment of silence and then the sheep said: “I know.”
The other sheep had all been watching because they’d never heard anything like this before. But the moment that the wolf pounced they turned away. A great sadness filled them. They had thought, well, they had scarcely dared to hope, but it was just possible that, this once, the wolf wasn’t going to get his way. But their hopes were dashed. It was an awful and an ugly sight. The wolf chowed down. It was slow and it was painful, just like he said. And in the end, there was nothing left. He turned his rude face, red with blood to the other sheep, and he belched. They turned tail and ran, knowing that he’d be back for them one day soon.
As the wolf went back to his cave, he took out a tooth pick and cleaned his teeth and he thought that he’d never tasted a sheep that was quite so good before. Nothing tough about that meat. It was tender and rich and really altogether satisfying. The thought hit him with surprise. It was almost as though his insatiable hunger had actually been quenched for once. The thought was a little disturbing. Well, no matter, he thought. And off he went to bed.
When the morning came the wolf wasn’t feeling quite himself. It was almost as though he were getting a bit of tummy ache. Such a thing never happened. He always woke up ravenous and went off to start eating first thing in the morning. At least a dozen or so sheep before the dew was off the grass. But not this morning. His tummy WAS grumbling. By noon he was feeling more than discomfort. He was feeling positively ill. He who had brought such pain on those poor sheep, he was getting a taste of pain himself and it was most unpleasant. He kept thinking back to that impertinent sheep he had eaten yesterday afternoon, the one that had tasted so strangely good. Could it have actually been poisoned or something? It wasn’t long before he stopped thinking altogether. The pain was just too great. He rolled around on the floor of his den and his howled and yammered.
The sheep heard the sound and didn’t quite know what to make of it all. They crept cautiously nearer and nearer to the door of his house and turned their heads listening. What could it mean?
It was sometime in the dark of the night that the wolf let out a shuddering howl. Something was alive and moving inside its own gullet. Something that pushed and poked and prodded until with a sudden burst, the gullet was punctured and hole ripped open. And something, rather, someone stepped right out through the hole, right out of the massive stinking stomach. The wolf felt like he was dying. And I suppose in a way he was.
The figure that stepped out of the wolf’s belly was totally unknown to the wolf. Why, it looked like a shepherd. He’d heard of such a critter, but had never actually met one. With a staff in his hand he walked around and stood facing the wolf. And he began to laugh. He laughed and his laugher burst open the door of the wolf’s house. He laughed and the sheep were filled with bewilderment wondering what was going on in there. He laughed and he looked the wolf right in the eye.
“So, you don’t recognize me, old foe? It was I who ate outside your house three days ago. ‘Twas I that you promised would die horribly and how you kept your promise. But what do you propose to do about me now?”
“You? The wolf gasped. The voice was the same; he recognized it. This shepherd was indeed the sheep whom he had swallowed down. “You. But how? Oh, the pain!” The shepherd smiled and said: “Well, I think you’re pretty harmless now, my friend. Go on and try to eat some of my sheep. I promise you that as fast as you swallow them down I will lead right out through the hole I made in your stomach. And then you’ll never be able to touch them again! Ta!”
The wolf howled in fear and anger and rage, but there was nothing he could do. The Shepherd had tricked him, fooled him good! And the Shepherd then stepped outside the door and called the sheep together. They knew his voice too. They’d heard it before. They stood before the Lamb who had become the Shepherd and they listened as he told them what would happen to them. “You’ll die too. He’ll come out in a few days and be hungrier than ever. He’ll swallow you down. But don’t worry. I punched a hole right through his belly and I promise you I’ll bring you out again.”
Once upon a time, and the time was 2,000 years ago. But the promise still holds: “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.” It is the comfort of the Resurrection that Christ reaches us today in his Supper. Here we may taste the body and blood that went into the wolf’s mouth, but which the wolf could not hold. As you eat and drink you have the same promise: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life!” Let the old wolf howl and snarl all he will. We know about the hole in his tummy. We know about the Sheep who is the Shepherd. Our Good Shepherd. Amen!
Once upon a time (a real time, mind you, not an imagined one), there was a wolf. He was a fat old thing. You see, he had it pretty easy. Whenever he wanted to eat, he only had to walk his door of his cave and look at the sheep that fed right outside. He’d eye this one or that one. And then he’d go after it and with a pretty minimal struggle, he’d bring the sheep down and eat away. And the more that he ate, the bigger he got, and the bigger he grew, the hungrier he got. He was a wicked old thing; sometimes he’d just poke his head out the door and howl. All the sheep began to shiver at the very sound of him. He’d chuckle to himself. “Yes, you better be afraid, you stupid sheep because one of these days I am going to eat you, and it won’t be pleasant, oh no it won’t. Ha! Ha!” This big, bad wolf, you see, had a name. A name of fear. The sheep had only to think of his name and they’d get wobbly on their knees and some would faint outright. His name, you see, was Death. And Death was always hungry and never satisfied. Always eating sheep and always wanting more. And he stank. The very smell of him was worse than his name or his howl. He was altogether dreadful, let me tell you! He was in charge and all the sheep knew it.
There came a day when he was feeling hungrier than usual. He poked his head out the cave door to roar and he couldn’t believe his eyes. Why, right there in front of his door, on his very door-step almost was the fattest, juiciest sheep he’d ever laid his eyes on. The effrontery of it! He drew in the air to fill his vast lungs and then he let out a stone-splitting howl. All the other sheep in the vicinity turned tail and ran. They were afraid. All but the sheep that grazed still just outside his cave. That sheep paid him no heed at all. Kept on eating, just like it hadn’t even heard him. He was getting mad now. He came bounding out the door and right up to that impertinent animal. Again he sucked the air into his lungs and this time he breathed out right in the sheep’s face. The sheep looked up and blinked as the hideous odor of decay was blasted in its face. Totally unconcerned the sheep blinked and then stared.
Now the wolf was getting himself into quite a tizzy. “Don’t you know who I am?” he snarled. The sheep looked at him and said: “Yes. I know.” Calm, at peace even. The other sheep began to creep back at a distance to watch. They couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. “Well,” snarled the Wolf, “aren’t you afraid?” The sheep looked Death, that old wolf, right in the eyes and said: “Of you? You have got to be kidding!” Now the wolf was so livid with anger that he spoke low and menacing: “You’re for it, lamb chops. You are not going to have it easy. I’m going to take you out slow and painfully.” There was a moment of silence and then the sheep said: “I know.”
The other sheep had all been watching because they’d never heard anything like this before. But the moment that the wolf pounced they turned away. A great sadness filled them. They had thought, well, they had scarcely dared to hope, but it was just possible that, this once, the wolf wasn’t going to get his way. But their hopes were dashed. It was an awful and an ugly sight. The wolf chowed down. It was slow and it was painful, just like he said. And in the end, there was nothing left. He turned his rude face, red with blood to the other sheep, and he belched. They turned tail and ran, knowing that he’d be back for them one day soon.
As the wolf went back to his cave, he took out a tooth pick and cleaned his teeth and he thought that he’d never tasted a sheep that was quite so good before. Nothing tough about that meat. It was tender and rich and really altogether satisfying. The thought hit him with surprise. It was almost as though his insatiable hunger had actually been quenched for once. The thought was a little disturbing. Well, no matter, he thought. And off he went to bed.
When the morning came the wolf wasn’t feeling quite himself. It was almost as though he were getting a bit of tummy ache. Such a thing never happened. He always woke up ravenous and went off to start eating first thing in the morning. At least a dozen or so sheep before the dew was off the grass. But not this morning. His tummy WAS grumbling. By noon he was feeling more than discomfort. He was feeling positively ill. He who had brought such pain on those poor sheep, he was getting a taste of pain himself and it was most unpleasant. He kept thinking back to that impertinent sheep he had eaten yesterday afternoon, the one that had tasted so strangely good. Could it have actually been poisoned or something? It wasn’t long before he stopped thinking altogether. The pain was just too great. He rolled around on the floor of his den and his howled and yammered.
The sheep heard the sound and didn’t quite know what to make of it all. They crept cautiously nearer and nearer to the door of his house and turned their heads listening. What could it mean?
It was sometime in the dark of the night that the wolf let out a shuddering howl. Something was alive and moving inside its own gullet. Something that pushed and poked and prodded until with a sudden burst, the gullet was punctured and hole ripped open. And something, rather, someone stepped right out through the hole, right out of the massive stinking stomach. The wolf felt like he was dying. And I suppose in a way he was.
The figure that stepped out of the wolf’s belly was totally unknown to the wolf. Why, it looked like a shepherd. He’d heard of such a critter, but had never actually met one. With a staff in his hand he walked around and stood facing the wolf. And he began to laugh. He laughed and his laugher burst open the door of the wolf’s house. He laughed and the sheep were filled with bewilderment wondering what was going on in there. He laughed and he looked the wolf right in the eye.
“So, you don’t recognize me, old foe? It was I who ate outside your house three days ago. ‘Twas I that you promised would die horribly and how you kept your promise. But what do you propose to do about me now?”
“You? The wolf gasped. The voice was the same; he recognized it. This shepherd was indeed the sheep whom he had swallowed down. “You. But how? Oh, the pain!” The shepherd smiled and said: “Well, I think you’re pretty harmless now, my friend. Go on and try to eat some of my sheep. I promise you that as fast as you swallow them down I will lead right out through the hole I made in your stomach. And then you’ll never be able to touch them again! Ta!”
The wolf howled in fear and anger and rage, but there was nothing he could do. The Shepherd had tricked him, fooled him good! And the Shepherd then stepped outside the door and called the sheep together. They knew his voice too. They’d heard it before. They stood before the Lamb who had become the Shepherd and they listened as he told them what would happen to them. “You’ll die too. He’ll come out in a few days and be hungrier than ever. He’ll swallow you down. But don’t worry. I punched a hole right through his belly and I promise you I’ll bring you out again.”
Once upon a time, and the time was 2,000 years ago. But the promise still holds: “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.” It is the comfort of the Resurrection that Christ reaches us today in his Supper. Here we may taste the body and blood that went into the wolf’s mouth, but which the wolf could not hold. As you eat and drink you have the same promise: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life!” Let the old wolf howl and snarl all he will. We know about the hole in his tummy. We know about the Sheep who is the Shepherd. Our Good Shepherd. Amen!
Bible Verse
that is always useful to keep in mind, particularly when we are agitated about something:
"for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" - James 1:20
"for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" - James 1:20
Patristic Quote of the Day
There are many things of all kinds which receive the name of evil. Some of these are troublesome to all men in general, while some of them are troublesome to some only; but there is nothing like wickedness of the soul and disease of the will. -- St. Nicholas Cabasilas, *The Life in Christ* p. 200
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Many say, 'Instead of disputing over doctrine so much, we should much rather be concerned with souls and with lead them to Christ.' But all who speak in this way do not really know what they are saying or what they are doing. As foolish as it would be to scold a farmer for being concerned about sowing good seed and to demand of him simply to be concerned about a good harvest, so foolish it is to scold those who are concerned first and foremost with the doctrine, and to demand of them that they should rather seek to rescue souls. For just as the farmer who wants a good crop must first of all be concerned about good seed, so the church must above all be concerned about right doctrine if it would save souls. -- C.F. W. Walther, "Our Common Task: the Saving of Souls" 1872 (HT Susan)
27 March 2008
Blessed Luther
"Without Christ there is no forgiveness; but in Christ there is nothing but forgiveness." Homily for Easter Tuesday
Thanks be to God!
Thanks be to God!
5,000+
Have you signed up yet? If you listened to Issues, Etc. and appreciated, you should:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Issues/petition.html
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Issues/petition.html
Easter Hymn
Blessed Martin Luther once said that no one could ever get tired of singing this hymn; I have members who disagree with him (fancy that!), but *I* think he was right. The more I sing it, the more I love it; the more I love it, the more I want to sing it.Christ is arisen
From the grave's dark prison.
So let our joy rise full and free;
Christ our comfort true will be.
Alleluia.
Were Christ not arisen,
Then death were still our prison.
Now, with Him to life restored,
We praise the Father of our Lord.
Alleluia.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Now let our joy rise full and free;
Christ our comfort true will be.
Alleluia. (LSB 459)
Interesting Download Stats for KFUO
click here
Be patient; it's a rather large PDF file. These figures (as Pastor Esget notes below) do not include, apparently, any downloads through iTunes or WMA downloads.
Be patient; it's a rather large PDF file. These figures (as Pastor Esget notes below) do not include, apparently, any downloads through iTunes or WMA downloads.
FM Figures?
Why weren't the FM figures included? I *thought* that it was the generally understanding that funds generated from KFUO FM Classic were to help underwrite the cost of the Gospel outreach of KFUO AM? Maybe I'm all wet on that? Mr. Ames over on LQ noted the disparity between what Mr. Strand reported and what the Synod's official records show - but the official records don't seem to make a distinction between FM/AM. Why was that distinction made now in reporting only the AM Budget when Synod apparently treats it as a unified budget? I may be all wet. Money is not something I can even pretend to understand. Just a question for clarification, though.
Some Questions that Arise
from Dr. Erich Heidenreich:
Is the revenue generated by Issues, Etc. underwriters, church sponsors, ALL Reformation Club income and Bott Radio Network contributions included in Issues, Etc.’s total revenue figure?
Why were the host and the producer made responsible for a $3.5 million loss since 2001 and not KFUO management?
You have given statitistics for people listening live on the web. Why have you failed to release the on-demand listening statistics? How does the on-demand listenership of Issues, Etc. compare to the on-demand listenership of other KFUO produced programs in the past year?
The official responsibility for raising financial support for KFUO lies with the LCMS Foundation. Is it true that LCMS Foundation President Tom Ries was strongly critical of Issues, Etc.’s on-air editorial positions, specifically its public critique of popular televangelist Joel Osteen?
What was the total listenership for the weekly nationally, syndicated edition of Issues, Etc.?
How many grant proposals were written for Issues, Etc. compared to other proposals for KFUO-AM and KFUO-FM?
Why was Issues, Etc. the only KFUO-produced program required to raise and account for its own funds?
Why was Issues, Etc. the only KFUO-produced program that generated major financial underwriters like Concordia Seminary-St. Louis, Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne, Concordia Publishing House and LCMS World Relief?
Why cancel all of Issues, Etc.? Why not first cancel the more expensive Sunday night nationally, syndicated edition of Issues, Etc. and continue to do the three-hour weekday local broadcast of Issues, Etc.?
Why not make cuts at top-level, higher-paid management at KFUO?
Why were the audio archives of Issues, Etc. initially removed? This doesn't cost KFUO any salaries and benefits?
Why fire the only Lutheran Pastor on staff, of the more than 20 full-time employees at KFUO?
Does the LCMS Treasurer, Tom Kuchta, think that Issues, Etc. was the cause of KFUO’s financial woes?
Does KFUO management think that Issues, Etc. was the cause of KFUO’s financial woes?
Why cancel the show just as it was launching a major development initiative (Issues, Etc. 300)? This campaign had the potential to eliminate the entire fiscal year deficit for KFUO-AM.
Is the revenue generated by Issues, Etc. underwriters, church sponsors, ALL Reformation Club income and Bott Radio Network contributions included in Issues, Etc.’s total revenue figure?
Why were the host and the producer made responsible for a $3.5 million loss since 2001 and not KFUO management?
You have given statitistics for people listening live on the web. Why have you failed to release the on-demand listening statistics? How does the on-demand listenership of Issues, Etc. compare to the on-demand listenership of other KFUO produced programs in the past year?
The official responsibility for raising financial support for KFUO lies with the LCMS Foundation. Is it true that LCMS Foundation President Tom Ries was strongly critical of Issues, Etc.’s on-air editorial positions, specifically its public critique of popular televangelist Joel Osteen?
What was the total listenership for the weekly nationally, syndicated edition of Issues, Etc.?
How many grant proposals were written for Issues, Etc. compared to other proposals for KFUO-AM and KFUO-FM?
Why was Issues, Etc. the only KFUO-produced program required to raise and account for its own funds?
Why was Issues, Etc. the only KFUO-produced program that generated major financial underwriters like Concordia Seminary-St. Louis, Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne, Concordia Publishing House and LCMS World Relief?
Why cancel all of Issues, Etc.? Why not first cancel the more expensive Sunday night nationally, syndicated edition of Issues, Etc. and continue to do the three-hour weekday local broadcast of Issues, Etc.?
Why not make cuts at top-level, higher-paid management at KFUO?
Why were the audio archives of Issues, Etc. initially removed? This doesn't cost KFUO any salaries and benefits?
Why fire the only Lutheran Pastor on staff, of the more than 20 full-time employees at KFUO?
Does the LCMS Treasurer, Tom Kuchta, think that Issues, Etc. was the cause of KFUO’s financial woes?
Does KFUO management think that Issues, Etc. was the cause of KFUO’s financial woes?
Why cancel the show just as it was launching a major development initiative (Issues, Etc. 300)? This campaign had the potential to eliminate the entire fiscal year deficit for KFUO-AM.
David Strand's Further Response
http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=13252
March 27, 2008
Dear Christian Friend:
Last week the decision was made to discontinue the “Issues, Etc.” program on KFUO-AM Radio, a ministry owned and operated by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). A brief statement was posted soon after on KFUO-AM's website citing programmatic and stewardship (business) reasons for this decision.
Following the discontinuation of the program, some KFUO-AM listeners asked for more information as to why “Issues, Etc.” had been ended. Detailed reasons are not usually provided when making program changes, and I intend to continue our policy and practice not to publicly discuss specific personnel matters. However, I do want to provide additional information regarding some of the significant challenges we faced prior to the discontinuation of the program and to respond to the inquiries of those who were particularly fond and appreciative of “Issues, Etc.”
In fiscal year 2007-08, KFUO-AM’s operating deficit was $620,698. Since 2001, the accumulated deficits at the station have been in excess of $3.5 million. The LCMS budget, entrusted to our care by members of our Synod’s congregations, has absorbed these shortfalls for years. After long and prayerful consideration, it became clear that measures had to be taken to stop the ongoing, staggering losses.
Although some are under the impression that “Issues, Etc.” was profitable and self-supporting, the fact is the program lost approximately $250,000 in the last fiscal year. While airing for only 18 percent of KFUO-AM’s programming week, “Issues” accounted for more than 40 percent of the station’s total deficit. These figures are based on the audited financial statements of the LCMS.
Over the years, every effort has been made to cut expenses at KFUO-AM. At the same time, particularly in the past year, extraordinary measures were taken to bolster the financial support of the station. A sizable portion of those efforts focused on assisting “Issues, Etc.,” the most costly program on the AM schedule. Unfortunately, these measures have not solved the problem. As of February 29th, two-thirds into the current fiscal year, KFUO-AM was on pace to suffer heavy losses again.
Some may also be under a misapprehension about the size of the “Issues” audience. In 2005, station management decided it could no longer justify paying for expensive ratings reports in light of the predictably low and static nature of KFUO-AM’s audience numbers. At the time, a blending of the spring 2004 and spring 2005 “books” showed an average listening audience during the “Issues” Monday-Friday timeslot of 1,650. There is no indication these numbers have grown appreciably since.
As for the audio streaming of “Issues, Etc.” via the Internet, the numbers are similarly low. During the last full month (February 2008) for which we have reports, the average number of live, streaming listeners during the “Issues” Monday-Friday timeslot was 64.
On Sunday nights, when the first hour of “Issues” was syndicated in a number of markets (an opportunity for which, during the past fiscal year, the LCMS actually paid $66,000 in broadcast fees), and where the second hour was available only on the Internet, the peak number of online listeners on the KFUO stream was 39.
Sadly, very difficult financial conditions sometimes require decisions that are not popular among all affected. In the case of KFUO-AM, the time had come when good stewardship of the church’s funds required a decision that meaningfully curtailed the deep, ongoing losses at the station. Ending the costs associated with “Issues, Etc.” was the only viable option, and the decision to do this was prayerfully and contemplatively made.
I am sorry that those who enjoyed “Issues” are disappointed, but I have made the show’s archives available, and I respectfully hope that all listeners will support the ongoing radio ministry of our beloved Synod.
Sincerely in Christ,
David L. Strand
Executive Director
Board for Communication Services
[I notice that there was no mention of the number of DOWNLOADS of the show, which seems to me to be one of the more frequent ways folks listened to it. I wonder if Mr. Strand would be willing to share those particulars?]
March 27, 2008
Dear Christian Friend:
Last week the decision was made to discontinue the “Issues, Etc.” program on KFUO-AM Radio, a ministry owned and operated by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). A brief statement was posted soon after on KFUO-AM's website citing programmatic and stewardship (business) reasons for this decision.
Following the discontinuation of the program, some KFUO-AM listeners asked for more information as to why “Issues, Etc.” had been ended. Detailed reasons are not usually provided when making program changes, and I intend to continue our policy and practice not to publicly discuss specific personnel matters. However, I do want to provide additional information regarding some of the significant challenges we faced prior to the discontinuation of the program and to respond to the inquiries of those who were particularly fond and appreciative of “Issues, Etc.”
In fiscal year 2007-08, KFUO-AM’s operating deficit was $620,698. Since 2001, the accumulated deficits at the station have been in excess of $3.5 million. The LCMS budget, entrusted to our care by members of our Synod’s congregations, has absorbed these shortfalls for years. After long and prayerful consideration, it became clear that measures had to be taken to stop the ongoing, staggering losses.
