18 May 2007
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
When we consider Christ's ascension according to the clear witness of Holy Scripture, we find a certain foundation for a joyful faith. He has not removed Himself from His Church. Instead, He is now, as God and Man, extending His grace, help and protection in all places. As Aaron wore on his breastplate the names of the tribes of Israel when he entered the Holy of Holies, so Christ, appearing as the true High Priest before God in heaven, wears the names of all believers on His heart. There, He prays without ceasing for His own, and He rules them, cares for them, and protects them so that the gates of hell cannot overpower them. - C. F. W. Walther, *God Grant It* p. 430
More on Vacation
Charlie has demanded more about the trip to Cancun. I'm not really sure what more to say! It was stunningly beautiful. The Mexicans are more relaxed than we are about nearly everything (which is actually quite enjoyable). I was fascinated by the language and it aroused in me a great desire to dust off my Spanish and really master it. It may sound silly, but I wasn't looking at the jungle on our trip to Chichen Itza. I was looking at whatever road signs appeared. Salida - that must be exit. Returno - a u turn spot. And I can't for the life of me remember the word for seat belt, but it took a bit of seeing the sign (no icons on the signs, by the way) to connect the word with cincture and then it made sense. It was centuro de securidad or something like that, I believe.
Listening to the language was hopeless. The words flew by at such a pace that there was no way to take them in. But it was fun to speak what little we could to the staff:
Mas cafe, por favor! : )
No, no leche. Negro.
Gracias!
So, for a language buff it was a hoot and a half that way.
What did we do? Aside from the daylong trip to Chichen Itza with the opportunity to swim in that enormous sinkhole (Cindi, Deb, and Doug took the plunge while I took the pictures), we also went out one morning on "an ocean safari." That was 55 minutes of riding wave riders (my favorite part) and then snorkeling at the barrier reef (second largest in the world). I did not enjoy the snorkeling very much because I am not a terribly good swimmer, and I couldn't get the mask to stop leaking and continued to get salt water in my breathing tube. Nasty! But I DID get to see some beautiful purple fish, and some fish that were white with a stunning yellow stripe on the back, and some boring fish that looked just like the coral. As I looked at the fish I remember thinking how UNREAL they looked - just like Nemo in the cartoon.
The rest of the time was really devoted to swimming in that beautiful gulf - how can any water be such a color!; swimming in the pools; laying out in the sun; and enjoying way too many tropical fruit drinks. I think our new discovery was the Mango Margarita. That was very good.
That's about it. Oh, at Chichen Itza, the guide was very entertaining, but I was not at all convinced by his account of the Mayans. I bought a book there by a Spanish bishop who had lived among them in the 16th century and recorded their current life and oral traditions about their past. THAT is a fascinating read.
That's about it, Charlie et al.
Pax!
Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You Richly
What little fare we settle for! I was reading in Chemnitz' Examen today his description of Church life in Braunschweig, where he served as the Superintendent (or Bishop). He speaks of DAILY matins and vespers in the churches (with sermons - yup, count them up: preaching sermons in the parishes in the number of 15 a week minimum - hey, with that much practice I might finally learn how to do it!). He specifically mentions at these services that "a number of psalms" are chanted and that readings are distributed "in an orderly manner" from the Old (usually at Matins) and the New Testament (usually at Vespers).
He speaks of the people gathering in larger numbers for the praying of litanies on certain week days.
He speaks of a multitude of people assembling on Sundays "with great regularity to sing the praises of the Lord, to hear and meditate upon the Word, for use of the sacraments, for public prayers, and for the gathering of alms..."
He clearly implies not only Vespers on Saturday and Matins on Sunday morning with the Chief Service, but also Vespers on Sunday afternoon.
And he speaks of celebrating with great devotion "solemn festivals about the chief benefits of Christ, and of the principle points of the heavenly doctrine." He speaks of the three-day celebrations of the Nativity (and implies the three day celebrations of Easter and Pentecost); Circumcision; Epiphany; Purification; Baptism of our Lord; Annunciation of Mary; Maundy Thursday; Good Friday; Resurrection; Ascension; Pentecost; Nativity of the Baptist; Visitation of the Virgin; Michaelmas.
He mentions the 40 days of Lent and the setting aside of the four sets of ember days for "the customary treatment of the Catechism."
He mentions the blessing of the set readings for all these occasions.
Thus, he can say: "With the superstitions removed, the true and useful festivals of the ancient church are celebrated among us for church gatherings, and with such devotion and peity that there is no doubt that under the blessing of God piety is kindled and increased, since the people are taught that the Holy Spirit wants to be efficacious through the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and that Christ wants to be in the midst of those who are gathered together in His name."
I read through it and think: that's a tall mountain to climb, but would it not be a joyous one?
He speaks of the people gathering in larger numbers for the praying of litanies on certain week days.
