Thursday, October 21, 2010
things to do.
going to bodega bay for lsf retreat. then going to benson, az for english dist conference. then ref day. then i preach all saints. mom visits and i preach. then bec's fam comes and thanksgiving. then i preach first sun of advent, preach midweek service a bit later. then preach 4th sun of advent and preach midnight mass christmas eve. then comes christ's mass, new year. epiphany, lent, our baby is born and baptized and easter.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Three Solas
Happy almost Refomation Day.
The Three Solas
Sola Gratia. Grace Alone. Only by Grace.
Ps 51:5 - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
At the heart of what we believe is the conviction that salvation is the free gift of God's grace (undeserved mercy) for Christ's sake alone. "Since the fall of Adam all men who are born according to the course of nature are conceived and born in sin" (Augsburg Confession II, 1), the Lutherans confessed before Emperor Charles V in Augsburg, Germany, in 1530. This "inborn sickness and hereditary sin" makes it utterly impossible for people to earn forgiveness. If salvation were dependent on human initiative, there would be no hope for anyone. But God forgives our sins, says Luther in his Large Catechism (1529), "altogether freely, out of pure grace" (LC III, 96).
The basis for the grace of God that alone gives hope to sinners is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe, as Luther put it in his explanation to the second article of the Apostles' Creed, "that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person . . . not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. . . ." (Luther's Small Catechism with Explanations, p.14).
Romans 3:20-24 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Sola Fide. Faith Alone. Only by Faith.
Eph 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Luther had learned from Augustine that only the grace of God could save him. But Luther's rediscovery of the Gospel in all its clarity took place when he came to see that he did not first have to do something to merit God's saving grace. Philip Melanchthon, Luther's colleague at the University of Wittenberg, writes in the Augsburg Confession: "Our churches also teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ's sake through faith when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven on account of Christ, who by his death made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in his sight (Rom. 3,4)" (AC IV, 1-3).
The implications of salvation "through faith alone" permeate everything we Lutherans believe and teach. For example, we believe that the conversion of sinners is a gift of God and not the result of any human effort or decision. Lutherans therefore confess in the words of Luther's explanation to the third article of the Apostle's Creed: "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel." (Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation, p. 15).
Sola Scriptura. Scripture Alone. Only by Scripture.
2 Tim 3:14-17 - 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
While maintaining a deep appreciation for the church catholic, Lutherans believe that Scripture alone -- not Scripture and tradition, Scripture and the church, Scripture and human reason, or Scripture and experience -- stands as the final standard of what the Gospel is.
Luke 24:45-47 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
But we also believe that confidence in the reliability of the Bible is not possible apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Christians believe what the Scriptures teach because they first believe in Jesus Christ. Christ is the object of faith, not the Bible. The Bible remains a dark book apart from faith in Christ, for He is its true content. But when sinners are brought to faith in Him, Christ points them back to the writings of the prophets and apostles as the sole authoritative source for all the church believes, teaches and confesses.
The key to understanding Scripture properly, we believe, is the careful distinction between the Law and the Gospel. The Law tells what God demands of sinners if they are to be saved. The Gospel reveals what God has already done for our salvation. The chief purpose of the Law is to show us our sin and our need for a Savior. The Gospel offers the free gift of God's salvation in Christ. The whole Bible can be divided into these two chief teachings. It is in the proper distinction between Law and Gospel that the purity of the Gospel is preserved and the three solas of "grace alone," "faith alone" and "Scripture alone" are united.
Info via “An Introduction to the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod,” CPH, 2009
The Three Solas
Sola Gratia. Grace Alone. Only by Grace.
Ps 51:5 - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
At the heart of what we believe is the conviction that salvation is the free gift of God's grace (undeserved mercy) for Christ's sake alone. "Since the fall of Adam all men who are born according to the course of nature are conceived and born in sin" (Augsburg Confession II, 1), the Lutherans confessed before Emperor Charles V in Augsburg, Germany, in 1530. This "inborn sickness and hereditary sin" makes it utterly impossible for people to earn forgiveness. If salvation were dependent on human initiative, there would be no hope for anyone. But God forgives our sins, says Luther in his Large Catechism (1529), "altogether freely, out of pure grace" (LC III, 96).
The basis for the grace of God that alone gives hope to sinners is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe, as Luther put it in his explanation to the second article of the Apostles' Creed, "that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person . . . not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. . . ." (Luther's Small Catechism with Explanations, p.14).
Romans 3:20-24 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Sola Fide. Faith Alone. Only by Faith.