Although some are under the impression that “Issues, Etc.” was profitable and self-supporting, the fact is the program lost approximately $250,000 in the last fiscal year. While airing for only 18 percent of KFUO-AM’s programming week, “Issues” accounted for more than 40 percent of the station’s total deficit. These figures are based on the audited financial statements of the LCMS.
Over the years, every effort has been made to cut expenses at KFUO-AM. At the same time, particularly in the past year, extraordinary measures were taken to bolster the financial support of the station. A sizable portion of those efforts focused on assisting “Issues, Etc.,” the most costly program on the AM schedule. Unfortunately, these measures have not solved the problem. As of February 29th, two-thirds into the current fiscal year, KFUO-AM was on pace to suffer heavy losses again.
Some may also be under a misapprehension about the size of the “Issues” audience. In 2005, station management decided it could no longer justify paying for expensive ratings reports in light of the predictably low and static nature of KFUO-AM’s audience numbers. At the time, a blending of the spring 2004 and spring 2005 “books” showed an average listening audience during the “Issues” Monday-Friday timeslot of 1,650. There is no indication these numbers have grown appreciably since.
As for the audio streaming of “Issues, Etc.” via the Internet, the numbers are similarly low. During the last full month (February 2008) for which we have reports, the average number of live, streaming listeners during the “Issues” Monday-Friday timeslot was 64.
On Sunday nights, when the first hour of “Issues” was syndicated in a number of markets (an opportunity for which, during the past fiscal year, the LCMS actually paid $66,000 in broadcast fees), and where the second hour was available only on the Internet, the peak number of online listeners on the KFUO stream was 39.
Sadly, very difficult financial conditions sometimes require decisions that are not popular among all affected. In the case of KFUO-AM, the time had come when good stewardship of the church’s funds required a decision that meaningfully curtailed the deep, ongoing losses at the station. Ending the costs associated with “Issues, Etc.” was the only viable option, and the decision to do this was prayerfully and contemplatively made.
I am sorry that those who enjoyed “Issues” are disappointed, but I have made the show’s archives available, and I respectfully hope that all listeners will support the ongoing radio ministry of our beloved Synod.
Sincerely in Christ,
David L. Strand
Executive Director
Board for Communication Services
[I notice that there was no mention of the number of DOWNLOADS of the show, which seems to me to be one of the more frequent ways folks listened to it. I wonder if Mr. Strand would be willing to share those particulars?]
Homily for the Second Sunday of Easter (2008)
Ezekiel 37:1-14 / 1 John 5:4-10 / John 20:19-31
“Can these bones live?” That’s the big question. Ezekiel surveys the valley, and they are bleached white, scattered here and there, a veritable valley of the shadow of death. It looks like that’s the end - and not just for them, but for us all. But God asks: “Can these bones live?”
Ezekiel takes the safe route: “O Lord God, you know.” Don’t ask me about these big issues of life and death! It’s beyond my brain what can happen. I don’t know if these bones can live, but you do.
Comes the answer: Prophesy! And speak the Word over them he does. The bones comes together with a great rattling. But they lay on the ground now, dead bodies. More gruesome maybe than just bare bones. And then comes the answer again: Prophesy to the breath, the Spirit, and breath on them that they may live.
And as prophesies to the Breath, the Breath of God comes and enters them and suddenly they are standing on their feet - a great army. “Can these bones live?” Yes, for the Word can reconstitute their nature and the Spirit can give them life. Word and Spirit sent from the living Father.
But what about when the One who is dead is the Word Himself that called to life? Is there hope then? Thomas was doubtful. “Can these bones live?” The bones of Him who raised the dead, but when He is killed, can He live again?
The others told him: Yes! These bones CAN and DO live again. But Thomas had trouble taking their words to heart. He wanted to see, to touch, to handle.
How great is the kindness of the Lord! He not only appeared to the others, but He came again for Thomas. Appeared before him, bringing peace, and inviting: “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Believe what? “These bones live!”
Did he? Did he touch? Did he handle? Some think no, others think yes. I think yes - because Jesus told him to, and I don’t think Thomas was about to disobey his Lord’s words anymore. He had seen with his own eyes and heard with his own ears that these bones live.
Jesus had breathed into the disciples and told them to receive the Spirit. The resurrected life that shone in His body He wanted to plant inside of them. And to them all He gave a commission of forgiveness. “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Life risen from the dead sends out His own with an embassy of forgiveness, an embassy sealed with the good news that “these bones live” and because HIS bones live again and forever, ours shall too.
Let us crumble to the dust. Let us become a bleached field of bare bones, whitened in the sun. Nevertheless, nevertheless these bones shall live again.
Such was the joyful message that the Church carried out into all the world. With Christ our Lord there is forgiveness for all sin - as sure on earth as it is certain in heaven - spoken by the men He sends in His stead to speak it. With Christ our Lord there is a life that reaches beyond the grave, and so we go toward the grave not as those who are agnostic about whether God can make these bones live again, but as people who are certain that our bones will live again when Christ stands once more upon this earth and calls us forth by His Spirit.
This is the victory that has overcome the world - this is our faith. The Spirit, the water, the blood - they all testify to its truth. God has given us His testimony about His Son, that in Him we have forgiveness and in Him we life, and in Him is resurrection from the dead. This is the truth that sets hearts free and fills them with joy: “These bones, MY bones, shall live!”
Already the inside fellow, the new man, lives from this life and in this certainty. And we carry it around inside of our bodies that are our outer self, wasting away. We live inside from the Age of the Resurrection.
Christ in our Baptism breathed into us His Spirit and gave us a share in that life which never ends. There He wrapped us up in His holiness, covering our sin, freeing us from the old way of living with its dead end of doubt and despair and He planted in us hope of a life that never ends.
And whenever the absolution is spoken at His command by His sent servants, the Spirit of life is blowing again and the dead are called to life. We only have it inside ourselves now, but we know it will be in our bodies also on the last day. He doesn’t forgive a piece of us; He forgives the lot, the whole man, the whole self, and so what rises in victory over corruption is not some disembodied soul, but the whole person, made like Him.
And here at the Eucharist, we’re there with the disciples. And Jesus, the living one, is among us. He shows us the wounds so that we can see that it was indeed the body that went into death which is now standing before us, forever beyond the grip of the grave. He feeds to us His body and His blood, forgiveness and life. And our hearts rejoice that we have seen and known the Lord, and we cry out to all the world our conviction that these bones shall live again, and we join Thomas in falling before our Lord and confessing: my Lord and my God! Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed that these bones shall live! Amen.
“Can these bones live?” That’s the big question. Ezekiel surveys the valley, and they are bleached white, scattered here and there, a veritable valley of the shadow of death. It looks like that’s the end - and not just for them, but for us all. But God asks: “Can these bones live?”
Ezekiel takes the safe route: “O Lord God, you know.” Don’t ask me about these big issues of life and death! It’s beyond my brain what can happen. I don’t know if these bones can live, but you do.
Comes the answer: Prophesy! And speak the Word over them he does. The bones comes together with a great rattling. But they lay on the ground now, dead bodies. More gruesome maybe than just bare bones. And then comes the answer again: Prophesy to the breath, the Spirit, and breath on them that they may live.
And as prophesies to the Breath, the Breath of God comes and enters them and suddenly they are standing on their feet - a great army. “Can these bones live?” Yes, for the Word can reconstitute their nature and the Spirit can give them life. Word and Spirit sent from the living Father.
But what about when the One who is dead is the Word Himself that called to life? Is there hope then? Thomas was doubtful. “Can these bones live?” The bones of Him who raised the dead, but when He is killed, can He live again?
The others told him: Yes! These bones CAN and DO live again. But Thomas had trouble taking their words to heart. He wanted to see, to touch, to handle.
How great is the kindness of the Lord! He not only appeared to the others, but He came again for Thomas. Appeared before him, bringing peace, and inviting: “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Believe what? “These bones live!”
Did he? Did he touch? Did he handle? Some think no, others think yes. I think yes - because Jesus told him to, and I don’t think Thomas was about to disobey his Lord’s words anymore. He had seen with his own eyes and heard with his own ears that these bones live.
Jesus had breathed into the disciples and told them to receive the Spirit. The resurrected life that shone in His body He wanted to plant inside of them. And to them all He gave a commission of forgiveness. “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Life risen from the dead sends out His own with an embassy of forgiveness, an embassy sealed with the good news that “these bones live” and because HIS bones live again and forever, ours shall too.
Let us crumble to the dust. Let us become a bleached field of bare bones, whitened in the sun. Nevertheless, nevertheless these bones shall live again.
Such was the joyful message that the Church carried out into all the world. With Christ our Lord there is forgiveness for all sin - as sure on earth as it is certain in heaven - spoken by the men He sends in His stead to speak it. With Christ our Lord there is a life that reaches beyond the grave, and so we go toward the grave not as those who are agnostic about whether God can make these bones live again, but as people who are certain that our bones will live again when Christ stands once more upon this earth and calls us forth by His Spirit.
This is the victory that has overcome the world - this is our faith. The Spirit, the water, the blood - they all testify to its truth. God has given us His testimony about His Son, that in Him we have forgiveness and in Him we life, and in Him is resurrection from the dead. This is the truth that sets hearts free and fills them with joy: “These bones, MY bones, shall live!”
Already the inside fellow, the new man, lives from this life and in this certainty. And we carry it around inside of our bodies that are our outer self, wasting away. We live inside from the Age of the Resurrection.
Christ in our Baptism breathed into us His Spirit and gave us a share in that life which never ends. There He wrapped us up in His holiness, covering our sin, freeing us from the old way of living with its dead end of doubt and despair and He planted in us hope of a life that never ends.
And whenever the absolution is spoken at His command by His sent servants, the Spirit of life is blowing again and the dead are called to life. We only have it inside ourselves now, but we know it will be in our bodies also on the last day. He doesn’t forgive a piece of us; He forgives the lot, the whole man, the whole self, and so what rises in victory over corruption is not some disembodied soul, but the whole person, made like Him.
And here at the Eucharist, we’re there with the disciples. And Jesus, the living one, is among us. He shows us the wounds so that we can see that it was indeed the body that went into death which is now standing before us, forever beyond the grip of the grave. He feeds to us His body and His blood, forgiveness and life. And our hearts rejoice that we have seen and known the Lord, and we cry out to all the world our conviction that these bones shall live again, and we join Thomas in falling before our Lord and confessing: my Lord and my God! Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed that these bones shall live! Amen.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
The miracle of the Christian Church is based on the miracle of the Resurrection. Christ rose from the grave, triumphant over death. We, too, shall rise; we, too, shall triumph in our faith. The forces of materialism seem to triumph for a time. The Roman empire seemed invincible. It controlled the earth. It stretched out its hands, greedy, grasping, tyrannical, to possess the earth. It aimed at domination, power, glory, money, luxury. But it could not last. It tried to possess the earth and lost it. But on that Good Friday there hung One on the Cross; disfigured, shamed, spat upon; and from that throne He built a Kingdom that can never die. It cannot die, for it was built on love, eternal love, which triumphed that Easter Morn. - Von Schenk, *The Presence* p. 103
Patristic Quote of the Day
How marvelous is the priesthood of the Christian, for he is both the victim that is offered on his own behalf, and the priest who makes the offering. He does not need to go beyond himself to seek what he is to immolate to God: with himself and in himself he brings the sacrifice he is to offer God for himself. The victim remains and the priest remains, always one and the same. Immolated, the victim still lives: the priest who immolates cannot kill. Truly it is an amazing sacrifice in which a body is offered without being slain and blood is offered without being shed. - St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon on Romans 12
26 March 2008
You ready for one more blog?
Here's a very helpful blog where you can find information (as it comes available) about Vespers in St. Louis and a meal and such - a time for those who support Issues, Etc. to gather and pray and hear the Word, sing God's praises, and enjoy the comfort of each other's company:
click here
click here
Yup, I Can Get Used To...
...wrapping up Wednesday Evenings with:
Spoken Divine Service - 6:15
OT Catechesis - 7:00
Compline - 7:45
What a wonderful way to end the day! And Compline's return is like an old friend coming home again.
Spoken Divine Service - 6:15
OT Catechesis - 7:00
Compline - 7:45
What a wonderful way to end the day! And Compline's return is like an old friend coming home again.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Therefore, let them fear, who do not feel their sin, but charge ahead with an impudent and proud heart, in sin without any regret, and without any repentance or amending of life. But the others, who feel their sin and repent, should not fear. For this table is prepared for the sake of these grieved and anxious hearts, so that they may find comfort and refreshment there. -- Blessed Martin Luther, Sermon for Easter Wednesday 1534 (House Postils II:52)
Patristic Quote of the Day
"Declare a holy day," not in a slothful manner, but "in full assemblies" (ver. 28). For this is the voice of joyfulness among those that keep holy day, who walk "in the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even unto the house of God." For if there be there the spiritual sacrifice, the everlasting sacrifice of praise, both the Priest is everlasting, and the peaceful mind of the righteous an everlasting altar. And what shall we sing there, save His praises? What else shall we say there, save, "You are my God, and I will confess unto You; You are my God, and I will praise You. I will confess unto You, for You have heard me, and art become my Salvation." We will not say these things in loud words; but the love that abides in Him of itself cries out in these words, and these words are love itself. Thus as he began with praise, so he ends: "Confess unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endures for ever" (ver. 29). With this the Psalm commences, with this it ends; since, as from the commencement which we have left behind, so in the end, whither we are returning, there is not anything that can more profitably please us, than the praise of God, and Alleluia evermore. - St. Augustine on Psalm 118
Speaking of Archives...
Just received this kind note from Brian:
Pastor Weedon,
In another attempt to hold on to the blessing that was "Issues, Etc." I started a blog and podcast, http://wittenbergmedia.org, that edits the archived shows by topic and guest and also makes them commercial free. The first series I'm doing is the one you did on the historic liturgy. The first part is up.
Pastor Weedon,
In another attempt to hold on to the blessing that was "Issues, Etc." I started a blog and podcast, http://wittenbergmedia.org, that edits the archived shows by topic and guest and also makes them commercial free. The first series I'm doing is the one you did on the historic liturgy. The first part is up.
About Issues Archives
There is lots of talk online about the archives being gone again - and they apparently are BUT I called the station and they said this:
We are busy trying to compress all the files - the station servers are being bombarded with download requests and are overwhelmed with the requests - SO they are working as fast as possible to compress files so they are easier and quicker to download. NO FOUL PLAY involved. The process to compress one year of files is 6hrs and so they are doing a year a day. Estimated time for all files to be back up is Monday.
We are busy trying to compress all the files - the station servers are being bombarded with download requests and are overwhelmed with the requests - SO they are working as fast as possible to compress files so they are easier and quicker to download. NO FOUL PLAY involved. The process to compress one year of files is 6hrs and so they are doing a year a day. Estimated time for all files to be back up is Monday.
25 March 2008
Another Blog to Read
Petersen on Issues
Pr. Petersen's words are always worth pondering. He has obviously given long thought to how to address the matter.
Pr. Petersen's words are always worth pondering. He has obviously given long thought to how to address the matter.
Where'd Annunciation go?
The custom is to transfer Annunication out of the Easter Octave if it falls within it. Thus, at St. Paul's, we'll observe Annunication next Wednesday at our midweek Eucharist.
Wow. Read this comment!
4430. Jason Allen St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Fort Riley, Ks I am in the Army and a friend gave me the web site of Issues, Etc when I was getting ready to go to be deployed to Iraq. I was fearful I would be killed in the war. I told a friend who always talked to me at the gym and he gave me the web site and told me to look up a program by Dr. Brighton and this would be a big help to me. When I listen to Dr. Brighton he told us about heaven and what Jesus did for us to get there. It was like a spring day in my life. If I ever get to St. Louis I am going to look him up. When I was growing my parents never went to church but once or twice a year. I had a lot of fear of Christ and that he was going to punished me. I looked in several Lutheran web sites to see if I could find out what happened to Issues and found one that said a church president took it off. I did not have time to read all the information that was in there. I would like to ask him if he has ever been in the Army and have a best friend die in your arms like happened to me in Iraq. Thanks Dr.Brig
(HT: Pr. Franck)
[Note that there is no evidence our President removed the show; but he did not prevent its removal. A distinction of sorts.]
(HT: Pr. Franck)
[Note that there is no evidence our President removed the show; but he did not prevent its removal. A distinction of sorts.]
God Bless David Berger!
Easter 2008
An open letter to the Praesidium of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
Dear Brothers in Christ,
There are times when one must step back and be willing to admit a mistake. This, I am convinced, is one of those times. It offers, however, also a window of opportunity. On Tuesday, March 18, a widely syndicated, web-cast radio program on KFUO-AM dedicated to Lutheran apologetics and getting out the Gospel message was effectively cancelled by terminating the employment of its host and producer, ostensibly for “programmatic” and “business” reasons. The lack of specific information, because employment issues are involved, has led to much speculation concerning other possible reasons for the action of a staff member of the Board for Communication Services.
According to information supplied by a district president, the president of Synod has given his permission to acknowledge that “The KFUO decision transpired with my awareness but neither by my order nor at my direction.” And, we are compelled to add, neither was the action prevented. Thus, it is difficult to attach sole responsibility to any one person. It might well have been expected that the abrupt termination of two prominent staff personnel at KFUO during Holy Week, as well as subsequent actions, such as the initial removal of all traces of the Issues, etc. program from the web (with archives later restored) and the lack of explanation on the air regarding its absence, would cause great division within Synod and offense to many in our church body and beyond. That has clearly been the case. It has not been Synod’s finest hour.
Although we cannot change what is past and done, we can focus our attention on what remains to be done. Even from the dismal perspective of this week, we see a window of opportunity. As you know, a petition circulating on the world wide web has garnered to this writing nearly 4000 signatures – pastors in the parish, Lutheran lay people, other Christians, and those who credit Issues, etc. with steering them or their acquaintances to the saving Gospel. I encourage you to go to the site and see for yourselves. The number has grown hourly.
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?Issues
On the site, you will find a wealth of testimonials to the benefits of Issues, etc., from witnessing to the Gospel to defense of the faith. The program has clearly been spiritual and substantive theological sustenance for Lutherans and a powerful witness to the Gospel to Christians and non-Christians alike. Below is a random selection of signers and comments. None of the names is familiar to me. I trust that no privacy is violated, as all names and comments are publicly posted.
As a Christian apologist who has spent many years defending the faith, I would ask that you please restore the Issues, Etc. program. I am not a Lutheran, nor have I always seen eye-to-eye with Todd. And yet I can only view this dismissal as a true loss for the entire Body of Christ, regardless of denomination affiliations. Todd Willken has consistently dealt with crucial issues affecting the church in general, paying careful attention to exposing error wherever error might be found in the cults, the occult, and world religions. He has been a faithful servant and a dedicated voice of truth in the ever-growing din of false teachings throughout our culture. Please reconsider your actions. In Christ, RICHARD ABANES
I am very saddened about the abrupt removal of this program from KFUO. It has been a wonderful learning tool for my personal spiritual growth. Whether you are of the liberal or conservative persuasion we are all to be focused on Jesus Christ our Savior and not on "politics" of the church. In this case the devil has won. Micki Horstmann, Concordia Lutheran Church Kirkwood, MO
I am a Baptist General Conference pastor who has benefited greatly from the Issues, Etc program. I am very dismayed and disappointed that you have discontinued this fine program. Does the LCMS not care about truth, the gospel, and its own confessions? I have told my wife that if I keep listening to this show I might end up becoming a Lutheran! Your decision to remove a program that so clearly promotes the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ was a careless one. Even as a non-Lutheran I was greatly impacted by this program and its confessional approach. In my opinion, you have cut one of the best things you had going. What a shame. Rev. Scott Eaton, Calvary Community Church, Schaumburg, IL
We have often used the discussion points and contents of Issues, Etc. as a jumping off point for our Topical Men's Bible Study. We have found this program to be of great value. Please return this program to the public. Rev. Michael Wenzel, Trinity Lutheran Church, Olympia, WA
I found Issues Etc. to be very insightful and unwavering in its analysis, especially of current events. It helped me by being a shining example of thoughtful and respectful analysis of issues from the Lutheran Christian perspective, while always preaching Christ and Him crucified. Olivier Calle, Messiah Lutheran Church, Marysville, WA
[The following comment is included in view of the reason given for Tuesday’s action. To protect the privacy of the signer, the name has been deleted, although it is on the petition.]
The $750,000 LCMS beneficiary of my policy is in [jeopardy] here. Council Bluffs, IA
I converted to the Lutheran Church largely because of Issues, Etc. Adam J. Roe, Trinity Lutheran Church Worden, IL
One observer has also noted the demographics of the petition signers. I have not personally verified them. Ages range from 7 to 84. All but one state has been represented. Ten vocations have been listed, including pastors, missionaries, chaplains, military personnel, professors, and students. Twenty denominations have been listed other than Lutheran, including Presbyterian, Baptist, and Roman Catholic. Most significant is that signers represent 21 countries. Issues, etc., is truly an international program. In addition to the above are the hundreds (possibly thousands) of e-mail messages that representatives of Synod have received, individually and corporately.
No survey conducted at great expense to Synod could have provided any more valuable information on the importance of KFUO radio and its related web ministry – truly a providential byproduct of Tuesday’s action. It is most unfortunate that it took such action to reveal the esteem in which the program, Issues, etc., is held and how effective LCMS radio ministry has been and can be. What a unique opportunity we have, with God’s help, to convert a sow’s ear into a silk purse!