He speaks of a multitude of people assembling on Sundays "with great regularity to sing the praises of the Lord, to hear and meditate upon the Word, for use of the sacraments, for public prayers, and for the gathering of alms..."
He clearly implies not only Vespers on Saturday and Matins on Sunday morning with the Chief Service, but also Vespers on Sunday afternoon.
And he speaks of celebrating with great devotion "solemn festivals about the chief benefits of Christ, and of the principle points of the heavenly doctrine." He speaks of the three-day celebrations of the Nativity (and implies the three day celebrations of Easter and Pentecost); Circumcision; Epiphany; Purification; Baptism of our Lord; Annunciation of Mary; Maundy Thursday; Good Friday; Resurrection; Ascension; Pentecost; Nativity of the Baptist; Visitation of the Virgin; Michaelmas.
He mentions the 40 days of Lent and the setting aside of the four sets of ember days for "the customary treatment of the Catechism."
He mentions the blessing of the set readings for all these occasions.
Thus, he can say: "With the superstitions removed, the true and useful festivals of the ancient church are celebrated among us for church gatherings, and with such devotion and peity that there is no doubt that under the blessing of God piety is kindled and increased, since the people are taught that the Holy Spirit wants to be efficacious through the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and that Christ wants to be in the midst of those who are gathered together in His name."
I read through it and think: that's a tall mountain to climb, but would it not be a joyous one?
17 May 2007
The Visible Presence of Christ
This gem was buried in that longer homily, but it is from Pope St. Leo the Great:
“The visible presence of Christ has passed into His sacraments.”
That is such a powerful thought! Where is Christ visible today? Now, beware of importing a post-Tridentine definition of "sacraments" into the word. I doubt that anyone knows whether that great teacher of the Church would fix the number at four, seven, twelve, or twenty. The term was far more fluid. Even into high scholaticism of the Victorines the term could be used to describe the very Trinity: the sacrament of the Trinity. I think its patristic weight is usually simply the mysteries that Christ has revealed and passed on to His church.
But certainly there are two "poles" and a connecting "bar" - if you will - that characterize the sacraments:
Baptism (enfolding also confirmation, the laying on of hands for strengthening) - the Absolution - Holy Eucharist
The Christian lives from the visible presence of Christ in these events. Baptism, received once and applied daily. Absolution as the return to Baptism. Holy Eucharist as the weekly (or more often!) strengthening of our union with Christ through the forgiving grace of His body and blood.
Where is Christ today? We'd point to Baptismal water flowing in the name of the Trinity. Where is Christ today? We'd point to the hand absolving the penitent. Where is Christ today? We'd point to consecrated bread and wine over which "eucharist" had been made through the very words of Christ Himself.
The visible presence of Christ is there. In His sacraments. In all His sacred mysteries of salvation. And through them He continues to work - as also through the sacrament of preaching - to achieve in our lives the purpose for which He created us at the beginning: that we might share in the glory of being children of God, seated with Him upon His throne, icons of the very love of God.
“The visible presence of Christ has passed into His sacraments.”
That is such a powerful thought! Where is Christ visible today? Now, beware of importing a post-Tridentine definition of "sacraments" into the word. I doubt that anyone knows whether that great teacher of the Church would fix the number at four, seven, twelve, or twenty. The term was far more fluid. Even into high scholaticism of the Victorines the term could be used to describe the very Trinity: the sacrament of the Trinity. I think its patristic weight is usually simply the mysteries that Christ has revealed and passed on to His church.
But certainly there are two "poles" and a connecting "bar" - if you will - that characterize the sacraments:
Baptism (enfolding also confirmation, the laying on of hands for strengthening) - the Absolution - Holy Eucharist
The Christian lives from the visible presence of Christ in these events. Baptism, received once and applied daily. Absolution as the return to Baptism. Holy Eucharist as the weekly (or more often!) strengthening of our union with Christ through the forgiving grace of His body and blood.
Where is Christ today? We'd point to Baptismal water flowing in the name of the Trinity. Where is Christ today? We'd point to the hand absolving the penitent. Where is Christ today? We'd point to consecrated bread and wine over which "eucharist" had been made through the very words of Christ Himself.
The visible presence of Christ is there. In His sacraments. In all His sacred mysteries of salvation. And through them He continues to work - as also through the sacrament of preaching - to achieve in our lives the purpose for which He created us at the beginning: that we might share in the glory of being children of God, seated with Him upon His throne, icons of the very love of God.
Ascension Liturgy Joys
Bede's "A Hymn of Glory" as the entrance hymn (Bede died on Ascension day)... as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him... God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Alleluia. You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train. Alleluia ... rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest... who after His resurrection appeared openly to all His disciples and in their sight was taken up into heaven that He might make us partakers of His divine life. Therefore with angels... O Risen Christ, Ascended Lord, all praise to Thee let earth accord, Who art while endless ages run with Father and with Spirit one. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Hymn for Ascension
Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious;
See the Man of Sorrows now!