Eph 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Luther had learned from Augustine that only the grace of God could save him. But Luther's rediscovery of the Gospel in all its clarity took place when he came to see that he did not first have to do something to merit God's saving grace. Philip Melanchthon, Luther's colleague at the University of Wittenberg, writes in the Augsburg Confession: "Our churches also teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ's sake through faith when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven on account of Christ, who by his death made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in his sight (Rom. 3,4)" (AC IV, 1-3).
The implications of salvation "through faith alone" permeate everything we Lutherans believe and teach. For example, we believe that the conversion of sinners is a gift of God and not the result of any human effort or decision. Lutherans therefore confess in the words of Luther's explanation to the third article of the Apostle's Creed: "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel." (Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation, p. 15).
Sola Scriptura. Scripture Alone. Only by Scripture.
2 Tim 3:14-17 - 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
While maintaining a deep appreciation for the church catholic, Lutherans believe that Scripture alone -- not Scripture and tradition, Scripture and the church, Scripture and human reason, or Scripture and experience -- stands as the final standard of what the Gospel is.
Luke 24:45-47 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
But we also believe that confidence in the reliability of the Bible is not possible apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Christians believe what the Scriptures teach because they first believe in Jesus Christ. Christ is the object of faith, not the Bible. The Bible remains a dark book apart from faith in Christ, for He is its true content. But when sinners are brought to faith in Him, Christ points them back to the writings of the prophets and apostles as the sole authoritative source for all the church believes, teaches and confesses.
The key to understanding Scripture properly, we believe, is the careful distinction between the Law and the Gospel. The Law tells what God demands of sinners if they are to be saved. The Gospel reveals what God has already done for our salvation. The chief purpose of the Law is to show us our sin and our need for a Savior. The Gospel offers the free gift of God's salvation in Christ. The whole Bible can be divided into these two chief teachings. It is in the proper distinction between Law and Gospel that the purity of the Gospel is preserved and the three solas of "grace alone," "faith alone" and "Scripture alone" are united.
Info via “An Introduction to the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod,” CPH, 2009
Friday, October 15, 2010
LSF Bible Study notes100610
The Parable of the Unrighteous Judge and the Persistent Widow
The Long Suffering God who vindicates quickly wants his elect to pray constantly and confidently
Luke 18:1-8
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Verse 1
What does “always pray” mean?
-not every second, continuously. (ie uninteruppeted) Continually – regualarly consistently and with perserverence
What does “not lose heart” mean?
-other translations say, “give up, faint” I like faint. Don’t become discouraged or give up with prayers are not anwswered immediately
Verse 2
It would be very odd for someone not to “fear God” or “respect man” in Jesus’ culture, but society was very centered around God and also shame/honor among other people. Do you think the judge would fit well into our culture today? Does he remind you of anybody?
-Yes. Everyone.
Verse 3
The widow, one of the most helpless people in Jesus’ society, is asking for protection and defense against her adversary/opponent/enemy. Who is helpless and defenseless in our society?
-poor people. She and the judge are both outside the norms of their society. Shouted at him. No shame.
Who else does scripture mention is our “adversary”?
-1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
-court of law Jesus is our defense attorney. Satan is the prosecution accusing us before God
antidikos - an adversary or opponent in a lawsuit, any enemy or accuser (from, ἀντί (anti 473), against, and δίκη (dikē 1349), a cause or suit at law.
Verse 5
Why does the judge give the widow justice?
She is annoying. He doesn’t want a “beat down”
on account/because (emphasis) she gives me trouble/bothers/PESTERS!
inorder not to the end – continually, perpetpually she comes to - give one a black eye!, bruise, batter down, wear out me
- to strike/give a blow under the eyes, hit and beat the face black and blue/to cause bruises, make give in through being beaten “hit someone in the face so that he receives brown and blue marks under the eyes”
pieper – daily repentance
boxing language paul 1 cor 9:27
reputation? end up giving me a black eye
annoying – us, God – heathen judge. See if you can annoy God.
Verses 6 and 7
How do you know you are one of God’s elect?
-Baptism, Lord’s supper – outside yourself, not your own faith. What about when you are asleep, in a coma, mentally handicapped, sick.
Chosen at Baptism.
What does “cry to him day and night” mean in light of verse 1?
Regular pattern of prayer. The psalms mention this pattern. Jesus followed it, Morning and evening, meals. Kind of time DEVOTIONS!!!!
Ps 88:1 O LORD, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you.
Ps 222O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.