Are we ready to retrace our steps, brothers? Is it possible, in a spirit of Christian humility and regret, to admit the error and to take steps to redress it? Let me be the first to confess any sin of commission or omission that may have led to the action. As an elected member of the Board for Communication Services, I have pledged to conduct church business in an open and honest manner. In two weeks, I will be meeting as a member of a joint BOD/BCS committee. We are to deal with two charges or “scenarios.” Below is the relevant excerpt from the February 2008 Board of Directors meeting minutes:
Resolved, That the LCMS Board of Directors establish a committee of three members of the Board of Directors (appointed by the chairman of the Board of Directors) and three members of the Board for Communication Services (appointed by the chairman of the Board for Communication Services), plus the Synod’s Vice-President–Finance–Treasurer as a non-voting resource person, to present two scenarios for consideration at the May (or August) 2008 Board of Directors’ meeting:
Scenario 1: A comprehensive operations, programmatic, and financial plan for engagement of KFUO AM and FM in support of the mission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod “vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and the world.”
Scenario 2: A comprehensive communications, programmatic, and financial plan for allocation of net assets realized from the sale, realignment, joint venturing, or other type of divestiture or reallocation of KFUO AM and FM assets in support of the Synod’s mission.
My first thought following the announcement of Tuesday’s action was that the timing could not have been worse. But our God is a God of paradox, even a God of surprises. Within days of our first meeting, He has provided an unexpected gift: living, breathing evidence of the value of radio and web ministry for The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. He has demonstrated that we need more, not fewer, programs like Issues, etc. to support the mission of the LCMS. And so, in working on Scenario 1, we do well to examine carefully the responses found in the petition to help us understand the value of Lutheran radio and web ministry as a source of spiritual nourishment for our members and an effective means of outreach to the world at large. We have been given an unexpected gift. Let us accept it, learn from it, and build on it. In recent years, access on the world wide web, both to live call-in radio programs and to program archives, has increased exponentially the ability of the LCMS to “get the Word out.” That availability needs to be maintained and expanded.
Now that we have concrete evidence of the protean values of such programming, as well as evidence of its international reach, we also have opportunity to re-direct resources to this ministry. We can, for example, consider such sources as Fan into Flame funding. Is there any more appropriate use for these funds than Gospel-centered, Spirit-powered Lutheran outreach on radio and on the world wide web?
Our work initially, however, must be to repair the breach of trust in those who have seen that trust broken. Readiness publicly to admit the error is the first step. It will go a long way in re-establishing that trust. Since personnel issues are involved, I can make no concrete proposal for initial action, but I have no doubt that means to initiate it are within the purview of your respective offices. It may be that no overture will be able to bridge the deep divide caused by the termination, but every effort must be made to re-instate the program, Issues, etc. Changes in personnel or format will be viewed with great suspicion. If the injury to the two men was too great to expect a return to business as usual, then we will have to learn from our mistake. I pray, however, that with God’s help and the sincere good will of all involved, the error can be re-dressed. Let the world see how the church can really work.
Brothers, it is time to move forward with all urgency in positive directions in LCMS radio and world wide web ministry.
May our Risen Lord forgive us our errors, help us to labor together in love, and continue to support us in our efforts to carry His Word by all means to the ends of the earth.
In Him,
David O. Berger
A postscript of concern: It would be a sad irony indeed if the cancellation of one of the most widely listened-to programs on KFUO-AM – a program supported locally in other metropolitan areas and broadcast nationally, and a program with a long record of donor funding – were to lead to a financial crisis at the station, forcing the committee to consider Scenario 2 immediately. We pray fervently that that will not happen, but rather that generous donors will look past the unhappy circumstances of the past few days and see the value in radio and related world wide web ministry and continue to support it. Once a license is given up, it will not be regained.
[This open letter is a personal communication from the keyboard of the above-signed. While I have noted my membership on the BCS, I speak neither for the Board for Communication Services nor as a faculty member at Concordia Seminary.]
An open letter to the Praesidium of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
Dear Brothers in Christ,
There are times when one must step back and be willing to admit a mistake. This, I am convinced, is one of those times. It offers, however, also a window of opportunity. On Tuesday, March 18, a widely syndicated, web-cast radio program on KFUO-AM dedicated to Lutheran apologetics and getting out the Gospel message was effectively cancelled by terminating the employment of its host and producer, ostensibly for “programmatic” and “business” reasons. The lack of specific information, because employment issues are involved, has led to much speculation concerning other possible reasons for the action of a staff member of the Board for Communication Services.
According to information supplied by a district president, the president of Synod has given his permission to acknowledge that “The KFUO decision transpired with my awareness but neither by my order nor at my direction.” And, we are compelled to add, neither was the action prevented. Thus, it is difficult to attach sole responsibility to any one person. It might well have been expected that the abrupt termination of two prominent staff personnel at KFUO during Holy Week, as well as subsequent actions, such as the initial removal of all traces of the Issues, etc. program from the web (with archives later restored) and the lack of explanation on the air regarding its absence, would cause great division within Synod and offense to many in our church body and beyond. That has clearly been the case. It has not been Synod’s finest hour.
Although we cannot change what is past and done, we can focus our attention on what remains to be done. Even from the dismal perspective of this week, we see a window of opportunity. As you know, a petition circulating on the world wide web has garnered to this writing nearly 4000 signatures – pastors in the parish, Lutheran lay people, other Christians, and those who credit Issues, etc. with steering them or their acquaintances to the saving Gospel. I encourage you to go to the site and see for yourselves. The number has grown hourly.
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?Issues
On the site, you will find a wealth of testimonials to the benefits of Issues, etc., from witnessing to the Gospel to defense of the faith. The program has clearly been spiritual and substantive theological sustenance for Lutherans and a powerful witness to the Gospel to Christians and non-Christians alike. Below is a random selection of signers and comments. None of the names is familiar to me. I trust that no privacy is violated, as all names and comments are publicly posted.
As a Christian apologist who has spent many years defending the faith, I would ask that you please restore the Issues, Etc. program. I am not a Lutheran, nor have I always seen eye-to-eye with Todd. And yet I can only view this dismissal as a true loss for the entire Body of Christ, regardless of denomination affiliations. Todd Willken has consistently dealt with crucial issues affecting the church in general, paying careful attention to exposing error wherever error might be found in the cults, the occult, and world religions. He has been a faithful servant and a dedicated voice of truth in the ever-growing din of false teachings throughout our culture. Please reconsider your actions. In Christ, RICHARD ABANES
I am very saddened about the abrupt removal of this program from KFUO. It has been a wonderful learning tool for my personal spiritual growth. Whether you are of the liberal or conservative persuasion we are all to be focused on Jesus Christ our Savior and not on "politics" of the church. In this case the devil has won. Micki Horstmann, Concordia Lutheran Church Kirkwood, MO
I am a Baptist General Conference pastor who has benefited greatly from the Issues, Etc program. I am very dismayed and disappointed that you have discontinued this fine program. Does the LCMS not care about truth, the gospel, and its own confessions? I have told my wife that if I keep listening to this show I might end up becoming a Lutheran! Your decision to remove a program that so clearly promotes the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ was a careless one. Even as a non-Lutheran I was greatly impacted by this program and its confessional approach. In my opinion, you have cut one of the best things you had going. What a shame. Rev. Scott Eaton, Calvary Community Church, Schaumburg, IL
We have often used the discussion points and contents of Issues, Etc. as a jumping off point for our Topical Men's Bible Study. We have found this program to be of great value. Please return this program to the public. Rev. Michael Wenzel, Trinity Lutheran Church, Olympia, WA
I found Issues Etc. to be very insightful and unwavering in its analysis, especially of current events. It helped me by being a shining example of thoughtful and respectful analysis of issues from the Lutheran Christian perspective, while always preaching Christ and Him crucified. Olivier Calle, Messiah Lutheran Church, Marysville, WA
[The following comment is included in view of the reason given for Tuesday’s action. To protect the privacy of the signer, the name has been deleted, although it is on the petition.]
The $750,000 LCMS beneficiary of my policy is in [jeopardy] here. Council Bluffs, IA
I converted to the Lutheran Church largely because of Issues, Etc. Adam J. Roe, Trinity Lutheran Church Worden, IL
One observer has also noted the demographics of the petition signers. I have not personally verified them. Ages range from 7 to 84. All but one state has been represented. Ten vocations have been listed, including pastors, missionaries, chaplains, military personnel, professors, and students. Twenty denominations have been listed other than Lutheran, including Presbyterian, Baptist, and Roman Catholic. Most significant is that signers represent 21 countries. Issues, etc., is truly an international program. In addition to the above are the hundreds (possibly thousands) of e-mail messages that representatives of Synod have received, individually and corporately.
No survey conducted at great expense to Synod could have provided any more valuable information on the importance of KFUO radio and its related web ministry – truly a providential byproduct of Tuesday’s action. It is most unfortunate that it took such action to reveal the esteem in which the program, Issues, etc., is held and how effective LCMS radio ministry has been and can be. What a unique opportunity we have, with God’s help, to convert a sow’s ear into a silk purse!
Are we ready to retrace our steps, brothers? Is it possible, in a spirit of Christian humility and regret, to admit the error and to take steps to redress it? Let me be the first to confess any sin of commission or omission that may have led to the action. As an elected member of the Board for Communication Services, I have pledged to conduct church business in an open and honest manner. In two weeks, I will be meeting as a member of a joint BOD/BCS committee. We are to deal with two charges or “scenarios.” Below is the relevant excerpt from the February 2008 Board of Directors meeting minutes:
Resolved, That the LCMS Board of Directors establish a committee of three members of the Board of Directors (appointed by the chairman of the Board of Directors) and three members of the Board for Communication Services (appointed by the chairman of the Board for Communication Services), plus the Synod’s Vice-President–Finance–Treasurer as a non-voting resource person, to present two scenarios for consideration at the May (or August) 2008 Board of Directors’ meeting:
Scenario 1: A comprehensive operations, programmatic, and financial plan for engagement of KFUO AM and FM in support of the mission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod “vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and the world.”
Scenario 2: A comprehensive communications, programmatic, and financial plan for allocation of net assets realized from the sale, realignment, joint venturing, or other type of divestiture or reallocation of KFUO AM and FM assets in support of the Synod’s mission.
My first thought following the announcement of Tuesday’s action was that the timing could not have been worse. But our God is a God of paradox, even a God of surprises. Within days of our first meeting, He has provided an unexpected gift: living, breathing evidence of the value of radio and web ministry for The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. He has demonstrated that we need more, not fewer, programs like Issues, etc. to support the mission of the LCMS. And so, in working on Scenario 1, we do well to examine carefully the responses found in the petition to help us understand the value of Lutheran radio and web ministry as a source of spiritual nourishment for our members and an effective means of outreach to the world at large. We have been given an unexpected gift. Let us accept it, learn from it, and build on it. In recent years, access on the world wide web, both to live call-in radio programs and to program archives, has increased exponentially the ability of the LCMS to “get the Word out.” That availability needs to be maintained and expanded.
Now that we have concrete evidence of the protean values of such programming, as well as evidence of its international reach, we also have opportunity to re-direct resources to this ministry. We can, for example, consider such sources as Fan into Flame funding. Is there any more appropriate use for these funds than Gospel-centered, Spirit-powered Lutheran outreach on radio and on the world wide web?
Our work initially, however, must be to repair the breach of trust in those who have seen that trust broken. Readiness publicly to admit the error is the first step. It will go a long way in re-establishing that trust. Since personnel issues are involved, I can make no concrete proposal for initial action, but I have no doubt that means to initiate it are within the purview of your respective offices. It may be that no overture will be able to bridge the deep divide caused by the termination, but every effort must be made to re-instate the program, Issues, etc. Changes in personnel or format will be viewed with great suspicion. If the injury to the two men was too great to expect a return to business as usual, then we will have to learn from our mistake. I pray, however, that with God’s help and the sincere good will of all involved, the error can be re-dressed. Let the world see how the church can really work.
Brothers, it is time to move forward with all urgency in positive directions in LCMS radio and world wide web ministry.
May our Risen Lord forgive us our errors, help us to labor together in love, and continue to support us in our efforts to carry His Word by all means to the ends of the earth.
In Him,
David O. Berger
A postscript of concern: It would be a sad irony indeed if the cancellation of one of the most widely listened-to programs on KFUO-AM – a program supported locally in other metropolitan areas and broadcast nationally, and a program with a long record of donor funding – were to lead to a financial crisis at the station, forcing the committee to consider Scenario 2 immediately. We pray fervently that that will not happen, but rather that generous donors will look past the unhappy circumstances of the past few days and see the value in radio and related world wide web ministry and continue to support it. Once a license is given up, it will not be regained.
[This open letter is a personal communication from the keyboard of the above-signed. While I have noted my membership on the BCS, I speak neither for the Board for Communication Services nor as a faculty member at Concordia Seminary.]
Prayer for Enemies and Persecutors
O Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son of God, in Your Word, You have prescribed for us this rule of love: "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt 5:44). I pray also to You, the most generous forgiver of sins, for my enemies and for those who persecute the church. Give me the grace of Your Holy Spirit so that I not only forgive my enemies from the heart, but also heartily pray for their salvation. Do not sharpen over them the stern sword of revenge; instead, anoint their heads with the oil of mercy. Extinguish in their hearts the hot ashes of wrath and hatred so that they do not flame up into the infernal fires of hell. May they recognize that life is quickly dissipating vapor and smoke (James 4:14), our bodies fleeting ashes and dust (Sirach 10:9). Then in their mortal bodies they will not bear immortal wrath nor receive the enemy of their souls into the feeble home of their earthen body.
May they recognize that this deep-seated hatred is their greatest enemy because it kills the soul and excludes them from participation in heavenly life. Enlighten their minds so they gaze into the mirror of divine mercy and recognize the ugliness of anger and hatred. Direct their wills so they are moved by teh example of divine forgiveness and resist the inclination to be angry and to injure. Graciously allow that, as much as it depend on me, I may live peacefully with all people. Turn the hearts of my enemies to reconciliation. May we walk harmoniously on the path of this life because we hope for one place in the heavenly kingdom. May we not be separated on earth because we desire to live as one in heaven. We call on You, the one Lord and God of heaven. It is by no means right that servants of the one Lord are not united. We are only mystical body under Christ the Head. For members of one body to fight one another is disgraceful and dishonorable. For those whose faith is one, and whose Baptism is one, it is fitting that they be one in body and soul.
--Blessed Johann Gerhard *Meditations on Divine Mercy* pp. 146,147
May they recognize that this deep-seated hatred is their greatest enemy because it kills the soul and excludes them from participation in heavenly life. Enlighten their minds so they gaze into the mirror of divine mercy and recognize the ugliness of anger and hatred. Direct their wills so they are moved by teh example of divine forgiveness and resist the inclination to be angry and to injure. Graciously allow that, as much as it depend on me, I may live peacefully with all people. Turn the hearts of my enemies to reconciliation. May we walk harmoniously on the path of this life because we hope for one place in the heavenly kingdom. May we not be separated on earth because we desire to live as one in heaven. We call on You, the one Lord and God of heaven. It is by no means right that servants of the one Lord are not united. We are only mystical body under Christ the Head. For members of one body to fight one another is disgraceful and dishonorable. For those whose faith is one, and whose Baptism is one, it is fitting that they be one in body and soul.
--Blessed Johann Gerhard *Meditations on Divine Mercy* pp. 146,147
Das "Dritte Ding"
No, not in the sense that Luther meant it, rather in the sense that Pr. David Jay Webber expresses it:
There is that which MUST be believed, for it is revealed in the Sacred Scriptures as divinely true.
There is that which MUST NOT be believed, for it contradicts what is revealed in the Sacred Scriptures as divinely true.
There is that which MAY be believed, for it does NOT contradict what the Sacred Scriptures reveal as divinely true, but in fact harmonizes with that revelation, and has a long history of fellow Christians believing it across the centuries.
It strikes me that the third thing, the third point, is what St. Thomas Aquinas called "probable" but not "incontrovertible" as he said in the Summa:
I believe that the Orthodox use the term "theologoumena" for something akin to the third category, and by that term mean something stronger than merely what Lutherans mean when they tend to dismiss something as "just pious opinion." Thoughts on Pr. Webber's categories?
[I note Gerhard using the very category most reverently in his homily for Quasimodo on the question of whether the scars of our Lord remain visible in His holy body to this day. "Yet with this it should be noted that this actually should not be regarded as an article of faith, because there exists no express, clear testimony from Scripture about this. Rather, it is only a presumptive conclusion." And yet he goes on to speak of the matter with great reverence for the way the ancient teachers laid down their reasons for so concluding and clearly agrees with them and includes them in his sermon - Postilla I:364-366]
There is that which MUST be believed, for it is revealed in the Sacred Scriptures as divinely true.
There is that which MUST NOT be believed, for it contradicts what is revealed in the Sacred Scriptures as divinely true.
There is that which MAY be believed, for it does NOT contradict what the Sacred Scriptures reveal as divinely true, but in fact harmonizes with that revelation, and has a long history of fellow Christians believing it across the centuries.
It strikes me that the third thing, the third point, is what St. Thomas Aquinas called "probable" but not "incontrovertible" as he said in the Summa:
Nevertheless, sacred doctrine makes use of these authorities as extrinsic and probable arguments; but properly uses the authority of the canonical Scriptures as an incontrovertible proof, and the authority of the doctors of the Church as one that may properly be used, yet merely as probable. For our faith rests upon the revelation made to the apostles and prophets who wrote the canonical books, and not on the revelations (if any such there are) made to other doctors. Hence Augustine says (Epis. ad Hieron. xix, 1): "Only those books of Scripture which are called canonical have I learned to hold in such honor as to believe their authors have not erred in any way in writing them. But other authors I so read as not to deem everything in their works to be true, merely on account of their having so thought and written, whatever may have been their holiness and learning."--Summa Theologia, Part 1, Question 1, Article 8
I believe that the Orthodox use the term "theologoumena" for something akin to the third category, and by that term mean something stronger than merely what Lutherans mean when they tend to dismiss something as "just pious opinion." Thoughts on Pr. Webber's categories?
[I note Gerhard using the very category most reverently in his homily for Quasimodo on the question of whether the scars of our Lord remain visible in His holy body to this day. "Yet with this it should be noted that this actually should not be regarded as an article of faith, because there exists no express, clear testimony from Scripture about this. Rather, it is only a presumptive conclusion." And yet he goes on to speak of the matter with great reverence for the way the ancient teachers laid down their reasons for so concluding and clearly agrees with them and includes them in his sermon - Postilla I:364-366]
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
In the fullness of time, You sent this Savior to us. Through Him, You recall us from death to life, from sin to righteousness, from hell to heavenly glory. O Lover of all humanity, whose delight is in the children of men, who can offer worthy praise for this philanthropy? Moreover, who can conceive of it? These are the incomprehensible riches of Your goodness. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *Meditations on Divine Mercy* p. 63 (trans. by Pastor Matthew Harrison)
24 March 2008
Bekah's Latest
We all think it looks like Lauren G., but Bekah assures us that it is just an accident that it does.
Oh, and Folks!
Don't forget those letters to the editor for the Reporter AND the Lutheran Witness. Just write to tell them how much you were blessed by Issues, Etc. and how you want to see it restored or a cogent reason given for silencing this voice of the Gospel.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
In the doctrine of Transubstantiation, nevertheless, as in almost all of her corruptions, the Church of Rome has not so much absolutely removed the foundation, as it hidden it by wood, hay, and stubble of human devise. Truth can sometimes be reached by running the corruptions of it back to the trunk on which they were grafted. -- C.P. Krauth, *The Conservative Reformation* p. 629
Patristic Quote of the Day
What then? do not we offer every day? We offer indeed, but making a remembrance of His death, and this [remembrance] is one and not many. How is it one, and not many? Inasmuch as that [Sacrifice] was once for all offered, [and] carried into the Holy of Holies. This is a figure of that [sacrifice] and this remembrance of that. For we always offer the same, not one sheep now and tomorrow another, but always the same thing: so that the sacrifice is one. And yet by this reasoning, since the offering is made in many places, are there many Christs? but Christ is one everywhere, being complete here and complete there also, one Body. As then while offered in many places, He is one body and not many bodies; so also [He is] one sacrifice. He is our High Priest, who offered the sacrifice that cleanses us. That we offer now also, which was then offered, which cannot be exhausted. This is done in remembrance of what was then done. For (says He) "do this in remembrance of Me." ( Luke xxii. 19 .) It is not another sacrifice, as the High Priest, but we offer always the same, or rather we perform a remembrance of a Sacrifice.-- St. John Chrysostom on Hebrews 9
Throwing Out Some Ideas
A few thoughts on Issues, Etc. on this Monday when our churches pray: "O God, in the paschal feast You restore all creation. Continue to send Your heavenly gifts upon Your people that they may walk in perfect freedom and receive eternal life."
1. The idea of gathering for prayer, for encouragement from the Word, and for the comfort of being together - this sounds very good. And I wonder if a Sunday evening Vespers at one of our parishes in St. Louis (I'm thinking of Hope), followed by a meal and a speaker might be a good thing?