From the fight returned victorious,
Ev'ry knee to Him shall bow.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crowns become the victor's brow.
Crown the Savior! Angels, crown Him!
Rich the trophies Jesus brings;
On the seat of pow'r enthrone Him
While the vault of heaven rings.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Crown the Savior King of kings.
Sinners in derision crowned Him,
Mocking thus the Savior's claim;
Saints and angels crowd around Him,
Own His title, praise His name.
Crown Him! Crown Him!
Spread abroad the Victor's fame.
Hark, those bursts of acclamation!
Hark, those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station;
Oh, what joy the sight affords!
Crown Him! Crown Him!
King of kings and Lord of lords!
LSB 495
Ascension
Today the Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world celebrates His Ascension to the right hand of the Father, exalting our human nature beyond imagining, and preparing a place for us so that even now we are seated "in Him" in the heavenly places. This is what God prepared our humanity for from the get go, but which we threw away in the Garden. This is what God restores to us in the redemption wrought in His Son. Here's a homily for the day:
Tonight, we meditate upon a single verse in our Gospel. These words: “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.”
When you hear, “sat down” what do you think of? Do you picture Jesus sitting up in heaven, twiddling his thumbs, and waiting patiently for His Father to give Him the signal that the time has come to return again in glory? What is He up to as He sits at the right hand of the Father?
First thing we need to clear up is this right hand business. The sacred writer is not giving you hints about heavenly geography, so that when you get to heaven you’ll know on which side of the Father to look to see the Lord Jesus. Right hand is bigger than that!
Recall the words of the Psalmist: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.” Ps. 118:16
The right hand of the Lord in scripture is not a place, but a power! It is almighty power. And so to say that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God is to say that He has all power, that He rules and governs all things! Listen to how Paul said it in Ephesians: “He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Eph 1:20-23
So, when we confess in the Creed that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father we confess that the human nature which He assumed from the womb of the Blessed Virgin, and in which He offered to God the sufficient ransom to release all people from the debt of sin and the power of death, that this human nature has now been exalted and raised above every height imaginable, given the exercise of all power in heaven and on earth. The One who bears in His hands the scars of the nails now rules over all!
So when I complain about the way things go in my life, when I gripe about the troubles of the world or of the Church, I am actually complaining about the way the Crucified and Risen One sees fit to govern, aren’t I? Puts a different perspective on life, doesn’t it? Me pitting my puny wisdom and ideas against the omnipotence and wisdom of Christ.
In the early days of the Church, this was not forgotten. Even as the persecutions raged and people died for the faith, they never forgot the One in charge. There’s a writing called the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp that comes down to us from those earliest days of the Church. It’s a fascinating little document, but where it really soars is at the end. Listen: “It was the second day of the first fortnight of Xanthicus, seven days before the calends of March, when our blessed Polycarp died his martyr’s death two hours after midday on the Greater Sabbath. The official responsible for his arrest was Herod; the High Priest was Philip of Tralles; and the proconsul was Statius Quadratus – BUT THE RULING MONARCH WAS JESUS CHRIST, WHO REIGNS FOREVER AND EVER. TO HIM BE ASCRIBED ALL GLORY, HONOR, MAJESTY, AND AN ETERNAL THRONE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.” (Martyrdom of Polycarp, par. 21)
What confidence and peace those early Christians had as they remembered and confessed who sits upon the throne of this universe! It can give the same confidence and peace to us.
But there’s even more to being seated at the right hand of God. Our Lord Jesus not only rules all things for the well-being of His holy Church! He also constantly intercedes for us before the Father. The writer to Hebrews put it this way: “Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them!” (Hebrews 7:25) For you, He prays. When you sin, He says to His Father, “Father, forgive. Look not upon the sin, but upon these scars that testify that I have answered for all their sin.” Thus He is our Mediator, the one who stands in the breach between us and God. His being Mediator did not cease when the work of the cross was done. He continues to be our Mediator by His unceasing intercession for us by which He saves us to the uttermost.
And yet there’s even more. Since the “right hand of God” is not to be thought of as a place, but as a power, the Ascension of our Lord does not remove Him from us, but brings Him closer to us. Oh, His visible presence is removed. But He is not removed. His promise stands forever: “Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt 28 St. Leo the Great got the hang of it. He preached to his parish in Rome: “The visible presence of Christ has passed into His sacraments.” When you come to the altar today, you not only receive the Body and Blood that were offered in your place on Calvary’s tree for the forgiveness of your sin! You receive the Body and Blood of Him who sits at the right hand of the Father, ruling over all things. Thus Paul could rejoice that “He has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2) The Sacrament lifts you that high!