Verse 8
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. What will soon take place by which Jesus will ultimately “vindicate his elect?”
– Jesus’ death and resurrection. God will vindicate Jesus in resurrection by way of a cross Jerusalem is the revelation of God’s final justification
When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” What is the point of this question?
-Rhetorical question to urge faithfulness?
The principle character is God, not us The long suffering God who vindicates quickly wants his elect to pray constantly and confidently.
Good news – God is merciful and long suffering and will deliver the elect in Christ.
Our Sin: Our perception of God as a callous judge and just that.
-Our "poor widow" attitude: we accept our plight, we give up our hope, we live complacent lives as if the Son of -Man would never come again.
The Good news: God will eventually vindicate His people.
-Recieve the gift of faith which issues in continual pleading before God's throne: "Thy kingdom come!"
-The privilege of crying out: "Give me justice and defend me against my enemy!"
The church is not complacently waiting for the return of Christ; she "wrestles" with God in prayer
The Long Suffering God who vindicates quickly wants his elect to pray constantly and confidently
Luke 18:1-8
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Verse 1
What does “always pray” mean?
-not every second, continuously. (ie uninteruppeted) Continually – regualarly consistently and with perserverence
What does “not lose heart” mean?
-other translations say, “give up, faint” I like faint. Don’t become discouraged or give up with prayers are not anwswered immediately
Verse 2
It would be very odd for someone not to “fear God” or “respect man” in Jesus’ culture, but society was very centered around God and also shame/honor among other people. Do you think the judge would fit well into our culture today? Does he remind you of anybody?
-Yes. Everyone.
Verse 3
The widow, one of the most helpless people in Jesus’ society, is asking for protection and defense against her adversary/opponent/enemy. Who is helpless and defenseless in our society?
-poor people. She and the judge are both outside the norms of their society. Shouted at him. No shame.
Who else does scripture mention is our “adversary”?
-1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
-court of law Jesus is our defense attorney. Satan is the prosecution accusing us before God
antidikos - an adversary or opponent in a lawsuit, any enemy or accuser (from, ἀντί (anti 473), against, and δίκη (dikē 1349), a cause or suit at law.
Verse 5
Why does the judge give the widow justice?
She is annoying. He doesn’t want a “beat down”
on account/because (emphasis) she gives me trouble/bothers/PESTERS!
inorder not to the end – continually, perpetpually she comes to - give one a black eye!, bruise, batter down, wear out me
- to strike/give a blow under the eyes, hit and beat the face black and blue/to cause bruises, make give in through being beaten “hit someone in the face so that he receives brown and blue marks under the eyes”
pieper – daily repentance
boxing language paul 1 cor 9:27
reputation? end up giving me a black eye
annoying – us, God – heathen judge. See if you can annoy God.
Verses 6 and 7
How do you know you are one of God’s elect?
-Baptism, Lord’s supper – outside yourself, not your own faith. What about when you are asleep, in a coma, mentally handicapped, sick.
Chosen at Baptism.
What does “cry to him day and night” mean in light of verse 1?
Regular pattern of prayer. The psalms mention this pattern. Jesus followed it, Morning and evening, meals. Kind of time DEVOTIONS!!!!
Ps 88:1 O LORD, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you.
Ps 222O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.
Verse 8
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. What will soon take place by which Jesus will ultimately “vindicate his elect?”
– Jesus’ death and resurrection. God will vindicate Jesus in resurrection by way of a cross Jerusalem is the revelation of God’s final justification
When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” What is the point of this question?
-Rhetorical question to urge faithfulness?
The principle character is God, not us The long suffering God who vindicates quickly wants his elect to pray constantly and confidently.
Good news – God is merciful and long suffering and will deliver the elect in Christ.
Our Sin: Our perception of God as a callous judge and just that.
-Our "poor widow" attitude: we accept our plight, we give up our hope, we live complacent lives as if the Son of -Man would never come again.
The Good news: God will eventually vindicate His people.
-Recieve the gift of faith which issues in continual pleading before God's throne: "Thy kingdom come!"
-The privilege of crying out: "Give me justice and defend me against my enemy!"
The church is not complacently waiting for the return of Christ; she "wrestles" with God in prayer
bible study notes. What is the truth about eternity?
Eternity. Life after death.
Our culture is obsessed with it: ghost, vampire, zombies, time travelers, superheroes, spirit guides – symbols of our desire for life without end.
-products that promise to last forever (unbreakable, lifetime guarantee)
-to keep us from aging
-give us a new life
Even those who don’t believe in God or of an after life speak about people who “passed away” “went to a better place.” We all want eternal life.