2. On the follow Monday, those who could stay could gather for a further prayer Vigil outside 1333 S. Kirkwood with a focus on asking God to restore the show. Where two or three are gathered...! We could include in this Vigil a special time of prayer for our Synod, her leaders, her pastors, workers, and all our parishes, and the spread of the Gospel in all the world.
3. The week that seems best suited for this is the week that the Board for Communication Services is next scheduled to meet in St. Louis, which would mean April 13th for the Vespers/Banquet and April 14th for the prayer vigil (much better word and focus than "protest" - says this boomer with a trace of resignation).
4. Ask one of the Board for Communication Service members or one of the District Presidents to present the petition to the BCS at its next meeting, asking for a reversal of the decision to cancel the show. This meeting will be held (I have been told) latter in the week at a hotel near the St. Louis airport and not at 1333 S. Kirkwood.
5. Continue in prayer throughout this time that God's good, gracious, and perfect will be done; and continue to get the word out, asking folks to sign the petition. Issues Etc. Petition
An addendum: my friend Pr. Don Kirchner brought to my attention that some might be under the impression that Synod had not offer a severance package to Pr. Wilken and Jeff. That is not the case. A severance has been offered; I do not believe that as of yet it has been either accepted or declined. However, that is their business and not ours.
I'd appreciate thoughts on the five points above.
1. The idea of gathering for prayer, for encouragement from the Word, and for the comfort of being together - this sounds very good. And I wonder if a Sunday evening Vespers at one of our parishes in St. Louis (I'm thinking of Hope), followed by a meal and a speaker might be a good thing?
2. On the follow Monday, those who could stay could gather for a further prayer Vigil outside 1333 S. Kirkwood with a focus on asking God to restore the show. Where two or three are gathered...! We could include in this Vigil a special time of prayer for our Synod, her leaders, her pastors, workers, and all our parishes, and the spread of the Gospel in all the world.
3. The week that seems best suited for this is the week that the Board for Communication Services is next scheduled to meet in St. Louis, which would mean April 13th for the Vespers/Banquet and April 14th for the prayer vigil (much better word and focus than "protest" - says this boomer with a trace of resignation).
4. Ask one of the Board for Communication Service members or one of the District Presidents to present the petition to the BCS at its next meeting, asking for a reversal of the decision to cancel the show. This meeting will be held (I have been told) latter in the week at a hotel near the St. Louis airport and not at 1333 S. Kirkwood.
5. Continue in prayer throughout this time that God's good, gracious, and perfect will be done; and continue to get the word out, asking folks to sign the petition. Issues Etc. Petition
An addendum: my friend Pr. Don Kirchner brought to my attention that some might be under the impression that Synod had not offer a severance package to Pr. Wilken and Jeff. That is not the case. A severance has been offered; I do not believe that as of yet it has been either accepted or declined. However, that is their business and not ours.
I'd appreciate thoughts on the five points above.
23 March 2008
Hymn for Easter Evening
Who are you who walk in sorrow
Down Emmaus' barren road,
Hearts distraught and hope defeated,
Bent beneath grief's crushing load?
Nameless mourners, we will join you,
We who also mourn our dead;
We have stood by graves unyielding,
Eaten death's bare, bitter bread.
Who is this who joins our journey,
Walking with us stride by stride?
Unknown Stranger, can You fathom
Depths of grief for one who died?
Then the wonder! When we told You
How our dreams to dust have turned,
Then You opened wide the Scriptures
Till our hearts within us burned.
Who are You? Our hearts are opened
In the breaking of the bread -
Christ, the victim, now the victor,
Living, risen from the dead!
Great companion on our journey,
Still surprise us with Your grace!
Make each day a new Emmaus;
On our hearts Your image trace!
Who are we who travel with You
On our way through life to death?
Women, men, the young, the aging,
Wakened by the Spirit's breath!
At the font You claim and name us,
Born of water and the Word;
At the table still You feed us,
Host us as our risen Lord!
"Alleluia! Alleluia!"
Is the Easter hymn we sing!
Take our life, our joy, our worship
As the gift of love we bring.
You have formed us all one people
Called from ev'ry land and race.
Make the Church Your servant body,
Sent to share Your healing grace!
--Herman Stuempfle, LSB 476
Down Emmaus' barren road,
Hearts distraught and hope defeated,
Bent beneath grief's crushing load?
Nameless mourners, we will join you,
We who also mourn our dead;
We have stood by graves unyielding,
Eaten death's bare, bitter bread.
Who is this who joins our journey,
Walking with us stride by stride?
Unknown Stranger, can You fathom
Depths of grief for one who died?
Then the wonder! When we told You
How our dreams to dust have turned,
Then You opened wide the Scriptures
Till our hearts within us burned.
Who are You? Our hearts are opened
In the breaking of the bread -
Christ, the victim, now the victor,
Living, risen from the dead!
Great companion on our journey,
Still surprise us with Your grace!
Make each day a new Emmaus;
On our hearts Your image trace!
Who are we who travel with You
On our way through life to death?
Women, men, the young, the aging,
Wakened by the Spirit's breath!
At the font You claim and name us,
Born of water and the Word;
At the table still You feed us,
Host us as our risen Lord!
"Alleluia! Alleluia!"
Is the Easter hymn we sing!
Take our life, our joy, our worship
As the gift of love we bring.
You have formed us all one people
Called from ev'ry land and race.
Make the Church Your servant body,
Sent to share Your healing grace!
--Herman Stuempfle, LSB 476
Images from Holy Week and Easter
The sound of the bells ringing as the children marched in behind the cross, their palms waving: "All glory, laud, and honor!"... The look on their faces as they receive the Sacrament for the first time... Walking in the warm almost Spring sunshine with Cindi, and Lucy tugging and tugging... Dean and Lauren home for the week... The shock of Jeff's call on Tuesday... A flurry of emails and calls and then watching the LCMS internet presence explode at the outrage (and outrage it was and is)... The long readings from the Passion accounts on Holy Tuesday and Wednesday, just losing ourselves in this eternal story... The packed Church for Maundy Thursday Eucharist, with Matt Harrison and family and Bishop Obare's son, sitting in the first pew... Dean assisting with the veneration of the Cross at Friday's main service... The silence before Tenebrae Vespers and the dying of the Light... The jubilant singing of "Rejoice, Angelic Choirs" at Vigil... Stu, John, and Dean assisting in the liturgy for that night... The confirmation of 11 more (young and old) and giving the Sacrament to those who have been waiting long to receive... FOOD!... Trumpets and organ, timpani and bells, tambourine and choir, joyful congregation celebrating the most joyous Eucharist of the entire year... Easter dinner: two plates of fried chicken, deviled eggs, mock-potato salad, mock-corn bread, biscuits and sausage gravy, cheesecake with fresh strawberries (thank you, Jo) or cherries, and vanilla cake (lo-carb, of course) and as wonderful as it was, I was having a hard time staying awake to enjoy it!... Saying goodbye to Dean and Lauren... A LONG nap...ready now for cards and a little snacking... Xristos anesti! Alithos anesti!
Something David Whipped UP
on his MacBook Pro in less than an hour this afternoon - and for no reason at all (which is the mark of true artistry, I think):
Bekah has also been working on a painting that I think is her absolute best so far, but when I went to get a picture of it she told me she wasn't finished with it yet. Sigh. Looked good to me!
I am always amazed at what artists can do. My appreciation for the arts has mostly been in music, but my kids may just make me come to appreciate the visual arts yet!
Bekah has also been working on a painting that I think is her absolute best so far, but when I went to get a picture of it she told me she wasn't finished with it yet. Sigh. Looked good to me!
I am always amazed at what artists can do. My appreciation for the arts has mostly been in music, but my kids may just make me come to appreciate the visual arts yet!
Xristos anesti!
Alithos anesti!
The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad.
The passover of gladness,
The passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From sin's dominion free,
Our Christ has brought us over
With hymns of victory.
Let hearts be purged of evil
That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal
Of resurrection light
And, listening to His accents,
May hear, so calm and plain,
His own "All hail!" and hearing
May raise the victor's strain.
Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin,
Let all the world keep triumph
And all that is therein.
Let all things seen and unseen
Their notes of gladness blend
For Christ the Lord has risen,
Our Joy that has no end.
--St. John of Damscus (LSB 478)
The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad.
The passover of gladness,
The passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From sin's dominion free,
Our Christ has brought us over
With hymns of victory.
Let hearts be purged of evil
That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal
Of resurrection light
And, listening to His accents,
May hear, so calm and plain,
His own "All hail!" and hearing
May raise the victor's strain.
Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin,
Let all the world keep triumph
And all that is therein.
Let all things seen and unseen
Their notes of gladness blend
For Christ the Lord has risen,
Our Joy that has no end.
--St. John of Damscus (LSB 478)
22 March 2008
Tired and Joyful
Vigil has concluded. We welcomed 11 people into communicate membership tonight, bringing our total new communicants for the week to 19. What overflowing joy! Tonight we were renewed in our baptism and sang to the Risen One who reigns among us in His Eucharist. Special thanks to Pr. Rethwisch (of Holy Cross, Wartburg IL), John Klinger and Dean Herberts for assisting in the liturgy. And to the Bells of St. Paul for gracing our service with some fabulous bell music! Now it's bed time and tomorrow at 4:30 comes mighty early - that's when stoves have to be lighted for the Easter breakfast. So let me say it to all the blog readers:
Xristos anesti! Alithos anesti!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
"Our joy that has no end..."
Xristos anesti! Alithos anesti!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
"Our joy that has no end..."
Look Who's Preaching at Vigil!
I decided to move over and let St. John Chrysostom have the pulpit:
PASCHAL HOMILY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Are there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!
Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!
Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!
If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.
To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!
Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry.
Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!
Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said,
"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it was mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it was destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.
Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.
O death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?
Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!
Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!
PASCHAL HOMILY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
Are there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!
Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!
Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!
If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.
To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!
Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry.
Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!
Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.
Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.
Isaiah foretold this when he said,
"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it was mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it was destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.
Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.
O death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?
Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!
Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!
Easter Divine Service
That a tomb is empty is not necessarily good news, or even big news. Easter is not about an empty tomb. Especially since Jesus’ tomb was not empty at all. There was someone in it. Only it was not Jesus. A young man who had clothed himself in white, we are told. We may surmise the young man to be an angel by the way the women react: terror! That’s the usual response of human beings when we encounter one of God’s holy messengers.
Listen to the messenger, though, and he tells you news that is both good and big. “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here. He is risen. See the place where they put him. But go, tell his disciples, and Peter, that He goes before you to Galilee, there you will see Him as He told you.”
That a man rose from the dead is big news indeed, but it is not yet the good news. After all, people had risen from the dead before: Lazarus of Bethany, Jairus’s daughter, the widow of Nain’s son, and even a few in the Old Testament. Big news each time, to be sure – but only temporarily good news to them and their families. For the simple fact is that they were one and all raised only to die again.
So what is the good news of Easter, if it is not that the tomb is empty or that a man rose from the dead?
It is this: that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, is risen! The One who had lifted onto his back the burden of this world’s sin and carried it to Calvary and there owned it as His very own, so that all that is ours might become His that all that is His might become ours! The One who stood under the divine wrath in your place and mine, that One is now risen. The One who bore what we could not bear without it destroying us, has proven stronger and come out alive! Death could not hold Him because He had no sin of His own and His sufferings have completely answered for the sin of the rest of us. His resurrection is then the Father’s absolution, wiping out the sin of all. That’s how Paul says it: He was put to death for our sins, and raised for our justification! And that, my friends, is good news indeed.
For it means that before God, there is no remembrance of our sins! And that means that death itself has lost its ultimate claim on us. Oh, we may indeed die – certainly we will, unless our Lord returns first. But death itself has been utterly transformed by Christ’s resurrection. Our corruptible bodies (bodies that fall apart) need to be changed into incorruptible ones (bodies that never fall apart). Not that God gives us different bodies, he simply repairs these bodies to be all that He meant them to be from the beginning. God usually works this change through death. Picture physical death, then, as being put under anesthesia before undergoing that transforming surgery by our Great Physician. Only we wake up from this anesthesia with no ill-side effects and with our bodies repaired and restored, never to be sick or frail or subject to death ever again. All this is promised to you who are baptized into Christ by the Resurrection of Jesus: sins forgiven and so death defeated.
Now, that is indeed incredibly great good news. But there is even more. The Lord’s messenger reminds the women of the Lord’s own words of promise about where He would be to meet the disciples, and Peter is singled out. “Go, tell His disciples and Peter.”
Peter, who had boasted that even if all the others fell away, he would stand faithful to the Lord. Peter, who had tried to protect our Lord with a sword. Peter, who had denied that he knew his Lord three times – out of fear of suffering and death. Peter, to whom the Lord Jesus had looked after the crowing of the cock. Peter, who then burst into tears and ran away ashamed. Peter, who is so much a picture of you and me and all our good intentions ending in continual failures, all our boasting coming to nothing, all our human will power evaporating just when we need it. Peter, who is a picture of us.
It’s as though the Lord were saying through the angel: “O you who have failed me and even denied me by words and deeds, you I call too, to come and meet me where I will be. There I will receive you, pardon you, restore you.” That’s incredibly great news!
We know where He promised to meet the disciples and Peter: “In Galilee.” We also know that He met them before they could even get there. Seems they were having a bit of hard time believing the good news the women brought them, so Jesus himself had to show up and put their fears and doubts to flight – but we’re getting ahead of the story. That is next week’s Gospel. If Galilee is where His own words directed them to meet the Risen One, what about you and me? His words direct us to our own Galilee, to the Holy Supper, to this Table. There the Risen One presides, offering to you the sacrifice He once carried on your behalf into the Most Holy Place. He gives it to you that your fears might be put to flight. That you might come to believe and know that your sins – however great, however often repeated – have all been answered for by this Body and Blood, and therefore your death will be no more than going under the anesthesia and waking up alive like you’ve never been alive before. After all, into you has gone the Body and Blood of the Son of God who, though He was once dead, is alive forevermore. His body and blood in you is the pledge of His forgiveness and the guarantee of your resurrection.
“Go, tell!” the angel told the women. But they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. We know from the rest of the Gospels that in the end their joy overcame their fear, and they began to spread the Good News. Now you too have been given Good News to spread: Christ is risen and the sin of this entire world has been forgiven! Christ is risen, and death has been defeated, transformed from the fearful monster that eats us all into God’s divine surgery! Christ is risen and He stands ready to meet you in His Holy Supper!
Alleluia, alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Listen to the messenger, though, and he tells you news that is both good and big. “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here. He is risen. See the place where they put him. But go, tell his disciples, and Peter, that He goes before you to Galilee, there you will see Him as He told you.”
That a man rose from the dead is big news indeed, but it is not yet the good news. After all, people had risen from the dead before: Lazarus of Bethany, Jairus’s daughter, the widow of Nain’s son, and even a few in the Old Testament. Big news each time, to be sure – but only temporarily good news to them and their families. For the simple fact is that they were one and all raised only to die again.
So what is the good news of Easter, if it is not that the tomb is empty or that a man rose from the dead?
It is this: that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, is risen! The One who had lifted onto his back the burden of this world’s sin and carried it to Calvary and there owned it as His very own, so that all that is ours might become His that all that is His might become ours! The One who stood under the divine wrath in your place and mine, that One is now risen. The One who bore what we could not bear without it destroying us, has proven stronger and come out alive! Death could not hold Him because He had no sin of His own and His sufferings have completely answered for the sin of the rest of us. His resurrection is then the Father’s absolution, wiping out the sin of all. That’s how Paul says it: He was put to death for our sins, and raised for our justification! And that, my friends, is good news indeed.
For it means that before God, there is no remembrance of our sins! And that means that death itself has lost its ultimate claim on us. Oh, we may indeed die – certainly we will, unless our Lord returns first. But death itself has been utterly transformed by Christ’s resurrection. Our corruptible bodies (bodies that fall apart) need to be changed into incorruptible ones (bodies that never fall apart). Not that God gives us different bodies, he simply repairs these bodies to be all that He meant them to be from the beginning. God usually works this change through death. Picture physical death, then, as being put under anesthesia before undergoing that transforming surgery by our Great Physician. Only we wake up from this anesthesia with no ill-side effects and with our bodies repaired and restored, never to be sick or frail or subject to death ever again. All this is promised to you who are baptized into Christ by the Resurrection of Jesus: sins forgiven and so death defeated.
Now, that is indeed incredibly great good news. But there is even more. The Lord’s messenger reminds the women of the Lord’s own words of promise about where He would be to meet the disciples, and Peter is singled out. “Go, tell His disciples and Peter.”
Peter, who had boasted that even if all the others fell away, he would stand faithful to the Lord. Peter, who had tried to protect our Lord with a sword. Peter, who had denied that he knew his Lord three times – out of fear of suffering and death. Peter, to whom the Lord Jesus had looked after the crowing of the cock. Peter, who then burst into tears and ran away ashamed. Peter, who is so much a picture of you and me and all our good intentions ending in continual failures, all our boasting coming to nothing, all our human will power evaporating just when we need it. Peter, who is a picture of us.
It’s as though the Lord were saying through the angel: “O you who have failed me and even denied me by words and deeds, you I call too, to come and meet me where I will be. There I will receive you, pardon you, restore you.” That’s incredibly great news!
We know where He promised to meet the disciples and Peter: “In Galilee.” We also know that He met them before they could even get there. Seems they were having a bit of hard time believing the good news the women brought them, so Jesus himself had to show up and put their fears and doubts to flight – but we’re getting ahead of the story. That is next week’s Gospel. If Galilee is where His own words directed them to meet the Risen One, what about you and me? His words direct us to our own Galilee, to the Holy Supper, to this Table. There the Risen One presides, offering to you the sacrifice He once carried on your behalf into the Most Holy Place. He gives it to you that your fears might be put to flight. That you might come to believe and know that your sins – however great, however often repeated – have all been answered for by this Body and Blood, and therefore your death will be no more than going under the anesthesia and waking up alive like you’ve never been alive before. After all, into you has gone the Body and Blood of the Son of God who, though He was once dead, is alive forevermore. His body and blood in you is the pledge of His forgiveness and the guarantee of your resurrection.
“Go, tell!” the angel told the women. But they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. We know from the rest of the Gospels that in the end their joy overcame their fear, and they began to spread the Good News. Now you too have been given Good News to spread: Christ is risen and the sin of this entire world has been forgiven! Christ is risen, and death has been defeated, transformed from the fearful monster that eats us all into God’s divine surgery! Christ is risen and He stands ready to meet you in His Holy Supper!
Alleluia, alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Easter Matins
Mary's great anxiety on Easter morning is "they have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." That's her message to the apostles and so Peter and John race to the tomb, only to find that Mary was right. The tomb is empty.
That the tomb is empty is not yet good news. Indeed, an empty tomb may mean nothing more than Mary supposed: that someone had come and taken him away. The good news of Easter is NEVER that the tomb is empty. Such a message still leaves Peter puzzled, John in half-belief, and Mary weeping.
The angels in the tomb ask her "why?" Again her answer: "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Even the appearance of angels is not enough to drive away the sorrow from Mary's heart, if she doesn't know where she may find her Lord.
Mary is asked one more time: "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, thinking she was talking to the man in charge of the garden, says: "Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."
Mary was desperate on Easter morning to know where she could find the dead body of her beloved Lord. And the answer was nowhere. She'd never find that dead body again. Instead she'd find the body that had been dead alive and never dying again. Her desperation blinded her to who was standing right in front of her. Her eyes did not reveal Him to her. It was her ears that did the job. "Mary," he said.
And in a blinding flash she knew. Only one so spoke her name. She knew who was standing in front of her. She knew where her Lord was. And joy came flooding over her soul. Relief and with that a sudden rising fear, fear that He might get away from her again. So she lunges and tries to grab hold. To hold him so tight that He'd never be able to leave her grasp again. "I've got you, Rabboni! I've got you forever!"
"Do not cling to Me," says the Crucified and now Risen Lord. "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father."
Mary's heart must have sunk to her toes. She had thought it was going to be like it was before. Like it had been for the last years on the road in Galilee and Judea: He preaching and teaching, and she being able to be with him and serve him and love him. She thought that His being alive again meant a restoration to the good old days. Jesus has to pry loose and give her new vision, new sight.
No, not like before. Better than before. Bigger than before. Unimaginably more than before. Better than walking around Galilee with the Rabbi is the Risen Lord taking up His abode within you. Bigger than an earthly home is a heavenly one. Unimaginably more than a human companionship with Jesus is the gift of being made a brother or sister of Jesus and so an heir of the heavenly Father. With Jesus, there's always more.
"Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God."
And so Mary was sent as the Lord's chosen Apostle to the Apostles. She was sent to bring to them the word of pardon from the Risen Christ, for He called them His brothers. She was sent to bring the word of hope to the despairing, for Death had not proven victor over Him, and so it will not prove victor over any who belong to Him. She was sent to bring the word of love to the grieving, because Jesus had announced that His Father was now their Father.
Off she ran to tell them that she had seen the Lord and to convey to them "that He had spoken these things to her."
No more anxiety then about where to find the Lord. It is the Lord who does the finding. Only a dead Lord would need you to go in search of Him. But when it is the Risen Christ, He is the one who goes in search of you. He is the one who finds you. He is the one who drives away fear, who pardons sin, who tramples down death, who embraces you with an embrace so secure that He will never let you go until you feast your eyes upon Him whom you have learned to love only with your ears.