How great then are the treasures contained in: “And sat down at the right hand of God.” Ruling every circumstance, and so peace displaces our complaining. Interceding constantly for us, and joy drives out our anxieties. Constantly with us in His sacraments, and so we are never alone, but always with Him who sits at the right hand of God. Jesus, our Mediator. Jesus, our King. Jesus, our Risen, Ascended, and Glorified Lord, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all glory and honor now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Tonight, we meditate upon a single verse in our Gospel. These words: “So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.”
When you hear, “sat down” what do you think of? Do you picture Jesus sitting up in heaven, twiddling his thumbs, and waiting patiently for His Father to give Him the signal that the time has come to return again in glory? What is He up to as He sits at the right hand of the Father?
First thing we need to clear up is this right hand business. The sacred writer is not giving you hints about heavenly geography, so that when you get to heaven you’ll know on which side of the Father to look to see the Lord Jesus. Right hand is bigger than that!
Recall the words of the Psalmist: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.” Ps. 118:16
The right hand of the Lord in scripture is not a place, but a power! It is almighty power. And so to say that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God is to say that He has all power, that He rules and governs all things! Listen to how Paul said it in Ephesians: “He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Eph 1:20-23
So, when we confess in the Creed that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father we confess that the human nature which He assumed from the womb of the Blessed Virgin, and in which He offered to God the sufficient ransom to release all people from the debt of sin and the power of death, that this human nature has now been exalted and raised above every height imaginable, given the exercise of all power in heaven and on earth. The One who bears in His hands the scars of the nails now rules over all!
So when I complain about the way things go in my life, when I gripe about the troubles of the world or of the Church, I am actually complaining about the way the Crucified and Risen One sees fit to govern, aren’t I? Puts a different perspective on life, doesn’t it? Me pitting my puny wisdom and ideas against the omnipotence and wisdom of Christ.
In the early days of the Church, this was not forgotten. Even as the persecutions raged and people died for the faith, they never forgot the One in charge. There’s a writing called the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp that comes down to us from those earliest days of the Church. It’s a fascinating little document, but where it really soars is at the end. Listen: “It was the second day of the first fortnight of Xanthicus, seven days before the calends of March, when our blessed Polycarp died his martyr’s death two hours after midday on the Greater Sabbath. The official responsible for his arrest was Herod; the High Priest was Philip of Tralles; and the proconsul was Statius Quadratus – BUT THE RULING MONARCH WAS JESUS CHRIST, WHO REIGNS FOREVER AND EVER. TO HIM BE ASCRIBED ALL GLORY, HONOR, MAJESTY, AND AN ETERNAL THRONE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.” (Martyrdom of Polycarp, par. 21)
What confidence and peace those early Christians had as they remembered and confessed who sits upon the throne of this universe! It can give the same confidence and peace to us.
But there’s even more to being seated at the right hand of God. Our Lord Jesus not only rules all things for the well-being of His holy Church! He also constantly intercedes for us before the Father. The writer to Hebrews put it this way: “Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them!” (Hebrews 7:25) For you, He prays. When you sin, He says to His Father, “Father, forgive. Look not upon the sin, but upon these scars that testify that I have answered for all their sin.” Thus He is our Mediator, the one who stands in the breach between us and God. His being Mediator did not cease when the work of the cross was done. He continues to be our Mediator by His unceasing intercession for us by which He saves us to the uttermost.
And yet there’s even more. Since the “right hand of God” is not to be thought of as a place, but as a power, the Ascension of our Lord does not remove Him from us, but brings Him closer to us. Oh, His visible presence is removed. But He is not removed. His promise stands forever: “Lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt 28 St. Leo the Great got the hang of it. He preached to his parish in Rome: “The visible presence of Christ has passed into His sacraments.” When you come to the altar today, you not only receive the Body and Blood that were offered in your place on Calvary’s tree for the forgiveness of your sin! You receive the Body and Blood of Him who sits at the right hand of the Father, ruling over all things. Thus Paul could rejoice that “He has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2) The Sacrament lifts you that high!
How great then are the treasures contained in: “And sat down at the right hand of God.” Ruling every circumstance, and so peace displaces our complaining. Interceding constantly for us, and joy drives out our anxieties. Constantly with us in His sacraments, and so we are never alone, but always with Him who sits at the right hand of God. Jesus, our Mediator. Jesus, our King. Jesus, our Risen, Ascended, and Glorified Lord, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all glory and honor now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
The preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments, in a different way of looking at it, are the formal cause, the effect, and function of the church. They are the formal cause, namely of the church to be established and preserved, and the function and effect of the church [that is] already established, insofar as it teaches and informs others; therefore these marks mark and point out the church both from cause to effect and from effect to cause. - Quenstedt, *The Church* p. 100
Patristic Quote of the Day
I speak of the 'Mediator between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus.' For it is as man that He is the Mediator and as man that He is the way. Where there is a way between a traveler and his destination, he can hope to reach it, but, if there is no way or if he does not know which way to take, what is the good of knowing the destination? Now, there is one way and one way alone that can save us from all aberrations, the Way which is both God and man - God as the goal and man as the means to reach it. - St. Augustine, City of God, Book XI, chapter 2
16 May 2007
We're Back!