There is Fear. In everyone
where does it come from? We were designed to live forever. Adam and Eve. They rebelled, sinned, but we all long for eternal life
Ecc 3;11. God set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Jesus became flesh and over came death and our rebellion and sin. We have new life now and for eternity.
Immortal God, thank you fro sending your Son in a mortal body to win for us immortality through his death and resurrection. Send your spirit to help us grasp the value of this gift. Through Jesus’ name Amen.
What lasts forever?
Eternity is forever.
We have no experience of forever.
a year in school seems to take an eternity, until you reach the end.
WE pledge to love someone always, or we at least think it. But do you know anybody has broken up with someone they love? Even the best marriage relationship ends when death parts us.
Have you ever heard the statement “this has forever changed the course of human history.?”
But everyone agrees (scientists and religious people) that the universe will end one day, human history will cease. Is there anything that lasts forever?
yeah, lets check it out.
each read one – write next to the verse what is eternal.
-
immortality imagined
Ecc 3:11
Brainstorm movies that depict eternal life or an alternate immortal life.
Left – immortality (what form – ghosts, elves, appearing after death
Right – imagination (how is this different from eternal life as we know it in God’s Word? Met a ghost? Elves?)
Why is immortality so popular in movies and books?
Who has eternal life?
Why doesn’t everyone get it?
(via cph Truth series)
Our culture is obsessed with it: ghost, vampire, zombies, time travelers, superheroes, spirit guides – symbols of our desire for life without end.
-products that promise to last forever (unbreakable, lifetime guarantee)
-to keep us from aging
-give us a new life
Even those who don’t believe in God or of an after life speak about people who “passed away” “went to a better place.” We all want eternal life.
There is Fear. In everyone
where does it come from? We were designed to live forever. Adam and Eve. They rebelled, sinned, but we all long for eternal life
Ecc 3;11. God set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Jesus became flesh and over came death and our rebellion and sin. We have new life now and for eternity.
Immortal God, thank you fro sending your Son in a mortal body to win for us immortality through his death and resurrection. Send your spirit to help us grasp the value of this gift. Through Jesus’ name Amen.
What lasts forever?
Eternity is forever.
We have no experience of forever.
a year in school seems to take an eternity, until you reach the end.
WE pledge to love someone always, or we at least think it. But do you know anybody has broken up with someone they love? Even the best marriage relationship ends when death parts us.
Have you ever heard the statement “this has forever changed the course of human history.?”
But everyone agrees (scientists and religious people) that the universe will end one day, human history will cease. Is there anything that lasts forever?
yeah, lets check it out.
each read one – write next to the verse what is eternal.
-
immortality imagined
Ecc 3:11
Brainstorm movies that depict eternal life or an alternate immortal life.
Left – immortality (what form – ghosts, elves, appearing after death
Right – imagination (how is this different from eternal life as we know it in God’s Word? Met a ghost? Elves?)
Why is immortality so popular in movies and books?
Who has eternal life?
Why doesn’t everyone get it?
(via cph Truth series)
chapel101310
Chapel 101310
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Can anybody tell me what this is? That’s right. It’s a thank you card. What are these cards used for? Right. We use them to show our appreciation when someone has done something special for us or given us something.
Sometimes people forget to say thank you. You may even think its rude if someone doesn’t thank you when you do something nice for them or when you give them a gift. But we often forget to thank God, who is the giver of all good gifts.
In our reading for today, Jesus gave a great gift to 10 lepers. Not leopards, like the big cats with spots on them, but lepers. These are people that had leprosy, one of the worst diseases in Jesus’ time. People who had leprosy were forced to leave their homes and their families and go to places all by where only other people with leprosy lived. They usually stayed there until they died. They hardly ever got better because there was no medicine to heal leprosy. When the 10 lepers in our story saw Jesus, they called out for help, “Jesus, have mercy on us!” We will sing these words later in chapel this morning. We are confessing that we are helpless like those lepers when we cry out “Lord, have mercy!” We have a disease worse than leprosy. We have the disease of sin.
Well, Jesus healed the lepers. It was a miracle. The lepers could finally go back to their families. Jesus also heals us, from our disease of sin by his death on the cross. We are able to join the family of God.
All 10 of the lepers in the story were healed but only one went back to thank Jesus. What are some reasons why we don’t say thank you? Yeah, we forget, don’t appreciate the gift, get distracted
Why did the one leper return? Jesus tells him, “Your faith has made you well.” The leper that returned was healed from his sickness and from his sins because of his faith in Jesus.