For that is how the Lord finds you and me today, in the post-Resurrection church. Through our ear-holes. He finds us by sending out His Word, His message. It's a message from our Brother who lives, whom death could not hold. It's a message from our Brother who gives His own Father to be our Father, and who gives His own God to be our God. It's a message from the One who has gone on ahead of us to prepare a place for us so that He may one day come again and take us to Himself that we may be with Him where He is.
Where is He? He who is in heaven is at the same time He who is in His message, in His words, words which He places in His chosen messengers' mouths to speak for the peace and joy of His people.
Hear them now: Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Trumpets resounding in glorious light! Splendor, the Lamb, Heaven forever! Oh, what a miracle God has in sight! Jesus is risen and we shall arise: Give God the glory! Alleluia!
That the tomb is empty is not yet good news. Indeed, an empty tomb may mean nothing more than Mary supposed: that someone had come and taken him away. The good news of Easter is NEVER that the tomb is empty. Such a message still leaves Peter puzzled, John in half-belief, and Mary weeping.
The angels in the tomb ask her "why?" Again her answer: "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Even the appearance of angels is not enough to drive away the sorrow from Mary's heart, if she doesn't know where she may find her Lord.
Mary is asked one more time: "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, thinking she was talking to the man in charge of the garden, says: "Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away."
Mary was desperate on Easter morning to know where she could find the dead body of her beloved Lord. And the answer was nowhere. She'd never find that dead body again. Instead she'd find the body that had been dead alive and never dying again. Her desperation blinded her to who was standing right in front of her. Her eyes did not reveal Him to her. It was her ears that did the job. "Mary," he said.
And in a blinding flash she knew. Only one so spoke her name. She knew who was standing in front of her. She knew where her Lord was. And joy came flooding over her soul. Relief and with that a sudden rising fear, fear that He might get away from her again. So she lunges and tries to grab hold. To hold him so tight that He'd never be able to leave her grasp again. "I've got you, Rabboni! I've got you forever!"
"Do not cling to Me," says the Crucified and now Risen Lord. "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father."
Mary's heart must have sunk to her toes. She had thought it was going to be like it was before. Like it had been for the last years on the road in Galilee and Judea: He preaching and teaching, and she being able to be with him and serve him and love him. She thought that His being alive again meant a restoration to the good old days. Jesus has to pry loose and give her new vision, new sight.
No, not like before. Better than before. Bigger than before. Unimaginably more than before. Better than walking around Galilee with the Rabbi is the Risen Lord taking up His abode within you. Bigger than an earthly home is a heavenly one. Unimaginably more than a human companionship with Jesus is the gift of being made a brother or sister of Jesus and so an heir of the heavenly Father. With Jesus, there's always more.
"Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God."
And so Mary was sent as the Lord's chosen Apostle to the Apostles. She was sent to bring to them the word of pardon from the Risen Christ, for He called them His brothers. She was sent to bring the word of hope to the despairing, for Death had not proven victor over Him, and so it will not prove victor over any who belong to Him. She was sent to bring the word of love to the grieving, because Jesus had announced that His Father was now their Father.
Off she ran to tell them that she had seen the Lord and to convey to them "that He had spoken these things to her."
No more anxiety then about where to find the Lord. It is the Lord who does the finding. Only a dead Lord would need you to go in search of Him. But when it is the Risen Christ, He is the one who goes in search of you. He is the one who finds you. He is the one who drives away fear, who pardons sin, who tramples down death, who embraces you with an embrace so secure that He will never let you go until you feast your eyes upon Him whom you have learned to love only with your ears.
For that is how the Lord finds you and me today, in the post-Resurrection church. Through our ear-holes. He finds us by sending out His Word, His message. It's a message from our Brother who lives, whom death could not hold. It's a message from our Brother who gives His own Father to be our Father, and who gives His own God to be our God. It's a message from the One who has gone on ahead of us to prepare a place for us so that He may one day come again and take us to Himself that we may be with Him where He is.
Where is He? He who is in heaven is at the same time He who is in His message, in His words, words which He places in His chosen messengers' mouths to speak for the peace and joy of His people.
Hear them now: Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Trumpets resounding in glorious light! Splendor, the Lamb, Heaven forever! Oh, what a miracle God has in sight! Jesus is risen and we shall arise: Give God the glory! Alleluia!
From My District President - Pr. Herbert Mueller
Statement to the District on Issues Etc
My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus:
God’s peace is ours in Christ Jesus, won for us this day as our Lord Jesus died for us. He took our sin and death into Himself that He might give us His life and His righteousness. In the proclamation of His cross and His resurrection, we have life. I pray God’s blessing and peace for you and yours this Good Friday.
As many of you know, this past Tuesday the very popular Lutheran radio show, Issues Etc. was cancelled and the host, Rev. Todd Wilken (a member of the SID) and the show’s producer, Mr. Jeff Schwarz (a member of St. Paul, Hamel) have been dismissed from the employ of the Synod. By way of explanation, this is what David Strand, Director of the Board for Communication Services, sent to the District Presidents:
While this was a programmatic and business decision, it also touches on matters of employment and human resources. Because of this, there is very little that can appropriately be said by way of "explanation" or "reasons" for this decision.
I would respectfully suggest that you direct callers or e-mailers to the Synod's Church Information Center (1-888-THE LCMS, or infocenter@lcms.org), whose staff is equipped to handle such calls. There also is a brief statement on the KFUO-AM website at www.kfuo.org (from an email, received from David Strand March 19, 2008)
In addition, when I first heard of this, I asked President Gerald Kieschnick if he could tell me why the show was cancelled and why Rev. Wilken and Mr. Schwarz were dismissed. Following is his response:
Following is a statement from the Board for Communication Services office regarding this matter, which transpired with my awareness but neither by my order nor at my direction:
The “Issues, Etc.” radio program on KFUO-AM has been discontinued. Show host Rev. Todd Wilken and producer Mr. Jeff Schwarz are no longer with KFUO. We thank these men for their years of service of behalf of the station.
…To my knowledge there is no reason for disciplinary action regarding those affected (From an email, received from President Kieschnick March 18, 2008)
I have received no further information. We much always put the best construction on everything. Yet I do realize this leaves many questions completely unanswered. For instance, why? What are the “programmatic and business reasons” for the decision? No one, least of all Rev. Todd Wilken or Jeff Schwarz, has been given any reason. Please trust that I am diligently seeking more complete answers through personal contacts. I hope that at some time a further explanation can be offered by those responsible. There may be good, understandable reasons for this, but at the very least, I do believe those who appreciated Issues Etc ought be given a credible explanation why this was done.
In the meantime, I would humbly suggest that you let your thoughts be known by contacting the Board for Communication Services through David Strand (David.Strand@lcms.org), or by contacting the President’s Office or the numbers given above. They need to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Please know that I will be doing all I can from my office to help Pastor Wilken and Jeff Schwarz. The most important thing you can do is to pray for them, pray for our Synod, pray for our leaders. Please also, in all your contacts, remember the 8th Commandment, remember that we are dealing with brothers in Christ. Be honest about your thoughts, but remember also our Lord’s Word – “Whatever, you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Colossians 3:17).
Yours in the One crucified for us this day,
+ Herb Mueller
Southern Illinois District President
My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus:
God’s peace is ours in Christ Jesus, won for us this day as our Lord Jesus died for us. He took our sin and death into Himself that He might give us His life and His righteousness. In the proclamation of His cross and His resurrection, we have life. I pray God’s blessing and peace for you and yours this Good Friday.
As many of you know, this past Tuesday the very popular Lutheran radio show, Issues Etc. was cancelled and the host, Rev. Todd Wilken (a member of the SID) and the show’s producer, Mr. Jeff Schwarz (a member of St. Paul, Hamel) have been dismissed from the employ of the Synod. By way of explanation, this is what David Strand, Director of the Board for Communication Services, sent to the District Presidents:
While this was a programmatic and business decision, it also touches on matters of employment and human resources. Because of this, there is very little that can appropriately be said by way of "explanation" or "reasons" for this decision.
I would respectfully suggest that you direct callers or e-mailers to the Synod's Church Information Center (1-888-THE LCMS, or infocenter@lcms.org), whose staff is equipped to handle such calls. There also is a brief statement on the KFUO-AM website at www.kfuo.org (from an email, received from David Strand March 19, 2008)
In addition, when I first heard of this, I asked President Gerald Kieschnick if he could tell me why the show was cancelled and why Rev. Wilken and Mr. Schwarz were dismissed. Following is his response:
Following is a statement from the Board for Communication Services office regarding this matter, which transpired with my awareness but neither by my order nor at my direction:
The “Issues, Etc.” radio program on KFUO-AM has been discontinued. Show host Rev. Todd Wilken and producer Mr. Jeff Schwarz are no longer with KFUO. We thank these men for their years of service of behalf of the station.
…To my knowledge there is no reason for disciplinary action regarding those affected (From an email, received from President Kieschnick March 18, 2008)
I have received no further information. We much always put the best construction on everything. Yet I do realize this leaves many questions completely unanswered. For instance, why? What are the “programmatic and business reasons” for the decision? No one, least of all Rev. Todd Wilken or Jeff Schwarz, has been given any reason. Please trust that I am diligently seeking more complete answers through personal contacts. I hope that at some time a further explanation can be offered by those responsible. There may be good, understandable reasons for this, but at the very least, I do believe those who appreciated Issues Etc ought be given a credible explanation why this was done.
In the meantime, I would humbly suggest that you let your thoughts be known by contacting the Board for Communication Services through David Strand (David.Strand@lcms.org), or by contacting the President’s Office or the numbers given above. They need to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Please know that I will be doing all I can from my office to help Pastor Wilken and Jeff Schwarz. The most important thing you can do is to pray for them, pray for our Synod, pray for our leaders. Please also, in all your contacts, remember the 8th Commandment, remember that we are dealing with brothers in Christ. Be honest about your thoughts, but remember also our Lord’s Word – “Whatever, you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Colossians 3:17).
Yours in the One crucified for us this day,
+ Herb Mueller
Southern Illinois District President
On the Descent
Our Lord Christ did descend into hell, battered hell open, overcame the devil, and delivered those who were held captive by the devil. (Blessed Martin Luther: House Postil I:480)Christ has crushed hell, opened up heaven, bound and taken captive the devil, and delivered the prisoners. (Blessed Martin Luther: House Postil I:480)
The soul, having obtained union with the Word; descended into hell; but using its divine power and efficacy, it said to the ones in bondage, "Go forth!" (St. Cyril of Alexandria, as cited in Catalog of Testimonies VI)
21 March 2008
Our Second Year
With full LSB rites for Chief Service at noon, and Tenebrae Vespers. No question that Tenebrae Vespers continues to be the more popular in our parish, with over 200 in attendance tonight, but only slightly more than 30 for the "Chief" (!!!) Service. But those who attended both can attest that they are very different liturgies, and each seems to me to be an important part of Good Friday.
At the Vespers I especially love the praying of the 4 psalms. We don't pray the psalms nearly as often as we should, and on a day like today, well, they are just perfect. When all our words fail, God gives us the gift of these Words for our prayer that are both prayer to Him and Words from Him.
Now we eagerly wait for the joy of Pascha breaking into the darkness tomorrow evening.
At the Vespers I especially love the praying of the 4 psalms. We don't pray the psalms nearly as often as we should, and on a day like today, well, they are just perfect. When all our words fail, God gives us the gift of these Words for our prayer that are both prayer to Him and Words from Him.
Now we eagerly wait for the joy of Pascha breaking into the darkness tomorrow evening.
Holy Cow!
I never realized how much meat a side of cow was. I think we might be set for, what? A year??? Just let's not have the freezer go out any time soon.
REMINDER
I've had numerous folks contact me, asking me to call them in regards to Issues, Etc. I am not trying to be rude, folks, but I will NOT be picking this matter up again until AFTER Easter. Pr. Wilken has told us what to do: go to church, receive Jesus' body and blood, celebrate the most important days in the history of the human race. What to do about Issues, Etc. can wait till Monday. A blessed Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Pascha to you all!
Homily for Good Friday - Chief Service
St. John tells the Passion of our Lord in his own unique way, and he provides little hints along the way as to what it was all about. Here are some of the hints: Mary and Jesus’ words to her; the fact that it is after he dies, that his side is pierced; and what comes out of his side: blood and water. By these hints John would have us learn to see in the Passion of Christ that Jesus is the new Adam and the Church is His Bride, his new Eve.
Let’s take the hints and unfold them: Mary first. You meet Mary only twice in St. John’s gospel. The first time is in chapter two, at a wedding feast. That is significant! There, you remember, Mary interceded for the young couple with Jesus, but he replied: “Woman, my hour is not yet.” Nevertheless, there He worked His first sign, turning water into wine. And His disciples believed in Him.
The next place you meet Mary is under the cross where she stands next to John, the beloved disciple. And Jesus speaks those tender words to her: “Woman, behold your son!” and to John “behold, your mother.” But what is it that is going on in those words? Quite simply, Jesus is bidding His mother good-bye. Now, ask yourself, when is it in Scripture that a man leaves his father and mother? Is it not when he is to be joined to his wife and become one flesh with her?
And when at the creation of the world, God created woman, did he not do so by first putting the man to sleep, and then taking from his side, a bride? So in John’s Passion, it is after our Lord has been put into the sleep of death that his side is opened by a spear.
And then there is the mystery of what flowed from His side: blood and water. The Church has long looked at this in awe and recognized here the very fountain from which the Sacraments spring. For this water is the water of Baptism, mingled with the blood of Christ. And this Blood is the Blood of the Eucharist, mingled with the water of life. And through these sacraments, Christ’s own life creates His Church, His beloved Bride. And why? That she and He might become one.
For that is what the cross of Jesus is all about. He becoming one with us in our sin, bearing it to death, that by being joined to us His death might be the death of our sin and that we by being joined to Him might be given His pure and sinless life. Think of it! When a couple marries and one of them is wealthy and having everything while the other is impoverished and having nothing, what happens? In their becoming one, the debt is assumed and answered for, and the wealth is given to the impoverished one. So it is between us our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s what Good Friday is all about. It’s just one of the reasons we call this day alone in all the year “good” because on this day the greatest good, way beyond our imagining, befell us.
As you ponder the Passion reading you have just heard, hear in it with ears of faith this wondrous story of the how Your Lord Jesus suffered and died in order that He might be joined to you as a Bridegroom to a Bride, that His life might flow into you and overcome and destroy your death, that His forgiveness might come to you and wipe out the entirety of your sinful indebtedness. “Thy Bridegroom dead! God's Lamb has bled Upon thy sin forever; Pouring out His sinless self In that vast endeavor."
Let’s take the hints and unfold them: Mary first. You meet Mary only twice in St. John’s gospel. The first time is in chapter two, at a wedding feast. That is significant! There, you remember, Mary interceded for the young couple with Jesus, but he replied: “Woman, my hour is not yet.” Nevertheless, there He worked His first sign, turning water into wine. And His disciples believed in Him.
The next place you meet Mary is under the cross where she stands next to John, the beloved disciple. And Jesus speaks those tender words to her: “Woman, behold your son!” and to John “behold, your mother.” But what is it that is going on in those words? Quite simply, Jesus is bidding His mother good-bye. Now, ask yourself, when is it in Scripture that a man leaves his father and mother? Is it not when he is to be joined to his wife and become one flesh with her?
And when at the creation of the world, God created woman, did he not do so by first putting the man to sleep, and then taking from his side, a bride? So in John’s Passion, it is after our Lord has been put into the sleep of death that his side is opened by a spear.
And then there is the mystery of what flowed from His side: blood and water. The Church has long looked at this in awe and recognized here the very fountain from which the Sacraments spring. For this water is the water of Baptism, mingled with the blood of Christ. And this Blood is the Blood of the Eucharist, mingled with the water of life. And through these sacraments, Christ’s own life creates His Church, His beloved Bride. And why? That she and He might become one.
For that is what the cross of Jesus is all about. He becoming one with us in our sin, bearing it to death, that by being joined to us His death might be the death of our sin and that we by being joined to Him might be given His pure and sinless life. Think of it! When a couple marries and one of them is wealthy and having everything while the other is impoverished and having nothing, what happens? In their becoming one, the debt is assumed and answered for, and the wealth is given to the impoverished one. So it is between us our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s what Good Friday is all about. It’s just one of the reasons we call this day alone in all the year “good” because on this day the greatest good, way beyond our imagining, befell us.
As you ponder the Passion reading you have just heard, hear in it with ears of faith this wondrous story of the how Your Lord Jesus suffered and died in order that He might be joined to you as a Bridegroom to a Bride, that His life might flow into you and overcome and destroy your death, that His forgiveness might come to you and wipe out the entirety of your sinful indebtedness. “Thy Bridegroom dead! God's Lamb has bled Upon thy sin forever; Pouring out His sinless self In that vast endeavor."
Calvary and the Altar
At the Altar is the cresset where we get our fire of the Calvary love. How this love is needed! We have lost much of it. We have to invent all kinds of methods to attract people. We must advertise, we must entertain. Why? Because the Church has lost its way to the Altar it has also lost its way into the heart of the world. For the pure love of Calvary alone can save the world. It is that love for which this world is aching. But we must first recapture it ourselves.
Let us find the reality of Calvary, of love, by way of the Altar. There we can touch again the wounds of Christ; and by touching the wounds of Christ, we shall touch the wounds of the world.
--Von Schenk, *The Presence* pp. 91,92
Let us find the reality of Calvary, of love, by way of the Altar. There we can touch again the wounds of Christ; and by touching the wounds of Christ, we shall touch the wounds of the world.
--Von Schenk, *The Presence* pp. 91,92
from the Good Friday Liturgy
...graciously behold this Your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of sinful men to suffer death upon the cross...
...grant that our hearts may be so fixed with steadfast faith in Him that we fear not the power of sin, death, and the devil.
...You willed that Your Son should bear for us the pains of the cross and so remove from us the power of the adversary...
...Behold, the life-giving cross on which was hung the salvation of the world. O come, let us worship Him...
...What have I done to you, O my people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me...
...All sins thou borest for us, else had despair reigned o'er us: Have mercy on us, O Jesus! O Jesus!...
...Holy Lord God, Holy and mighty God, Holy and most merciful Redeemer, God eternal, leave us not to bitter death. O Lord, have mercy...
...We adore You, O Lord, and we praise and glorify Your holy resurrection. For behold, by the wood of Your cross, joy has come into all the world!...
...that Your abundant blessing may be upon Your people who have held the passion and death of Your Son in devout remembrance, that we may receive Your pardon and the gift of Your comfort, and may increase in faith and take hold of eternal salvation.
...grant that our hearts may be so fixed with steadfast faith in Him that we fear not the power of sin, death, and the devil.
...You willed that Your Son should bear for us the pains of the cross and so remove from us the power of the adversary...
...Behold, the life-giving cross on which was hung the salvation of the world. O come, let us worship Him...
...What have I done to you, O my people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me...
...All sins thou borest for us, else had despair reigned o'er us: Have mercy on us, O Jesus! O Jesus!...
...Holy Lord God, Holy and mighty God, Holy and most merciful Redeemer, God eternal, leave us not to bitter death. O Lord, have mercy...
...We adore You, O Lord, and we praise and glorify Your holy resurrection. For behold, by the wood of Your cross, joy has come into all the world!...
...that Your abundant blessing may be upon Your people who have held the passion and death of Your Son in devout remembrance, that we may receive Your pardon and the gift of Your comfort, and may increase in faith and take hold of eternal salvation.
Again to Paradise - St. Romanos the Melodist
Pilate fixed three crosses on Golgotha: two for the thieves, and one for the Giver of life. When Hell saw it, he said to those below, “My ministers and powers, who has fixed a nail in my heart? A wooden lance has suddenly pierced me and I am being torn apart! My insides are in pain, my belly in agony, my senses make my spirit tremble, and I am compelled to disgorge Adam and Adam’s race. All men were given to me by the Garden’s tree–but now a tree is bringing them back again to Paradise.”When he heard this, Satan, the cunning serpent ran crawling and said, “What is it, hell? Why do you groan for no reason? Why produce these wailings? This Tree, at which you tremble, I carpentered up there for Mary’s Child. I suggested it to his enemies for our advantage, for it is a Cross, to which I have nailed Christ, wishing by a tree to do away with the second Adam, just as I did away with the first one. So do not be afraid. It is dry and barren. It will not harm you. Keep hold of those you have. Of those we rule, not one will escape again to Paradise.”
Hell replied to Satan, “You have lost your senses–you, the cunning snake of old! All your wisdom has been swallowed up by the cross, and you have been caught in your own snare. Lift up your eyes and see that you have fallen into the pit you dug! Behold that Tree, which you call dry and barren, bears fruit: a thief tasted it and has become heir to the good things of Eden. Moses’ rod led the people out of Egypt, but this tree brings mankind back again to Paradise.”
Satan answered, “Wretched hell–cease this cowardly talk! Your words reveal your thoughts. Are you afraid of a cross and of the Crucified? Not one of your words has shaken me, for these deeds are part of my plan. I will also open a grave and entomb Christ, so that you may enjoy your cowardice doubly–from his tomb as well as from his cross. When I see you, I will mock you. For when Christ is buried I will come to you and say, “Who now brings Adam back again to Paradise?”