Cindi and I just got in today from Cancun, where we celebrated 25 years of holy marriage, with Doug and Deb Dillon joining us for the last half of the week. Rather than words, I'll let the pictures do the job:
07 May 2007
One Week Hiatus
Just letting folks know that I will not be blogging from now until next Thursday. Will write more then - God willing.
Meanwhile, how are you all doing on your:
1. Praying the Psalms
2. Doing your daily Scripture reading
3. Reading from the BOC each day
4. Praying for your pastors, circuit counselors, district officials and Synodical officials
Pax Christi!!!
Meanwhile, how are you all doing on your:
1. Praying the Psalms
2. Doing your daily Scripture reading
3. Reading from the BOC each day
4. Praying for your pastors, circuit counselors, district officials and Synodical officials
Pax Christi!!!
Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice
Celebrating that LSB 556 is public domain and the copyright police can't complain about it showing up here! This is Luther's greatest hymn, hands down. If you don't know its tune, Nun Freut Euch, you miss the unmistakable undertone of joy with which even the 2nd and 3rd stanzas ring out. Take my word for it, this hymn is the quintessential expression of Gospel joy! If anyone asked: how do Lutherans preach the Gospel, this hymn is the answer.Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice,
With exultation springing,
And with united heart and voice
And holy rapture singing,
Proclaim the wonders God has done,
How His right arm the vict'ry won.
What price our ransom cost Him!
Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay;
Death brooded darkly o'er me.
Sin was my torment night and day;
In sin my mother bore me.
But daily deeper still I fell
My life became a living hell,
So firmly sin possessed me.
My own good works all came to naught;
No grace or merit gaining;
Free will against God's judgment fought,
Dead to all good remaining.
My fears increased till sheer despair
Left only death to be my share;
The pangs of hell I suffered.
But God had seen my wretched state
Before the world's foundation,
And mindful of His mercies great,
He planned my soul's salvation.
He turned to me a father's heart;
He did not choose the easy part,
But gave His dearest treasure.
God said to His beloved Son:
"It's time to have compassion.
Then go, bright jewel of My crown,
And bring to all salvation.
From sin and sorrow set them free;
Slay bitter death for them that they
May live with You forever."
The Son obeyed His Father's will,
Was born of Virgin Mother;
And God's good pleasure to fulfill,
He came to be my brother.
His royal pow'r disguised He bore;
A servant's form, like mine, He wore
To lead the devil captive.
To me He said: "Stay close to Me,
I am your rock and castle.
Your ransom I myself will be;
For you I strive and wrestle.
For I am yours and you are Mine,
And where I am you may remain;
The foe shall not divide us.
"Though he will shed My precious blood,
Me of My life bereaving,
All this I suffer for your good;
Be steadfast and believing.
Life will from death the vict'ry win;
My innocence shall bear your sin,
And you are blest forever.
"Now to My Father I depart,
From earth to heav'n ascending,
And, heavenly wisdom to impart,
The Holy Spirit sending;
In trouble He will comfort you
And teach you always to be true
And into truth shall guide you.
"What I on earth have done and taught
Guide all your life and teaching;
So shall My kingdom's work be wrought
And honored in your preaching.
But watch lest foes with base alloy
The heavenly treasure should destroy;
This final word I leave you."
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
The most remarkable picture of divine love toward us is that He joins us to Himself in a fellowship not only of created gifts, but that He shares with us from His own essence the Spirit who is co-essential or consubstantial with Himself. For we are not only participants in divine gifts but also we share in the divine nature itself. - Martin Chemnitz, *Loci Theologici* vol. 1, p. 145
Patristic Quote of the Day
It is different with the man who believes in, hopes in, loves, and truly worships God. He gives more attention to the defects in which he takes no pleasure than to whatever virtues he may have which are not so much pleasing to him as the truth. And whatever he finds that is pleasing he attributes solely to the mercy of Him whom he fears to displease, thanking God meanwhile for the defects which have been corrected and praying for the correction of the others. - St. Augustine of Hippo, *City of God* Book V, Chapter 20
06 May 2007
Cantate Reflections and More
What joy today as we blessed the renovated organ, and sang our hearts out (with lots of help from the Bells of St. Paul and the Adult Choir). Cantate, of course, celebrates the Church's song and so today we sang out the joy of the Gospel:
"Now All the Vault" as Entrance Hymn
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" as Choir Anthem
"Dear Christians, One and All Rejoice" - ALL the verses - responsively between congregation and choir (especially for Ruth!)