Then hell spoke back, “Now is the moment for you to listen, Satan. Now you will see the power of the Cross and the great authority of the Crucified. For you, the cross is folly. But the world sees it as a throne, on which, as though seated, Jesus is nailed and hears the thief cry to him, ‘Lord, remember me in your kingdom.’ Listen now as he answers, kingly, ‘Today, poor beggar, you will reign with me. For with me, you will go in again to Paradise.”
At these words, Satan began to wilt, and what he heard he saw: a thief witnessing to Christ crucified. And so, amazed, he struck his breast and said, “Christ did not answer his accusers, and yet he speaks to a thief? To Pilate he never spoke a word; but now he addresses a murderer, saying, “Come, live in pleasure”? What is this? Who has seen words or deeds done by this thief, by means of which he goes again to Paradise?
Again the devil called out, “Receive me, Hell. I turn to you; I submit to your views, I, who did not believe them. I saw the Tree at which you shuddered, made red with blood and water. And I shuddered, not, I tell you, at the blood, but at the water. For the blood shows Jesus’ slaughter, but the water shows his life, for life has gushed from his side. For it was not the first but the second Adam who carried Eve, the mother of all the living, again to Paradise.”
Now Hell and Satan cried out together, “Let us lament as we see the Tree which we planted transformed into a holy trunk, beneath which thieves, murderers, tax collectors and harlots will find shelter, and reap sweet fruit from what seemed barren. For they cling to the Cross as the Tree of Life. Pressed against it and swimming, through it they escape, and come again as to a harbor, again to Paradise.”
Hell said to Satan, “Swear, tyrant, finally to crucify no one.” And Satan replied, “You take an oath to kill no one. We have had our experience, let us draw back our hand. Let neither of us ever again tyrannize the race of Adam, for it has been sealed by the Cross, it has been given life, like a treasure of a precious pearl in a fragile pot; life, which a thief, well-suited to his trade, took on the Cross. For stealing he was nailed up to die ; and having thieved he was called again to Paradise.”
O most high and glorious, God of fathers and of youths, your willing outrage has become our honor. For in your Cross, we all may boast. To it we have nailed our hearts, that on it we may hang our instruments and sing to you, the Lord of all, from the songs of Zion. The ship from Tarshish once brought gold to Solomon; but to us your Tree gives back, every day and every moment, wealth beyond price. For it brings us all again to Paradise.
20 March 2008
Homily for Maundy Thursday
Exodus 12:1-14 / 1 Cor. 11:23-32 / John 13:1-15, 34-35Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Such is His life. A life that loves to the end. And so a life that serves.
He wanted them to understand this. He showed His almighty power with a bowl of water and a towel. He showed them that this is who God is: the one who came not to be served, but to serve. The one who serves with a bowl of water and a washing that gives a share with Him in His life.
It was to fill the water with life-giving power that He was preparing to go to His cross. There His love would reach out to the end: loving all, even His enemies, especially His enemies, to destroy the power of Satan over their lives. Love is His power. Love is His indestructible weapon. Love is His might. Love that can never be conquered by bitterness, hatred, or anger. Love that triumphs over all.
And Love dies in the place of all, bearing the sins of all in His own body, pouring out His blood to blot out forever the accusations that were against us.
Such Love would live in us. “I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” And this is what is new in His commandment tonight: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
What’s new is the “just as I have.” Love has always been the summary of the Law. Love the Lord your God with your all. Love your neighbor as yourself. It had always been about love. But who would ever have dreamt such love as He showed us? “Love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be.” Who would have guessed that Love could be so strong as to die in utter weakness, so mighty as to give up life itself so that we might be pardoned, forgiven, restored and healed? “He loved them to the end.” And because His life was love all the way to the end, it could not and did not end. But more on that on Sunday.
Tonight we think instead of how Love in our flesh loved us so much as to establish a memorial that would be ours for all our days. A memorial of His great love. A memorial that would NOT have us remember an absent Lord, but taste and see the goodness of a present one. Has anyone ever been so remembered as Jesus of Nazareth? At His table Sunday by Sunday, week by week, decade by decade, century by century, millennium by millennium, His people have gathered to Him as He yields to them His body under the bread, His blood under the wine, and whispers to them that He did it for them, for the forgiveness of sins. Such a Lord of love we have!
And it is by His gift of love that He would change us, set us free from the chains of our sinful fears, worries, hatreds and angers, and let His washing cleanse us through and through of them. It is by His gift of the Eucharist that Love Himself would live in us, would heal us with His peace, would honor us with His life, would transform us with His joy.
And whenever we would say: “But I can’t.” I can’t break with this sin. I can’t overcome this bitterness. I can’t stop this worry. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t. He comes to us in such gentleness and says: “I know you can’t. That’s why you need Me. Because I have, I can, and I will. And if you let me, I will do so also in you. I will be in you a Love that loves to the end. I will be in you forgiveness for your sin and healing for your hurts. I will be in you strength in your temptations and hope for all your despair. I come to you as I have always come, to serve you, you whom I loved so much as to go the way of sorrows, shouldering your sin, bearing your curse, loving you all the while without fail. All the way to my cross. Love forever and love for always. That’s who I would be in you.”
And so we welcome Him yet again tonight as He comes to us in His holy meal. A king with a bowl and a towel, ready to wash us, to serve us. A king with a feast of His own body and blood, ready to nourish us. A king who is a lamb, slain in our stead that death might finally and forever passover us. This is our Jesus who loves His own to the end with a love that never ends. Tomorrow we will stand in awe before that love as it shines on a cross, and the day after we will shout for joy in that love as it breaks forth from the tomb.
Who could ever have dreamed of love so amazing, so divine? Glory to You, O Lord Jesus! Glory to You, our Lamb, and glory to Your holy blood forever! Amen.
Maundy Thursday
Here's a Beautiful Meditation for Maundy Thursday by Pastor McCain. Highly recommended reading.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
We are united to Him, not only because He hath assumed our nature, but also because His body and blood are communicated to us in the Holy Supper. I do not therefore ask with the unbelieving Jews - "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?", but I rather exclaim: "How marvelous it is that the Lord hath given us His body to eat and His blood to drink!" I do not pry into the mysteries of His power, but I do wonder at the marvels of His mercy. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *Sacred Meditations* XVIII
Patristic Quote of the Day
It was fitting, therefore, for Him to be in us both divinely by the Holy Spirit, and also, so to speak, to be mingled with our bodies by His holy flesh and precious blood; which things also we possess as a life-giving Eucharist, in the form of bread and wine. For lest we should be terrified by seeing actual flesh and blood placed upon the holy tables of our churches, God, humbling Himself to our infirmities, infuses into the things set before us the power of life, and transforms them into the efficacy of His flesh, that we may have them for a life-giving participation, and that the body of Him Who is the Life may be found in us as a life-producing seed. And do not doubt that this is true, since Himself plainly says, This is My body; This is My blood; but rather receive in faith the Savior's word; for He, being Truth, cannot lie. -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 142 on St. Luke
19 March 2008
Moratorium for Maundy Thursday through Easter
Let's not forget our brothers, Pr. Wilken and Jeff, but let us join them tomorrow morning in entering into the great Three Days. Our attention tomorrow needs to turn from this fiasco to another moment that looked like a fiasco and ended up being the salvation of the whole world. Feel free to comment on the Issues threads, if you think you have to, but come tomorrow until Easter Monday *I* will not be commenting further upon the matter (though I will delete "over the top" posts if I think it called for; have already done so and will do so again if need be). After the great joy of Pascha has refreshed our hearts and soothed our souls, we'll be ready to take up the task, renewed and without sinful passion. We can then pick up the conversation on scheduling a protest and other ways we can communicate to Synod that we want this valuable resource for our Christian walk restored.
A Most Intriguing Idea
Pastor Beisel suggests an actual protest outside the gates of the Purple Pad. How many of you are in the St. Louis area and who would be willing to join in such a protest, demanding them to "Bring Issues Back!"? It would give a chance for all us Issue fans to show our faces to each other, and maybe plan a nice get together banquet of sort afterwards to thank Pr. Wilken and Jeff for what they've done. Hmm. I admit it. I'm a boomer. A protest. It sounds so nostalgic! ;) Who would be willing to show up???
Here's KFUO's "Explanation"
"For programmatic and business reasons, the decision was made this week to discontinue the "Issues, Etc." program on KFUO-AM. We look forward to bringing you new programming in this time slot in the near future. Also, we thank "Issues" host Rev. Todd Wilken and producer Mr. Jeff Schwarz for their years of service on behalf of the station. Those interested may still download past "Issues, Program Etc." programs from the "Issues" archive on this website. Thank you sincerely for your continued support of KFUO's radio ministry."
Passives allow you to avoid saying WHO did the action. Yes, we all know the decision "was made." What we want is the name of the man who made it.
We would also like an explanation instead of business-babble - WHAT are the "programmatic and business reasons"?
In this, Synodical "trust us" hooey ain't gonna cut it, guys! We want you to own up to WHO did it AND WHY.
Passives allow you to avoid saying WHO did the action. Yes, we all know the decision "was made." What we want is the name of the man who made it.
We would also like an explanation instead of business-babble - WHAT are the "programmatic and business reasons"?
In this, Synodical "trust us" hooey ain't gonna cut it, guys! We want you to own up to WHO did it AND WHY.
Issues Etc. Testimonials
Friends, I'd invite all of you who have been blessed across the years to write a brief account of what Issues, Etc. has meant to you and post it in response to this. I'd especially love to hear from folks who have been brought into the Lutheran Church by Issues, Etc., but I'd welcome hearing from any and all testimonies to the blessing this shown has been.
Rerun from Last Year, but boy do we need to hear them today!
Holy week... The most important seven days in the history of man... Although the exact sequence of events is not always clear to us, we can discern, even now, the straight lines of divine order... Sunday: The garments in the dust - the Hosannahs as the prelude to the "Crucify."... Monday: Sermons with the urgent note of finality - the withered fig tree - Caesar's coin... Tuesday: The terrifying wrath of the Lamb over institutionalized and personal sin among the Scribes and Pharisees - the fire and color of His last sermon to the city and the world - the sureness of justice and the coming of judgment... Night and prayer in the light of the Easter moon on the Mount of Olives...
Wednesday is silent... If anything happened, the holy writers have drawn the veil... Everything that God could say before the Upper Room had been said... It was man's turn now... Perhaps there were quiet words in a corner of the Garden, both to His children who would flee and to His Father who would stay... Wednesday was His... The heart of that mad, crowded Holy Week was quiet... Tomorrow the soliders would come, and Friday there would be God's great signature in the sky... Thursday and Friday would belong to time and eternity, but Wednesday was of heaven alone...
Silent Wednesday... If our Lord needed it, how much more we whose life is the story of the Hosannah and the Crucify... Time for prayer, for adoration... Time to call the soul into the inner court and the Garden... In our crowded world we are lonely because we are never alone... No time to go where prayer is the only sound and God is the only light... We need more silent Wednesdays... In the glory of the Cross above our dust our silence can become purging and peace... God speaks most clearly to the heart that is silent before Him... [O.P. Kretzmann, The Pilgrim, pp. 27, 28]
Wednesday is silent... If anything happened, the holy writers have drawn the veil... Everything that God could say before the Upper Room had been said... It was man's turn now... Perhaps there were quiet words in a corner of the Garden, both to His children who would flee and to His Father who would stay... Wednesday was His... The heart of that mad, crowded Holy Week was quiet... Tomorrow the soliders would come, and Friday there would be God's great signature in the sky... Thursday and Friday would belong to time and eternity, but Wednesday was of heaven alone...
Silent Wednesday... If our Lord needed it, how much more we whose life is the story of the Hosannah and the Crucify... Time for prayer, for adoration... Time to call the soul into the inner court and the Garden... In our crowded world we are lonely because we are never alone... No time to go where prayer is the only sound and God is the only light... We need more silent Wednesdays... In the glory of the Cross above our dust our silence can become purging and peace... God speaks most clearly to the heart that is silent before Him... [O.P. Kretzmann, The Pilgrim, pp. 27, 28]
18 March 2008
Funds to Support the Wilken and the Schwarz families
Can be sent to St. Paul Lutheran Church, Box 247, Hamel IL 62046. Just mark it Wilken/Schwarz Fund. Folks, they've given us so very, very much. Let's see them through this. (If Paypal is more convenient, you can also donate through that at the Wittenberg Trail). And also let's make sure that President Kieschnick, the Board of Communication Services, and KFUO know that we want to see this show returned to the air.
Remembering the 8th Commandment
It's hard to remember to practice the 8th commandment when you're upset, but we need to. We have certain facts about the cancellation of Issues, Etc. and the termination of Pastor Wilken and Jeff Schwarz, but what we do not know is WHO ultimately ordered this or WHY. Rather than engage in the idle speculation that ends up hurting reputations, we should continue to ask and to seek the information, and seek to learn the truth - whatever it may be. In the meantime, let's keep the Schwarz family and the Wilken family in our prayers and continually commend this matter to Him who judges justly and keep asking that HIS will be done in this situation and NOT the will of the devil, the world, or our flesh.
And how about this!
KFUO has now removed the archives from their webpage. Check it out:
http://www.kfuoam.org/
Just like Issues Etc. never existed. Isn't there a way to draw on web archives, though? We'll have to investigate that.
http://www.kfuoam.org/
Just like Issues Etc. never existed. Isn't there a way to draw on web archives, though? We'll have to investigate that.
Holy Tuesday Treachery
Today's a black day in the LCMS. Today the Synod ordered the cancellation of the popular radio show Issues, Etc. without stating a reason why, and terminated the employment of Pastor Todd Wilken, the show's host, and Mr. Jeff Schwarz, the show's producer. Folks, I don't know about you, but I do not think we can sit by and let this happen.
17 March 2008
Patrick, Missionary to Ireland
From our Synod's website:Patrick is one of the best-known of the missionary saints. Born to a Christian family in Britain around the year 389, he was captured as a teenager by raiders, taken to Ireland, and forced to serve as a herdsman. After six years he escaped and found his way to a monastery community in France. Ordained a bishop in 432, he made his way back to Ireland, where he spent the rest of his long life spreading the Gospel and organizing Christian communities. He strongly defended the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in a time when it was not popular to do so. His literary legacy includes his autobiography, Confessio, and several prayers and hymns still used in the church today. Patrick died around the year 466.
Attributed to St. Patrick is this hymn from LSB (604):
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 spiced tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself this day
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 every 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 God of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ, the Lord!
On Leashes
Yesterday afternoon when we went for our walk we took Lucy with us for a walk, or more literally, a pull. She still strains against the leash something fierce. She wants to do things her way. For example when a vehicle passes us, she wants to run right into it and attack or greet it or something. But the leash holds her back.
I was thinking about the Law and about the Gospel in this walk yesterday. The Law does hold us back, the curb function, from some really stupid and dangerous behaviors. But even more, I was thinking how God gave us the law as leash to accomplish a training function. Unlike Lucy, God wants His people to be trained to WANT what He wills with their own will. To desire what He desires so that they can "walk" with Him without running off like a silly beagle into all kinds of trouble and danger. "Be not like a horse or a mule (or a beagle), without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord." Psalm 32:9,10
This is the preparation for the Age that is coming - that we grow in our desire for that Age and all it will bring with it, and the Church is God's training grounds for enjoying it. The Law helps us a bit in that regard, but it is through His Holy Gospel when God takes the leash off and we simply walk beside Him because we WANT to walk beside Him in the joy of His presence and have no desire to run off from Him, chasing whatever rabbits or passing pleasures would allure us. Woof, woof.
I was thinking about the Law and about the Gospel in this walk yesterday. The Law does hold us back, the curb function, from some really stupid and dangerous behaviors. But even more, I was thinking how God gave us the law as leash to accomplish a training function. Unlike Lucy, God wants His people to be trained to WANT what He wills with their own will. To desire what He desires so that they can "walk" with Him without running off like a silly beagle into all kinds of trouble and danger. "Be not like a horse or a mule (or a beagle), without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord." Psalm 32:9,10
This is the preparation for the Age that is coming - that we grow in our desire for that Age and all it will bring with it, and the Church is God's training grounds for enjoying it. The Law helps us a bit in that regard, but it is through His Holy Gospel when God takes the leash off and we simply walk beside Him because we WANT to walk beside Him in the joy of His presence and have no desire to run off from Him, chasing whatever rabbits or passing pleasures would allure us. Woof, woof.
Holy Monday
Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle:Sing the ending of the fray.
Now above the Cross, the trophy,
Sound the loud triumphant lay;
Tell how Christ, the world's redeemer,
As a victim won the day.
Tell how, when at length the fullness
Of the appointed time was come,
He, the Word was born of woman,
Left for us His Father's home,
Blazed the path of true obedience,
Shone as light amidst the gloom.
Thus, with thirty years accomplished
He went forth from Nazareth,
Destined, dedicated, willing,
Did His work and met His death;
Like a lamb He humbly yielded
On the Cross His dying breath.
Faithful cross, true sign of triumph,
Be for all the noblest tree;
None in foliage, none in blossom,
None in fruit thine equal be;
Symbol of the world's redemption,
For the weight that hung on thee.
Unto God be praise and glory,
To the Father and the Son,
To the eternal Spirit honor
Now and evermore be done;
Praise and glory in the highest
While the timeless ages run.
LSB 454 (by Venantius Honorius Fortunatus, c. 530-609)
16 March 2008
Nice Day
After the services and confirmations this a.m., we visited around at various places where parents and friends were celebrating, stopped at our local grocery for some salad greens for dinner, came home and grabbed a quick nap, went for a walk (I think we've managed a walk every day this week!), and then made dinner. Cindi did up a couple kinds of shrimp (yummy!). Dave and Jo joined us, and then we played two games of Liverpool - which remains a stupid game. Bekah joined us for the last game. Now it's just 9, and I think bedtime is not far away. Church early tomorrow - 7 a.m.
Palm Sunday
Whew! Wonderful morning. Matins with the examination of the catechumens - first time we've done that (Matins for this day) - and it worked very well. The examination replaced any homily. We were done in time for their reception. Then the Divine Service with Rite of Confirmation. Eight young people were confirmed today and received our Lord's Body and Blood for the very first time. The Church was packed, the singing joyful, and it was joy beyond words to give to these young folks the Holy Eucharist. We'll have some more Confirmations coming up on the Vigil of Easter. Being from the East Coast, Confirmations celebrated on Palm Sunday always seemed a tad odd to me (Pentecost was our day of choice), but I've come to appreciate the way the praise of the children in the hymns ties into the praise that our children give by confessing the holy faith before the altar. (If I get some pics, I'll post them later).
15 March 2008
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Christ, our dear Lord, voluntarily bore this great agony for the glory of his heavenly Father and for our benefit, so that henceforth we might have a champion over against anguish when our appearance becomes strained, our eyes dark and gloomy, our tongue speechless, and our head cannot think; then we must hold to this man who overcame this terror by absorbing it into Himself. -- Blessed Martin Luther, House Postils I:385
Patristic Quote of the Day
For the flocks of believers have, as it were, a pasture full of divers plants and flowers, in the holy Scriptures, which are their wise guides and filled with spiritual joy at the glorious doctrines and instructions which they contain, they frequent the sacred courts. --St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 48 on St. Luke
14 March 2008
How did I luck out?
I was listening to the incomparable music of the Collinsville Chorale tonight, but I confess my eyes were riveted on one person: my lovely wife. I looked up there and saw her and looked around and I thought: How on earth did I end up with the most beautiful women up there? And she was. And then she stepped forward to sing - and it was the voice of an angel, the way it always is. "How can I keep from singing?" - that old Shaker piece set to a John Leavitt tune. It was fabulous. But so also was the guest soloist - a black woman who brought down the house with the choir doing background on "I believe." Sigh. A wonderful evening of music indeed, and one all the sweeter for Cindi's beautiful face and voice.
Holy Week Schedule
(for St. Paul Members and for anyone in the area). Note that the times vary from our usual service times in a number of instances!
Saturday before Palm Sunday: Divine Service 6:00
Palm Sunday: Matins 7:45, Reception, Divine Service 10
Holy Monday: Divine Service 7:00 a.m.
Holy Tuesday: Divine Service 7:00 a.m.
Holy Wednesday: Divine Service 7:00 a.m.
TRIDUUM:
Maundy Thursday Divine Service: 7:15 p.m.
Good Friday Chief Service: 12 Noon
Good Friday Tenebrae: 7:15 p.m.
Holy Saturday Great Vigil of Easter: 7:15 p.m.
THE FEAST OF FEASTS: Resurrection Sunday
Matins: 6:30 a.m.
Breakfast: 7:30
Easter Egg Hunt for children: 8:00
Preservice Music: 8:30
The Divine Service for the Resurrection of Our Lord: 9:00
Saturday before Palm Sunday: Divine Service 6:00
Palm Sunday: Matins 7:45, Reception, Divine Service 10
Holy Monday: Divine Service 7:00 a.m.
Holy Tuesday: Divine Service 7:00 a.m.
Holy Wednesday: Divine Service 7:00 a.m.
TRIDUUM:
Maundy Thursday Divine Service: 7:15 p.m.
Good Friday Chief Service: 12 Noon
Good Friday Tenebrae: 7:15 p.m.
Holy Saturday Great Vigil of Easter: 7:15 p.m.
THE FEAST OF FEASTS: Resurrection Sunday
Matins: 6:30 a.m.
Breakfast: 7:30
Easter Egg Hunt for children: 8:00
Preservice Music: 8:30
The Divine Service for the Resurrection of Our Lord: 9:00
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
All ministers are intrinsically equal. The parity of ministers rests upon the fact that all are equally entrusted with the same Word and the same sacraments, whose administration is equally accompanied by the Holy Spirit. This, however, does not interfere with the subordination of one to the other for the sake of expediency in the more comprehensive spheres of Church organization. One can readily become in this way primus inter pares, the first among equals. -- Jacobs, *Elements of Religion* p. 220
Patristic Quote of the Day
Wherefore this also Christ has done, to lead us to a closer friendship, and to show His love for us; He has given to those who desire Him not only to see Him, but even to touch, and eat Him, and fix their teeth in His flesh, and to embrace Him, and satisfy all their love. Let us then return from that table like lions breathing fire, having become terrible to the devil; thinking on our Head, and on the love which He has shown for us. Parents often entrust their offspring to others to feed; "but I," says He, "do not so, I feed you with My own flesh, desiring that you all be nobly born, and holding forth to you good hopes for the future. For He who gives out Himself to you here, much more will do so hereafter. I have willed to become your Brother, for your sake I shared in flesh and blood, and in turn I give out to you the flesh and the blood by which I became your kinsman." This blood causes the image of our King to be fresh within us, produces beauty unspeakable, permits not the nobleness of our souls to waste away, watering it continually, and nourishing it. The blood derived from our food becomes not at once blood, but something else; while this does not so, but straightway waters our souls, and works in them some mighty power. This blood, if rightly taken, drives away devils, and keeps them afar off from us, while it calls to us Angels and the Lord of Angels. For wherever they see the Lord's blood, devils flee, and Angels run together. This blood poured forth washed clean all the world; many wise sayings did the blessed Paul utter concerning it in the Epistle to the Hebrews. This blood cleansed the secret place, and the Holy of Holies. And if the type of it had such great power in the temple of the Hebrews, and in the midst of Egypt, when smeared on the door-posts, much more the reality. This blood sanctified the golden altar; without it the high priest dared not enter into the secret place. This blood consecrated priests, this in types cleansed sins. But if it had such power in the types, if death so shuddered at the shadow, tell me how would it not have dreaded the very reality? This blood is the salvation of our souls, by this the soul is washed, by this is beautiful, by this is inflamed, this causes our understanding to be more bright than fire, and our soul more beaming than gold; this blood was poured forth, and made heaven accessible. -- St. John Chrysostom, Homily 46 on John
13 March 2008
Is there a LUTHERAN way to fast?
Yes! The Augsburg Confession disdains the distinction of meats, and does so solidly based on Colossians But that doesn't mean that Lutherans didn't and don't fast. If we remember that fast mean "to go hungry" the solution is apparent: skip meals! It's not a matter of what FOOD you give up for Lent, but a matter of what MEALS and feeding (as in snacking!) you set aside. If one follows the typical Western fast, one eats but 1 and 1/4 to 1/2 meals per day. This is not done to impress God, but to train our bodies (that our belly is not our boss) and to free up time for prayer and money for charity. I bring this up again because we are preparing to enter Holy Week. During this week as we give time to specially contemplate the Passion of our Lord, the discipline of fasting is highly appropriate for all who can safely do it. A complete fast on Good Friday suggests itself to allow for total concentration upon our Lord's self-immolation for our salvation. Fasting is such a blessed discipline and is a bodily form of prayer - as we are reminded that no earthly food can satisfy the hunger of the human being, which is ultimately a hunger for the Blessed Trinity - to whom be glory forever!
Thank You, Father
for the joys of this day. For brothers gathering together to ponder the confession of your church; for burdens shared and prayers raised; for the Sacrament given and rejoiced in and wandering children brought home to Your house; for children and young people sharing the story of salvation, leading us along the via dolorosa; for my beloved companion on life's way and for great burgers at Red Robin; for the joy of examining and absolving those who will soon join us at the altar; for friendship, good will, and every act of kindness. And for Dean and Lauren coming home this week, and Bekah about to be 17 (can it be?). Glory to God for all things (St. John Chrysostom); glory indeed!
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
God's own appointments limit us, but do not limit Him. -- C.P. Krauth, *The Conservative Reformation* p. 431
Patristic Quote of the Day
Very great, therefore, is the virtue of hospitality, and especially worthy of the saints; let us, therefore, also practice it, for so will the heavenly Teacher lodge and rest in our hearts, even Christ, by Whom and with Whom, to God the Father be praise and dominion, with the Holy Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen. - St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 69 on St. Luke
12 March 2008
Wednesday
Home altar blessing and short visit and cup of tea with Philip and Darlene + Pericopal Study led by Pr. Tim Landskroener who gave us a number of good things to think over about Easter's gospel + Lunch where we discussed various and sundry for quite a while + Hospital calls in St. Louis to see Rich and Ganyn + Walk with the beautiful Cindi on this beautiful day + Bite to eat + Divine Service + Hymn Sing + Passion Vespers + brief visit after service + Home
A wonderful day - today was springlike around here - and much of it was spent in study or preaching of the Word - how sweet is that? But Lent is drawing to a close. Much as I love Easter and its joys, I will miss Lent and its disciplines.
A wonderful day - today was springlike around here - and much of it was spent in study or preaching of the Word - how sweet is that? But Lent is drawing to a close. Much as I love Easter and its joys, I will miss Lent and its disciplines.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
The earliest ages of the Church are not, indeed, marked by dogmatic precision of language. The sciolist who is not deeply read into their testimony is sure to misunderstand it. -- C.P. Krauth, *The Conservative Reformation* p. 508
Patristic Quote of the Day
O how beautiful is this confession! how wise the reasonings, and how excellent the thoughts! He became the confessor of the Savior's glory, and the accuser of the pride of those who crucified Him. What reward, therefore, did he receive? Of what honors was he counted worthy? Or what benefit did the thief gain who was the first to profess faith? He lit upon a treasure worth the having; he become rich unexpectedly, and possessed every blessing; he won the inheritance of the saint and to have his name written above, in heaven; he was in the book of life who was bearing the sentence of death and is numbered with the dwellers in the city that is above. -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 153 on St. Luke, on the confession of the penitent thief
Last Passion Vespers
Tonight we held our last Passion vespers. It is a beautiful and solemn liturgy - and I preached about the two thieves and Jesus' promise: "Today you will be with me in Paradise." How our Lord entered into death so that we might never enter it alone, and how He overcame it so that it becomes our way home to Paradise.
What could be more beautiful? Coming home and finding your daughter in tears, thinking about how unworthy she is and yet how great is God's mercy and the triumph of His promise. What can a dad say but "Amen! Mercy that is the most amazing thing in all the world."
What could be more beautiful? Coming home and finding your daughter in tears, thinking about how unworthy she is and yet how great is God's mercy and the triumph of His promise. What can a dad say but "Amen! Mercy that is the most amazing thing in all the world."
11 March 2008
Patristic Quote of the Day
He gives those who love instruction the assurance, that whatsoever is said respecting Him by the holy apostles and evangelists, is to be received necessarily without any doubt, and to be crowned with the words of truth. For he who heareth them, heareth Christ. -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 63 on St. Luke
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Looking at original sin as God's Word and our Church teaches us to regard it, we shall:
See its true character, and deplore the misery it has wrought.
We shall go to Christ, the great Physician, to be healed of it, and to the Holy Spirit, who, by His own means, Baptism and the Word, applies for Christ the remedy we need; taking of the things that are Christ's, and making them ours.
We shall be led to maintain a continual struggle against it; we shall watch, pray, and strive, knowing that through grace we are already redeemed from its curse; that by the same grace we shall more and more be redeemed here from its power, and at last be wholly purged of it, and shall form a part of that Church, loved and glorious, which shall show no spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but shall stand before her Lord holy and without blemish.
And now in the language in which the incomparable Gerhard closes his discussion of original sin, let our words be:
"To Him that hath died for us, that sin might die in us; to Him who came that He might destroy the works of the devil, and might restore to us the blessings lost by the Fall; to Jesus Christ our Savior, be praise, honor, and glory, world without end. Amen!"
--C.P. Krauth, *The Conservative Reformation* pp. 454,455
See its true character, and deplore the misery it has wrought.
We shall go to Christ, the great Physician, to be healed of it, and to the Holy Spirit, who, by His own means, Baptism and the Word, applies for Christ the remedy we need; taking of the things that are Christ's, and making them ours.
We shall be led to maintain a continual struggle against it; we shall watch, pray, and strive, knowing that through grace we are already redeemed from its curse; that by the same grace we shall more and more be redeemed here from its power, and at last be wholly purged of it, and shall form a part of that Church, loved and glorious, which shall show no spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but shall stand before her Lord holy and without blemish.
And now in the language in which the incomparable Gerhard closes his discussion of original sin, let our words be:
"To Him that hath died for us, that sin might die in us; to Him who came that He might destroy the works of the devil, and might restore to us the blessings lost by the Fall; to Jesus Christ our Savior, be praise, honor, and glory, world without end. Amen!"
--C.P. Krauth, *The Conservative Reformation* pp. 454,455
10 March 2008
Hmm
I think I liked the original better.
In LSB we have in the altar book this prayer:
Almighty God, since You have granted us the favor to call on You with one accord and have promised that where two or three are gathered together in Your name You are in the midst of them, fulfill now the prayers of Your servants, granting us in this world knowledge of Your truth and in the world to come life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (218)
In TLH we have this version:
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto Thee and dost promise that, when two or three are gathered in Thy name, Thou wilt grant their requests, fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of Thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of Thy truth and in the world to come to come life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. (TLH 75)
The original is from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom of the Eastern Christians and runs as follows:
O thou who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that where two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for us, granting us in this world the knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. For thou art a good God and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (Prayer of the Third Antiphon)
Do you notice was the LSB version left out??? "As may be most expedient for them (or us)." I think that's a sad loss! The path of wisdom in prayer is to ask boldly, but to always submit to the will of God in all things. The loss of that phrase weakens the whole prayer in my opinion.
In LSB we have in the altar book this prayer:
Almighty God, since You have granted us the favor to call on You with one accord and have promised that where two or three are gathered together in Your name You are in the midst of them, fulfill now the prayers of Your servants, granting us in this world knowledge of Your truth and in the world to come life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (218)
In TLH we have this version:
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto Thee and dost promise that, when two or three are gathered in Thy name, Thou wilt grant their requests, fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of Thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of Thy truth and in the world to come to come life everlasting; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. (TLH 75)
The original is from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom of the Eastern Christians and runs as follows:
O thou who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that where two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for us, granting us in this world the knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting. For thou art a good God and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (Prayer of the Third Antiphon)
Do you notice was the LSB version left out??? "As may be most expedient for them (or us)." I think that's a sad loss! The path of wisdom in prayer is to ask boldly, but to always submit to the will of God in all things. The loss of that phrase weakens the whole prayer in my opinion.
This and That
A busy day today. Led morning prayers at the school and taught two classes, then home to finish up the TSP memory sheets for the rest of the year and put some finishing touches on the services for Holy Week and Easter. Matins was shoved off till 11:30 - yikes! But finally prayed and the BOC read - good stuff on Confession from the Larger Catechism. After lunch travelled to Alton, Maryville, Glen Carbon and Edwardsville communing shutins. Highlight was a visit with Alma who turned 99 last week! She's a marvel and a half. Home to work on homily for Wednesday, and then Vespers. After a bite to eat had an elders' meeting, and now am enjoying a glass of wine before hitting the hay. Tomorrow promises to be much of the same - except for playing for the Winkel in the a.m. instead of doing school. I'm looking forward to Pastor Feicho's preaching - he always delivers super-hi octane gospel.
Patristic Quote of the Day
This, therefore, was the reason they muttered against Christ; and yet, how was it not rather their duty, having been taught what was about to happen, to escape from the danger and leap over its toils? And the way so to do was straightforward and easy. Let them accept Him Who calleth them unto salvation; let them honor by faith Him who justifieth the wicked; Who absolveth from all guilt; and by His grace, that remembereth not evil, saveth those who are entangled in sins. -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 135 on St. Luke
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
When error is admitted into the Church, it will be found that the stages of its progress are always three. It begins by asking for toleration. Its friends say to the majority: You do not need to be afraid of us; we are few, and weak; only let us alone; do not disturb the faith of others. The Church has her standards of doctrine; of course we shall never interfere with them; we only ask for ourselves to be spared interference with our private opinions. Indulged in for a time, error goes on to assert equal rights. Truth and error are two balancing forces. The Church shall do nothing which looks like deciding between them; that would be partiality. It is bigotry to assert any superior right for truth. We are to agree to differ, and any favoring of the truth, because it is truth, is partisanship. What the friends of truth and error hold in common is fundamental. Anything on which they differ, is ipso facto non-essential. Anybody who makes account of such a thing is a disturber of the peace of the church. Truth and error are two coordinate powers, and the great secret of church statesmanship is to preserve the balance between them. From this point error soon goes on to its natural end, which is asserting supremacy. Truth started with tolerating; it comes to be merely tolerated, and that only for a time. Error claims a preference for its judgments on all disputed points. It puts men into positions, not at first in spite of their departure from the Church's faith, but in consequence of it. Their recommendation is that they repudiate that faith, and position is given them to teach others to repudiate it, and to make them skilful in combating it. C. P. Krauth, (The Conservative Reformation, pp. 195, 196)
09 March 2008
Hymn of the Day for Judica
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.
They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.
In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.
They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.
In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
It's Over
Well, at least for this session. Today we held our final Catechism Service. We won't hold them again until after Labor Day. As I reflect on the experience, I'm very pleased over all:
* Extremely grateful to the video team who recorded these services so that if anyone misses one, they can sign out the DVD and work through it on their own.
* The parental participation has astonished and delighted me. It's so great to see parents sitting with their children and learning the Catechism together. This was true for parents of older children as well as younger!
* The opportunity to pray together and sing together and hear Scripture read and meditate on it - a liturgical setting for catechesis, if you will - well, words fail. I don't think I could go back to the "classroom" way again.
* The lively interaction between the children and adults surprised us all. I think the kids especially are starved for this "intergenerational" experience, and the adults ended up finding it a pleasant experience.
That's about it, I suppose. But I am very thankful to St. Paul's parish for being open to let us experiment with doing things the old way again. Christenlehre, as the Germans used to say it. A priceless heritage that LSB brings back for us in the Service of Prayer and Preaching!
* Extremely grateful to the video team who recorded these services so that if anyone misses one, they can sign out the DVD and work through it on their own.
* The parental participation has astonished and delighted me. It's so great to see parents sitting with their children and learning the Catechism together. This was true for parents of older children as well as younger!
* The opportunity to pray together and sing together and hear Scripture read and meditate on it - a liturgical setting for catechesis, if you will - well, words fail. I don't think I could go back to the "classroom" way again.
* The lively interaction between the children and adults surprised us all. I think the kids especially are starved for this "intergenerational" experience, and the adults ended up finding it a pleasant experience.
That's about it, I suppose. But I am very thankful to St. Paul's parish for being open to let us experiment with doing things the old way again. Christenlehre, as the Germans used to say it. A priceless heritage that LSB brings back for us in the Service of Prayer and Preaching!
08 March 2008
Patristic Quote of the Day
For the first man was indeed in the beginning in the paradise of delight, being ennobled by the absence both of suffering and of corruption; but when he despised the commandment that had been given him, and fell under a curse and condemnation, and into the snare of death, by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, Christ, as I said, by the very same thing restores him again to his original condition. For He became the fruit of the tree by having endured the precious cross for our sakes, that He might destroy death, which by means of a tree had invaded the bodies of mankind. He bore suffering that He might deliver us from sufferings; He was despised and not esteemed, as it is written, that He might make us honorable; He did no sin, that He might crown our nature with similar glory; He Who for our sakes was man submitted also to our lot; and He who giveth life to the world submitted to death in the flesh. Is not, therefore, the mystery profound? -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 153 on St. Luke
Matins from Concordia University Mequon on the Transfiguration
You can see the rest of the service there. They use some Russian chants ahead of Matins itself, and within the actual service. But it's LSB Matins. Some have asked to hear how the tones went in that service, well here you go!
07 March 2008
Good Day
Cin and I headed to CPH to pick up gifts for the confirmands, stopped in for a visit with Dr. Nagel (who will never cease to amaze me), headed to Olympia for a gyro salad and some saganaki, stopped in to see Rich, hospitalized at SLU, and ran into Pr. Rethwisch (former vicar, now serving at Holy Cross, Wartburg) - an unexpected joy. We headed home and spent a quiet afternoon here. Bekah is working; David is off with Meaghan. Dave and Jo are due here in a few minutes for some hands of Liverpool, and who knows? Maybe Hearts.
Patristic Quote of the Day
Yea, Christ Himself also somewhere says unto us, Without me ye can do nothing. Let us, then, glory not in ourselves, but rather in His gifts. - St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 144 on St. Luke
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
But those who are mindful of their weakness desire to be rid of it and long for help. They should regard and use the Sacrament just like a precious antidote against the poison they have in them. Here in the Sacrament you are to receive from the lips of Christ forgiveness of sins. It contains and brings with it God's grace and the Spirit with all His gifts, protection, shelter, and power against death and the devil and all misfortune. - Blessed Martin Luther, The Larger Catechism, V:70
06 March 2008
Evening Prayer at St. Paul's
Here is our Evening Prayer for the week of Laetare midweek. If you want to see the service itself, you can skip ahead to minute 15. The first 15 minutes are our congregational hymn-sing.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
A glorious dwelling in another world is prepared for the church that sojourns and struggles in this world. She will enter that new world when she completes her pilgrimage in this land of trial. -- C.F.W. Walther, *God Grant It!* p. 307
Patristic Quote of the Day
For He teaches us, that we must think humbly of ourselves, as being nothing, both as regards the nature of man and the readiness of our mind to fall away into sin, and as strengthened and being what we are only through Him and of Him. If, therefore, it is from Him that we borrow both our salvation, and our seeming to be something in virtue and piety, what reason have for proud thoughts? For all we have is from Him, and of ourselves we have nothing. -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 144 on Luke
05 March 2008
Bright Sadness
Today my my sister-in-law's goddaughter, Barbara, who is sister to Anastasia (sometimes commentator on this blog), entered into the joys that await the blessed dead. She was fortified by the Holy Eucharist and many, many prayers. She leaves behind her husband and children, two sisters and a brother, a mother and father. May Christ bring His comfort to all who loved her so dearly and who mourn her death, and may He grant them to be filled with the sweet peace that Christ's resurrection gives!
I also heard today that Fr. Gregory Hogg's father has also passed from this life. May light perpetual shine on him, as well, and may the Lord bring His comfort all who grieve this passing.
Jesus lives! And now is death
But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm my trembling breath
When I pass its gloomy portal.
Faith shall cry, as fails each sense,
Jesus is my confidence!
I also heard today that Fr. Gregory Hogg's father has also passed from this life. May light perpetual shine on him, as well, and may the Lord bring His comfort all who grieve this passing.
Jesus lives! And now is death
But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm my trembling breath
When I pass its gloomy portal.
Faith shall cry, as fails each sense,
Jesus is my confidence!
A Not So Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
This is what it means to live life theologically and to live as a Christian in the church catholic: to enter into the word of Holy Scripture, driven by spiritual attack, to pray for illumination, and to let the Scripture interpret us. - Oscar Bayer, *Theology the Lutheran Way* p. 15
Homily for Laetare Midweek - The Praetorium
In Revelation 5 there is a scroll, sealed with seven seals - that is, completely locked up. It’s the scroll that unlocks the mystery of life. What we’re for, why things are the way they are, and what is the plan and purpose of God in it all. St. John weeps because no one is worthy to open the scroll, to unlock the meaning of the mysteries of life. But then he is told: “Weep no more. Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.” The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and Root of David, these are royal terms - the lion, after all, is the King of the beasts. But when St. John goes to look for this king, this mighty lion, what does he see?
“I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes.” The Lion, the King, turns out to be a slaughtered Lamb, and this slaughtered Lamb has all power (which is what the 7 horns signify) and all knowledge (which is what the 7 eyes are pointing to).
A King who doesn’t look like a King; power that doesn’t look like power; and all knowledge which doesn’t look like more than folly. This is the Lamb, our King, who stands today before Pilate.
And what sort of King He is, He tells Pilate. My kingdom is not of this world - of this cosmos, this creation. His kingdom is from elsewhere. And He is staging an invasion of this world, which is steeped in error and headed only to death. And the nature of His invasion, the power of His kingship, He discloses when He says: “You say rightly I am a king. I was born and I came into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.”
He had come to break open those seals and unroll that scroll, to reveal the truth about this creation, about where it’s headed, and about what God will do about it.
Pilate is not impressed. “What is truth?” he asks in scorn. A typical post-modern man. He doesn’t believe that you can know truth - each one can forge their own meaning, but it’s all guess work and so a rather hopeless enterprise.
But our Jesus, our Lamb, He IS the King of truth. He rules by revealing the truth, He conquers by vanquishing the lie, He triumphs by disclosing the hidden mystery of God.
And what is that truth He came bearing witness to? What is the truth in whose face no lie can endure. It is two fold. It is the truth that this Age, this world, this cosmos, is headed to death. Having rejected the only life there is - the life that is God - is has become subject to corruption. And it’s not just the cosmos, the world, but all the people who are in it. Everyone of them has rejected and turned from Him who made them, Him who longed to give them a life with Him and in Him that never ends. And so we’re falling to pieces. And we try to lie about it to ourselves all the time. We put off thinking about this inconvenient truth: the grave is our future.