"I am Trusting You, Lord Jesus", "Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good" and "Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs" during distribution of the Holy Sacrament
"He is Arisen! Glorious Word!" for the concluding hymn**
The joy of Christ's resurrection victory overflows in those hymns! My all time favorite stanza is from "Dear Christians":
God said to His beloved Son:
"It's time to have compassion.
Then go, bright jewel of My crown,
And bring to all salvation.
From sin and sorrow set them free;
Slay bitter death for them that they
May live with You forever!"
What a comforting and glorious picture of God the Father!
Diane gave us a Bach prelude and a Manz recessional. From start to finish, it was overflowing joy in song. Sorta makes me wish EVERY Sunday were Cantate Sunday. :)
This afternoon was wonderful as well - we decided to forgo the congregation's softball game and all of us (Cindi and me, the three kids, and Dave and Jo) played a game of liverpool, grilled out for dinner (Cindi served up two kinds of steak, brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled asparagus, grilled squash and onion, fresh tomato and onion, strawberries and grapes - and we did quite a job on it), and then finished up with a game taboo. Lauren won the liverpool, but the gentlemen won the Taboo - BARELY.
**If you haven't had the joy yet of Lutheran Service Book Hymn Selection Guide, you want to! It makes the planning of the hymns for these Sundays a snap, and you'll love the way that the hymns tie together with the lectionary readings for various series (A, B, C, and Historic)
"Now All the Vault" as Entrance Hymn
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" as Choir Anthem
"Dear Christians, One and All Rejoice" - ALL the verses - responsively between congregation and choir (especially for Ruth!)
"I am Trusting You, Lord Jesus", "Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good" and "Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs" during distribution of the Holy Sacrament
"He is Arisen! Glorious Word!" for the concluding hymn**
The joy of Christ's resurrection victory overflows in those hymns! My all time favorite stanza is from "Dear Christians":
God said to His beloved Son:
"It's time to have compassion.
Then go, bright jewel of My crown,
And bring to all salvation.
From sin and sorrow set them free;
Slay bitter death for them that they
May live with You forever!"
What a comforting and glorious picture of God the Father!
Diane gave us a Bach prelude and a Manz recessional. From start to finish, it was overflowing joy in song. Sorta makes me wish EVERY Sunday were Cantate Sunday. :)
This afternoon was wonderful as well - we decided to forgo the congregation's softball game and all of us (Cindi and me, the three kids, and Dave and Jo) played a game of liverpool, grilled out for dinner (Cindi served up two kinds of steak, brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled asparagus, grilled squash and onion, fresh tomato and onion, strawberries and grapes - and we did quite a job on it), and then finished up with a game taboo. Lauren won the liverpool, but the gentlemen won the Taboo - BARELY.
**If you haven't had the joy yet of Lutheran Service Book Hymn Selection Guide, you want to! It makes the planning of the hymns for these Sundays a snap, and you'll love the way that the hymns tie together with the lectionary readings for various series (A, B, C, and Historic)
05 May 2007
03 May 2007
Cantate Homily Draft
[Isaiah 12:1-6 / James 1:16-21 / John 16:5-15]
“Sing praises to the Lord,” says Isaiah, “for He has done gloriously. Let this be made known in all the earth.” The Church sings; it’s just a fact. She sings and what she sings is not her warm and fuzzy emotions. Oh, there are times that her heart swells with joy as she sings. But there are other times – and maybe they are the majority – when her heart feels parched and empty. And yet she sings. She doesn’t sing because she feels happy. If you’re singing with the Church and as the Church, you sing whether you are happy or not. You sing in sadness and joy, in disappointments and in grief, in every emotional state that a human can experience. The Church sings through them all. And why? “For He has done gloriously. Let this be made known in all the earth.”
The Church sings in response to the great and mighty acts of God. She sings to make them known – to remind those who already know them, lest they forget; - to announce to those who have not yet heard of them, that they may join us in thanksgiving and grateful song. That they may be saved – which means, to join in the Church’s song with heart and voice.
The Lord has done gloriously. Believe that and you will sing! If your singing’s been a bit weak, you might want to ask yourself whether you’ve been focusing on the glorious deeds of the Lord or has your attention been on something else – something as vain and self-absorbed as how you think you sound?
Jesus gives us much to sing about in today’s Gospel. He is “going to the Father.” Have you ever thought of His suffering and dying that way? He did! “For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame.” You want something to sing about? How about this: Jesus has made all of our suffering and dying to be like His own: for those who trust that His cross was His going to the Father on our behalf, our suffering and dying become nothing less than our going to the Father too. That’s a joy to sing about, but there’s more.
Jesus says that His going to the Father was to send to us the Holy Spirit. He embraces the cross laden with our sin, He enters into our death, He rises from the grave, and He ascends to the right hand of the Father, in order to pour out upon us the most precious gift that could ever be ours: the Holy Spirit Himself.
Without the Holy Spirit, you see, you’ll never know what sin is, what righteousness is, or what judgment is. You’ll be caught up, thinking like the world that sin is all about doing and leaving undone, about rules and regulations. And you’ll think that righteousness is when you don’t sin, when you do all the stuff God tells you to do. And you’ll swear up and down that judgment is when you show up before God on the last day and he rewards you and all the good people for trying your best and doing what you could with what you had.
But along comes the Holy Spirit and He shows all of that to be balderdash. He shows us the depths of our sin – that its not just a matter of doing and leaving undone, of those rules and regulations. He shows us what we could never see without Him: that all our sinful actions flow from the one sin of our being: the sin of unbelief. He shows us that by nature we do not trust in God. We don’t believe His promises. We wonder if things are governed by chance, if God really hears our prayer, and if the sufferings that come our way are happenstance. The Spirit unveils that evil in our heart and suddenly we realize: how utterly spoiled are all the doings and not doings. Even our keeping of the law is sullied and sour. Filthy rags, as Isaiah said by the same Spirit long ago. Is that anything to sing about? Yes. It inspires us to sing: Create in me a clean heart, O God!
Ah, but see, the same Spirit then rejoices to reveal to us righteousness. Righteousness is not first about us. Righteousness is not our keeping of the law – we never live up to any of the demands of the law. In the best of our deeds, selfishness and doubt and fear and unbelief stain and ruin them. But see, righteousness, says the Spirit is this: Your Savior goes to the Father. He takes His perfect obedience through sufferings untold upon the cross, through the darkness of death and then rises from the grave and ascends into heaven to appear for you before the Father as Your Advocate. HE is righteousness. HE is perfect fulfillment of the Law on your behalf. And HE stands before the Father as the Righteous One. The Holy Spirit reveals that you were tucked into Him in your Baptism, and that His holiness clothes you entirely and begins to transform you even now – a transformation He won’t finish up until the Resurrection. And so He urges you always to hold tight to the Righteous One. In Him, your Jesus, you stand before the Father, holy and without stain. Now THAT is something to sing about. What wondrous love is this? But there’s more.
The Spirit of holiness reveals to you that judgment means that the ruler of this world is judged, condemned, thrown down. Satan, the Accuser of the Brothers, is rendered silent and he can bring no charge against those who are in Christ Jesus. The Spirit shows all this and even more. He keeps guiding you into all truth and showing you all that is yours in Jesus and it’s more than you can imagine and a lot more than I can fit into one sermon. And that’s why you sing and keep on singing.
James rejoices in today’s epistle that all goodies come down to us from the Father of lights and He never changes – He’s always the Giver God. By His will brought us forth by the word of truth – He spoke His Gospel and we became the firstfruits of a new creation. Here’s reason to sing: by the gift of rebirth through Baptism we get to live in this world already the joys of the Age that is to come. We get to practice now for eternity. And that’s why we have to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. We know that our getting all hot and bothered never produces righteousness like God requires. What produces THAT is the humble hearing and holding to the Word God plants within us – a Word that has the power to save our souls.
And so we sing that Word. We sing it that it might be planted deep within us and save our souls. The Church of Jesus Christ sings. She sings the wondrous things God has done and is doing still in her midst. She can’t stop singing without ceasing to be who she is: the Church of the living God. “Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” With singing, let us go forth to His Table to meet Him. Amen.
“Sing praises to the Lord,” says Isaiah, “for He has done gloriously. Let this be made known in all the earth.” The Church sings; it’s just a fact. She sings and what she sings is not her warm and fuzzy emotions. Oh, there are times that her heart swells with joy as she sings. But there are other times – and maybe they are the majority – when her heart feels parched and empty. And yet she sings. She doesn’t sing because she feels happy. If you’re singing with the Church and as the Church, you sing whether you are happy or not. You sing in sadness and joy, in disappointments and in grief, in every emotional state that a human can experience. The Church sings through them all. And why? “For He has done gloriously. Let this be made known in all the earth.”
The Church sings in response to the great and mighty acts of God. She sings to make them known – to remind those who already know them, lest they forget; - to announce to those who have not yet heard of them, that they may join us in thanksgiving and grateful song. That they may be saved – which means, to join in the Church’s song with heart and voice.
The Lord has done gloriously. Believe that and you will sing! If your singing’s been a bit weak, you might want to ask yourself whether you’ve been focusing on the glorious deeds of the Lord or has your attention been on something else – something as vain and self-absorbed as how you think you sound?