But that is not the whole of the truth. The whole of the truth is that our King of truth reveals, our Lamb, is that God’s love for us is so strong that He Himself came among us, entered into this hall of death to breathe our poisoned air, to drink for the us the deep despair. He came to make the terminus of this world NOT be death and despair, but by suffering death Himself, giving Himself into it, to blast a hole right through it, wide open to the Age to come. He came to bear the truth that brings the lie that Satan has sold humanity on from the Garden to an end: “You can’t trust God. Better run from him. He only wants to cheat you of yours, and to make be a slave. He wants to take all the fun out of life.” Jesus blasts that lie to the hell that formed it. He reveals a God whose love for each member of the human race is so all-powerful that He will allow Himself to suffer in the place of all, so that all might be released from suffering. He reveals a God whose love for each member of the human race is so all-embracing that He lifts off the sin of all and bears it in His own body on the tree. He reveals a God whose love is so all-encompassing that what He did for all He would have done for each individually and alone if they alone had needed it.
The King of truth is rejected as a blasphemer, a liar, and a mad man, self-deluded. And so He is mocked. Whipped. Beaten. Abused. “What shall I do with your king?” “Crucify him!” they cry out. Pilate bears witness to innocence three times, but Pilate’s truth is ultimately expediency. Even though it’s a lie to give this innocent man over to death, he does so in fear. The truth as Pilate knows it goes no further than this: I don’t want to lose my job, to get a bad report about me, so even though I know he’s innocent, I’ll play along and let him die.
It is because He is innocent that we kill Him. It is because in Him there is a life that exposes the lies and the sham of our lives that we want to be rid of Him. But the truth He bears to us is that even in this ugliness and repeated failure of our race, God’s plan is at work to bring us blessing. Our Lamb, our Jesus, is like Joseph of old: “You intended it for evil; but God for good, for the saving of many alives alive.”
The people cry out: “His blood be on us and on our children.” They meant that they’d take responsibility for the lie that was being perpetrated. But then again, we look at those words and realize that the only way we and our children can have life is if this Lamb’s blood is upon them. So we pray with them, but in a totally new way: “His blood be on us and on our children.”
For this is the truth beyond all truths: that LIFE is found only in this Lamb’s blood - in it there is pardon bigger than all sin and Life stronger than all death. We shelter beneath the blood of the Lamb, our King who reigns by speaking truth. And with the crowds in Revelation we cry out: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign upon the earth.” Reign with our King, our Lamb, our Jesus.
“I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes.” The Lion, the King, turns out to be a slaughtered Lamb, and this slaughtered Lamb has all power (which is what the 7 horns signify) and all knowledge (which is what the 7 eyes are pointing to).
A King who doesn’t look like a King; power that doesn’t look like power; and all knowledge which doesn’t look like more than folly. This is the Lamb, our King, who stands today before Pilate.
And what sort of King He is, He tells Pilate. My kingdom is not of this world - of this cosmos, this creation. His kingdom is from elsewhere. And He is staging an invasion of this world, which is steeped in error and headed only to death. And the nature of His invasion, the power of His kingship, He discloses when He says: “You say rightly I am a king. I was born and I came into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.”
He had come to break open those seals and unroll that scroll, to reveal the truth about this creation, about where it’s headed, and about what God will do about it.
Pilate is not impressed. “What is truth?” he asks in scorn. A typical post-modern man. He doesn’t believe that you can know truth - each one can forge their own meaning, but it’s all guess work and so a rather hopeless enterprise.
But our Jesus, our Lamb, He IS the King of truth. He rules by revealing the truth, He conquers by vanquishing the lie, He triumphs by disclosing the hidden mystery of God.
And what is that truth He came bearing witness to? What is the truth in whose face no lie can endure. It is two fold. It is the truth that this Age, this world, this cosmos, is headed to death. Having rejected the only life there is - the life that is God - is has become subject to corruption. And it’s not just the cosmos, the world, but all the people who are in it. Everyone of them has rejected and turned from Him who made them, Him who longed to give them a life with Him and in Him that never ends. And so we’re falling to pieces. And we try to lie about it to ourselves all the time. We put off thinking about this inconvenient truth: the grave is our future.
But that is not the whole of the truth. The whole of the truth is that our King of truth reveals, our Lamb, is that God’s love for us is so strong that He Himself came among us, entered into this hall of death to breathe our poisoned air, to drink for the us the deep despair. He came to make the terminus of this world NOT be death and despair, but by suffering death Himself, giving Himself into it, to blast a hole right through it, wide open to the Age to come. He came to bear the truth that brings the lie that Satan has sold humanity on from the Garden to an end: “You can’t trust God. Better run from him. He only wants to cheat you of yours, and to make be a slave. He wants to take all the fun out of life.” Jesus blasts that lie to the hell that formed it. He reveals a God whose love for each member of the human race is so all-powerful that He will allow Himself to suffer in the place of all, so that all might be released from suffering. He reveals a God whose love for each member of the human race is so all-embracing that He lifts off the sin of all and bears it in His own body on the tree. He reveals a God whose love is so all-encompassing that what He did for all He would have done for each individually and alone if they alone had needed it.
The King of truth is rejected as a blasphemer, a liar, and a mad man, self-deluded. And so He is mocked. Whipped. Beaten. Abused. “What shall I do with your king?” “Crucify him!” they cry out. Pilate bears witness to innocence three times, but Pilate’s truth is ultimately expediency. Even though it’s a lie to give this innocent man over to death, he does so in fear. The truth as Pilate knows it goes no further than this: I don’t want to lose my job, to get a bad report about me, so even though I know he’s innocent, I’ll play along and let him die.
It is because He is innocent that we kill Him. It is because in Him there is a life that exposes the lies and the sham of our lives that we want to be rid of Him. But the truth He bears to us is that even in this ugliness and repeated failure of our race, God’s plan is at work to bring us blessing. Our Lamb, our Jesus, is like Joseph of old: “You intended it for evil; but God for good, for the saving of many alives alive.”
The people cry out: “His blood be on us and on our children.” They meant that they’d take responsibility for the lie that was being perpetrated. But then again, we look at those words and realize that the only way we and our children can have life is if this Lamb’s blood is upon them. So we pray with them, but in a totally new way: “His blood be on us and on our children.”
For this is the truth beyond all truths: that LIFE is found only in this Lamb’s blood - in it there is pardon bigger than all sin and Life stronger than all death. We shelter beneath the blood of the Lamb, our King who reigns by speaking truth. And with the crowds in Revelation we cry out: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign upon the earth.” Reign with our King, our Lamb, our Jesus.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
How blessed is the state of those who have finally gone home out of the vale of tears into the eternal house of the Father! Through death, they have entered into life, for there is no longer any death or sickness and their crying has ceased forever. There, no one is humbled by age; instead there exists an eternal youth. No one groans in a sickbed. No one stands mourning at the coffin of a loved one since there is no longer any separation. Poverty, scarcity and hunger are things of the past; all who dwell in God's house hold the key to His inexhaustible treasury. There, no icy winters and cold nights intrude; they are replaced by the eternal spring of heaven. -- C.F.W. Walther, *God Grant It!* p. 311
Patristic Quote of the Day
For the dead shall rise, and this earthly and infirm body shall put off corruption, and shall clothe itself with incorruption by Christ's gift, Who grants unto those that believe in Him to be conformed unto the likeness of His glorious body. -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 139 on St. Luke
Winter Wonderland
Again. Pretty, but it's MARCH. Seems like I should be looking for the daffadowndillies to be coming up and not admiring ice and snow!
04 March 2008
Coopted into the Kingdom
Happy to report that little Ganyn Edwin was snatched from the Kingdom of Darkness and brought into the Kingdom of God's beloved Son today through Holy Baptism on the very day of his birth. He'll be hospitalized for some days with breathing difficulties. May the Lord protect and defend him!
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
The true Church is the whole number of those who have sought and found their salvation, not on Sinai, but on Golgotha. -- C.F.W. Walther, *God Grant It!* p. 300
Patristic Quote of the Day
The Word, therefore, by having united unto Himself that flesh which was subject unto death, as being God and Life drove away from it corruption, and made it also to be the source of life; for such must the body of Him, Who is the Life be. - St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 142 on St. Luke
03 March 2008
A Prayer before Receiving the Eucharist
Almighty Lord Jesus Christ, as often as I shall come to Your holy table to refresh my spirit, I pray You to make me, unworthy as I am, worthy through Your grace; impure as I am, to make me clean; naked as I am to clothe me, so that Your Body, so full of divine power, and Your most precious Blood may not become for me, Your servant, the occasion for judgment or punishment, but a memorial of the death You underwent for me, a strengthening of my faith, a proof of the taking away of my sins, a bond of closer union with You, an increase of holiness, the basis of a glad resurrection, and a pledge of everlasting life. Amen. (Blessed David Hollaz)
Another Blast?
Working on stuff from home today, and particularly enjoying rereading Gerhard's Passion History. Very fine work indeed. Meanwhile, outside the rain is beginning to freeze, and the forecasters, if correct, are calling for us to be walloped again beginning today and into tomorrow with snow. Sigh. Yesterday it was in the 70's and Cindi and I went for a nice long walk in the sunshine; David and Meaghan rode bikes; Bekah sat on the porch reading. And then today we're back to winter. Such is life around St. Louis.
In Love Extol His Redeemer
The Lord dies instead of the servant;In place of the debtors, the Faithful One;
The Physician dies for the good of the patient;
The Shepherd rescues His sheep;
The King dies for the sins of His subjects;
The Peace-maker for the warriors;
The Creator dies for His creation;
God Himself wins man's salvation!
What now should the servant, debtor,
The sick one, the sheep, the nation, the multitude do?
What should the creatures, mankind do?
In love extol his Redeemer!
(Johann Gerhard, An Explanation of the History of the Suffering and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, p. 15)
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
For that reason the ancients said that the Devil has, so to speak, twin mirrors which he holds before a man. The first mirror is the minimizing mirror. With it he makes the sin quite small and insignificant. He holds this mirror up to a person when he wants to tempt a man into, and drive him towards, sin. The second mirror is the magnifying mirror. With it he makes the sin quite large and thick. He holds this mirror up to a person when he has toppled him into sin. With this trick the devil deceives very many people, so that they either commit sin against their conscience with great eagerness; or later despair in vexation over the sin. -- Blessed Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation of the History of the Suffering and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ* p. 147
Patristic Quote of the Day
For it is the sole and peculiar property of the Substance that Transcends all, to be able to bestow on men the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and make those that draw near unto It partakers of the divine nature. But this exists in Christ, not as a thing received, nor by communication from another, but as His own, and as belonging to His substance, for He baptizes with the Holy Spirit. - St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 10 on St. Luke
01 March 2008
Wittenberg Trail is HOT
I just realized that the Wittenberg Trail community is already LARGER in membership than the much older ALPB site. For those who want to talk theology, meet fellow Lutherans travelers, and just learn more, Wittenberg Trail is a great place (ALPB is good for those who want to interact especially with the "other" Lutherans!).
Homily for Laetare
[Isaiah 49:8-13 / Acts 2:41-47 / John 6:1-15]
The true God, the living God, is a jealous God, and He does not want His people looking for help or comfort any other place than in His arms. That’s because He alone CAN help and comfort us in our deepest needs.
And so the tests come. God sends our way trails, troubles, heartaches, problems galore. Our own and the troubles of those we love. By the trial and the troubles that are too big for us to handle on our own, our God would train us in blessed dependence on Him. That’s what’s going on in the readings for today.
In the first reading, God spoke through Isaiah: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation, I have helped you.” He goes to describe the journey home through the wilderness, when even though they pass through barren lands, they will not hunger, for God will feed them.
Jesus picks up the same thought in the Holy Gospel. There he teaches Philip and Andrew and all his disciples and you and me where to look when the problem is too big and we are too puny. The crowds had surrounded him, and more people kept streaming in. They came to hear Jesus and to see the signs that he did. They came bringing Aunts with cancer and nephews with epilepsy, they brought to Him those who had given up hope. And as he looks over the crowds, he tosses a problem in Philip’s lap. “Where shall we get food for them to eat?”
A pressing problem. Not a McDonald’s or Burger King in sight. And still the people poured in, an ever rising flood. Philip begins to sweat. With a gulp he confesses that not even 200 denarii, six month’s wages, would be enough to give every one a bite. Andrew chimes in that they do have some bread and few fish, but certainly not enough for this crowd.
Do you see what the disciples forgot to do? They forgot to do what we so often forget to do! When Jesus throws us a problem, he’s not so much interested in how we can wrack our brains trying to solve it as in how fast we’ve learned to toss it back to him.
Jesus shows them and us. He tells the crowds to sit. He takes the bread and fish, lifts His eyes to the heavenly Father, blesses Him for His goodness and then hands out the food to the disciples for them to pass on to the crowd.
Andrew was thinking: “He’s lost it this time. There’s no way this is going to work.” Philip’s thinking: “This is the silliest idea he’s ever had.” All of them were thinking like that as they began to break off grudging little chunks and hand them into the empty hands of the hungry crowds. How long did it take before they saw? How long before they realized and hope and astonishment welled up in their hearts? For no matter how much was broken off and given away, they still had more to give. They couldn’t distribute it faster than He multiplied it in their hands. You can see them look back at him with fear in their eyes and awe and love. And I imagine that He just smiled right back at them. The smile would have said it all: “Do you get it? Do you understand? When the problem’s too big, turn to the One who is bigger than any problem, turn to Me. I will get you through. Just trust in Me.”
When the squeeze is on; when the troubles brewing; when you feel that you can’t take it one more day, Jesus comes to you and places his finger under your chin and gently lifts your head until you are looking Him in the eye and says: “There. Now, don’t look anywhere else.” As we keep our eyes focused on Him we experience the help, the relief, the rescue, and so we know peace. Oh, it still may be very hard to get through, but with Jesus it won’t be impossible.
Do I need to say it? That’s what the Supper is all about, my friends. Here at His Table, Jesus comes into you, and fills you with Himself, so you can rest your weary load on Him and experience refreshment. That’s why the first Church in Jerusalem, as we read about in our second lesson, devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the breaking of bread, to the Eucharist. The poet said it best:
Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face,
Here would I touch and handle things unseen,
Here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
And all my weariness upon thee lean.
I have no help but thine; nor do I need
Another arm but thine to lean upon;
It is enough, O Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in thy might, thy might alone. (LSB 631:1,4)
Now those are the words of someone who has learned how to make it through the times of testing: by turning to Jesus and placing ourselves, our problems, our heartaches into the hands of Him who loved us all the way to the cross and the empty tomb. Those are the words of one who has learned the art of being a Christian, of having the true God for his God, and turning to Him for help in every time of need. May the Holy Spirit grant us all such faith! Amen.
The true God, the living God, is a jealous God, and He does not want His people looking for help or comfort any other place than in His arms. That’s because He alone CAN help and comfort us in our deepest needs.
And so the tests come. God sends our way trails, troubles, heartaches, problems galore. Our own and the troubles of those we love. By the trial and the troubles that are too big for us to handle on our own, our God would train us in blessed dependence on Him. That’s what’s going on in the readings for today.
In the first reading, God spoke through Isaiah: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation, I have helped you.” He goes to describe the journey home through the wilderness, when even though they pass through barren lands, they will not hunger, for God will feed them.
Jesus picks up the same thought in the Holy Gospel. There he teaches Philip and Andrew and all his disciples and you and me where to look when the problem is too big and we are too puny. The crowds had surrounded him, and more people kept streaming in. They came to hear Jesus and to see the signs that he did. They came bringing Aunts with cancer and nephews with epilepsy, they brought to Him those who had given up hope. And as he looks over the crowds, he tosses a problem in Philip’s lap. “Where shall we get food for them to eat?”
A pressing problem. Not a McDonald’s or Burger King in sight. And still the people poured in, an ever rising flood. Philip begins to sweat. With a gulp he confesses that not even 200 denarii, six month’s wages, would be enough to give every one a bite. Andrew chimes in that they do have some bread and few fish, but certainly not enough for this crowd.
Do you see what the disciples forgot to do? They forgot to do what we so often forget to do! When Jesus throws us a problem, he’s not so much interested in how we can wrack our brains trying to solve it as in how fast we’ve learned to toss it back to him.
Jesus shows them and us. He tells the crowds to sit. He takes the bread and fish, lifts His eyes to the heavenly Father, blesses Him for His goodness and then hands out the food to the disciples for them to pass on to the crowd.
Andrew was thinking: “He’s lost it this time. There’s no way this is going to work.” Philip’s thinking: “This is the silliest idea he’s ever had.” All of them were thinking like that as they began to break off grudging little chunks and hand them into the empty hands of the hungry crowds. How long did it take before they saw? How long before they realized and hope and astonishment welled up in their hearts? For no matter how much was broken off and given away, they still had more to give. They couldn’t distribute it faster than He multiplied it in their hands. You can see them look back at him with fear in their eyes and awe and love. And I imagine that He just smiled right back at them. The smile would have said it all: “Do you get it? Do you understand? When the problem’s too big, turn to the One who is bigger than any problem, turn to Me. I will get you through. Just trust in Me.”
When the squeeze is on; when the troubles brewing; when you feel that you can’t take it one more day, Jesus comes to you and places his finger under your chin and gently lifts your head until you are looking Him in the eye and says: “There. Now, don’t look anywhere else.” As we keep our eyes focused on Him we experience the help, the relief, the rescue, and so we know peace. Oh, it still may be very hard to get through, but with Jesus it won’t be impossible.
Do I need to say it? That’s what the Supper is all about, my friends. Here at His Table, Jesus comes into you, and fills you with Himself, so you can rest your weary load on Him and experience refreshment. That’s why the first Church in Jerusalem, as we read about in our second lesson, devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the breaking of bread, to the Eucharist. The poet said it best:
Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face,
Here would I touch and handle things unseen,
Here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace,
And all my weariness upon thee lean.
I have no help but thine; nor do I need
Another arm but thine to lean upon;
It is enough, O Lord, enough indeed;
My strength is in thy might, thy might alone. (LSB 631:1,4)
Now those are the words of someone who has learned how to make it through the times of testing: by turning to Jesus and placing ourselves, our problems, our heartaches into the hands of Him who loved us all the way to the cross and the empty tomb. Those are the words of one who has learned the art of being a Christian, of having the true God for his God, and turning to Him for help in every time of need. May the Holy Spirit grant us all such faith! Amen.
Laetare
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her;
that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast.
I was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the Lord." [Introit]
Lent has been rather peaceful and joy-filled for me this year. I love the extra time gathering as a congregation to pray Evening Prayer and hear the Passion. But Laetare reminds us that after Lent comes joy - the Paschal Joy who is our Risen Lord. Much as Gaudete interrupts Advent to anticipate the joys of the Nativity, so Laetare interrupts Lent to anticipate the joys of the Pascha, our Lord's Resurrection.
In our collect we remember this day that our heavenly Father's mercies are new every morning; and that though we deserve nothing but punishment, He receives us as His children and provides for all our needs of body and soul. We see how richly in the story of the feeding of the 5,000.
But even in that account, the Lord's Passover is not far from the mind. If the disciples had held onto what little He gave them, at the end of the day that's all they'd have had and no miracle at all. But because they did as He bid them, and gave away what they had, they ended up feeding a multitude and collecting 12 baskets of leftovers. In this our Lord teaches us that the joy of life is had in giving it away - and then more life comes to you than you can shake a stick at. So He showed at His passover - and now He lives in a risen life that is the source of our eternal salvation, and which He reaches us in the bread and wine that His words bless and give us as His body and blood!
that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast.
I was glad when they said to me,
"Let us go to the house of the Lord." [Introit]
Lent has been rather peaceful and joy-filled for me this year. I love the extra time gathering as a congregation to pray Evening Prayer and hear the Passion. But Laetare reminds us that after Lent comes joy - the Paschal Joy who is our Risen Lord. Much as Gaudete interrupts Advent to anticipate the joys of the Nativity, so Laetare interrupts Lent to anticipate the joys of the Pascha, our Lord's Resurrection.
In our collect we remember this day that our heavenly Father's mercies are new every morning; and that though we deserve nothing but punishment, He receives us as His children and provides for all our needs of body and soul. We see how richly in the story of the feeding of the 5,000.
But even in that account, the Lord's Passover is not far from the mind. If the disciples had held onto what little He gave them, at the end of the day that's all they'd have had and no miracle at all. But because they did as He bid them, and gave away what they had, they ended up feeding a multitude and collecting 12 baskets of leftovers. In this our Lord teaches us that the joy of life is had in giving it away - and then more life comes to you than you can shake a stick at. So He showed at His passover - and now He lives in a risen life that is the source of our eternal salvation, and which He reaches us in the bread and wine that His words bless and give us as His body and blood!
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Wherever there are hearts where the rule of sin has been replaced by the rule of Christ, in which He has truly placed His throne, and in which He directs and governs by His Spirit, there - and only there - is Christ's kingdom. -- C.F.W. Walther, *God Grant It!* p. 296
Patristic Quote of the Day
Understand this, then, my beloved, that faith sets us also in Christ's presence, and so brings us unto God, as for us to be even counted worthy of hearing His words. -- St. Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 126 on St. Luke
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