Jesus gives us much to sing about in today’s Gospel. He is “going to the Father.” Have you ever thought of His suffering and dying that way? He did! “For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame.” You want something to sing about? How about this: Jesus has made all of our suffering and dying to be like His own: for those who trust that His cross was His going to the Father on our behalf, our suffering and dying become nothing less than our going to the Father too. That’s a joy to sing about, but there’s more.
Jesus says that His going to the Father was to send to us the Holy Spirit. He embraces the cross laden with our sin, He enters into our death, He rises from the grave, and He ascends to the right hand of the Father, in order to pour out upon us the most precious gift that could ever be ours: the Holy Spirit Himself.
Without the Holy Spirit, you see, you’ll never know what sin is, what righteousness is, or what judgment is. You’ll be caught up, thinking like the world that sin is all about doing and leaving undone, about rules and regulations. And you’ll think that righteousness is when you don’t sin, when you do all the stuff God tells you to do. And you’ll swear up and down that judgment is when you show up before God on the last day and he rewards you and all the good people for trying your best and doing what you could with what you had.
But along comes the Holy Spirit and He shows all of that to be balderdash. He shows us the depths of our sin – that its not just a matter of doing and leaving undone, of those rules and regulations. He shows us what we could never see without Him: that all our sinful actions flow from the one sin of our being: the sin of unbelief. He shows us that by nature we do not trust in God. We don’t believe His promises. We wonder if things are governed by chance, if God really hears our prayer, and if the sufferings that come our way are happenstance. The Spirit unveils that evil in our heart and suddenly we realize: how utterly spoiled are all the doings and not doings. Even our keeping of the law is sullied and sour. Filthy rags, as Isaiah said by the same Spirit long ago. Is that anything to sing about? Yes. It inspires us to sing: Create in me a clean heart, O God!
Ah, but see, the same Spirit then rejoices to reveal to us righteousness. Righteousness is not first about us. Righteousness is not our keeping of the law – we never live up to any of the demands of the law. In the best of our deeds, selfishness and doubt and fear and unbelief stain and ruin them. But see, righteousness, says the Spirit is this: Your Savior goes to the Father. He takes His perfect obedience through sufferings untold upon the cross, through the darkness of death and then rises from the grave and ascends into heaven to appear for you before the Father as Your Advocate. HE is righteousness. HE is perfect fulfillment of the Law on your behalf. And HE stands before the Father as the Righteous One. The Holy Spirit reveals that you were tucked into Him in your Baptism, and that His holiness clothes you entirely and begins to transform you even now – a transformation He won’t finish up until the Resurrection. And so He urges you always to hold tight to the Righteous One. In Him, your Jesus, you stand before the Father, holy and without stain. Now THAT is something to sing about. What wondrous love is this? But there’s more.
The Spirit of holiness reveals to you that judgment means that the ruler of this world is judged, condemned, thrown down. Satan, the Accuser of the Brothers, is rendered silent and he can bring no charge against those who are in Christ Jesus. The Spirit shows all this and even more. He keeps guiding you into all truth and showing you all that is yours in Jesus and it’s more than you can imagine and a lot more than I can fit into one sermon. And that’s why you sing and keep on singing.
James rejoices in today’s epistle that all goodies come down to us from the Father of lights and He never changes – He’s always the Giver God. By His will brought us forth by the word of truth – He spoke His Gospel and we became the firstfruits of a new creation. Here’s reason to sing: by the gift of rebirth through Baptism we get to live in this world already the joys of the Age that is to come. We get to practice now for eternity. And that’s why we have to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. We know that our getting all hot and bothered never produces righteousness like God requires. What produces THAT is the humble hearing and holding to the Word God plants within us – a Word that has the power to save our souls.
And so we sing that Word. We sing it that it might be planted deep within us and save our souls. The Church of Jesus Christ sings. She sings the wondrous things God has done and is doing still in her midst. She can’t stop singing without ceasing to be who she is: the Church of the living God. “Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” With singing, let us go forth to His Table to meet Him. Amen.
Gerhard on Cantate's Gospel
- from Gerhard - "The fact that [unbelief] is the fount and source of other sins is to be concluded because faith is the root and beginning for every Christian virtue. From this it follows that contrariwise unbelief is the root of all sin. Where there is not faith in Christ with the heart, there can be no true prayer to God, no true love, no steadfast hope. (commenting on John 16:5-15)
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
Fourth, the Church's testimony outside of Scripture is neither purely nor in some way divine but is purely human. It is finally divine when it declares what is in harmony with Scripture. It is, therefore, impossible for us to know whether and when the testimony of the church is divine except from Scripture itself. The ultimate resolution of our faith, therefore, ought to be made in Scripture, not in the authority of the Church. We believe those things God speaks to us through the Church because of the authority of God himself, who is speaking, but not because of the authority of the Church through which He speaks. -- Johann Gerhard, *On the Nature of Theology and Scripture* p. 77
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