There are lots of things we can thank God for, but the most important is the gift of salvation and faith in Jesus Christ. We don’t need to write God a thank-you note, but we can say thank you to him when we pray to Him and sing to Him and when we continue to call out Lord, have mercy! Let’s thank God for the gifts He has given us.
Father in Heaven, thank you for giving us life, for taking care of us, and most of all for giving your Son Jesus to save us. Thank you for the most precious gift of faith and eternal life in heaven. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Can anybody tell me what this is? That’s right. It’s a thank you card. What are these cards used for? Right. We use them to show our appreciation when someone has done something special for us or given us something.
Sometimes people forget to say thank you. You may even think its rude if someone doesn’t thank you when you do something nice for them or when you give them a gift. But we often forget to thank God, who is the giver of all good gifts.
In our reading for today, Jesus gave a great gift to 10 lepers. Not leopards, like the big cats with spots on them, but lepers. These are people that had leprosy, one of the worst diseases in Jesus’ time. People who had leprosy were forced to leave their homes and their families and go to places all by where only other people with leprosy lived. They usually stayed there until they died. They hardly ever got better because there was no medicine to heal leprosy. When the 10 lepers in our story saw Jesus, they called out for help, “Jesus, have mercy on us!” We will sing these words later in chapel this morning. We are confessing that we are helpless like those lepers when we cry out “Lord, have mercy!” We have a disease worse than leprosy. We have the disease of sin.
Well, Jesus healed the lepers. It was a miracle. The lepers could finally go back to their families. Jesus also heals us, from our disease of sin by his death on the cross. We are able to join the family of God.
All 10 of the lepers in the story were healed but only one went back to thank Jesus. What are some reasons why we don’t say thank you? Yeah, we forget, don’t appreciate the gift, get distracted
Why did the one leper return? Jesus tells him, “Your faith has made you well.” The leper that returned was healed from his sickness and from his sins because of his faith in Jesus.
There are lots of things we can thank God for, but the most important is the gift of salvation and faith in Jesus Christ. We don’t need to write God a thank-you note, but we can say thank you to him when we pray to Him and sing to Him and when we continue to call out Lord, have mercy! Let’s thank God for the gifts He has given us.
Father in Heaven, thank you for giving us life, for taking care of us, and most of all for giving your Son Jesus to save us. Thank you for the most precious gift of faith and eternal life in heaven. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Pentecost 21 - Constant, Confident Prayer – Luke 18:1-8
Pentecost 21 - Constant, Confident Prayer – Luke 18:1-8
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Imagine you’re the parent of a 2 or 3 year old child, (this may be easier for some to imagine than others). How would you feel if that child did not communicate with you for a week? Not only that, but imagine that the child tries to do everything for himself: tries to make all his own meals, wash his own clothes, clip his own finger nails, do his own grocery shopping. This behavior would vary from humorous to downright dangerous.
It’s because small children are helpless. We all know this. It may be hard to believe, but everyone in here was a small child once. When we were children, we relied on our parents for everything. If left by ourselves, we would not have survived. When we needed something, we cried out and our parent took care of us. Our parents knew what we needed even more than we did.
Though we have grown up, we are still helpless little children. We are God’s children and are as dependant upon God for every need now as we were dependant upon our parents so long ago. But instead of calling out to our Father and receiving from Him, we often go a long time without even communicating with Him. We do not pray. And as absurd as it may be, we try to do everything for ourselves.
Why don’t we pray?
As we journey through life, we are like the kids in the back seat who constantly ask, “Are we there yet?” We don’t like God’s time schedule. We’re impatient. We’d like to be the one who’s driving, even though our feet can’t even reach the petals.
When you’re a kid in the backseat, it’s hard to see where you are going and it’s difficult to realize that any progress is being made in the journey. It is also hard to see the effect of prayer. Our prayers may not get answered in the way we would like them to be. We don’t understand. Sometimes God may appear to be indifferent, unresponsive, and unhelpful, like those parents in the front seat appear to be.
Sometimes we don’t acknowledge that we are simply helpless children. We live our lives like practical atheists, who sit in a pew on Sunday, but behave the rest of the week as if God did not exist. Other things take precedent over God.
All this can produce guilt for not praying, causing us to lose heart. Praying can feel like a chore, something to check off the to-do list. If we forget to pray, we may feel guilty and see God as a cruel judge out to punish us, rather than seeing God as our Father and ourselves as his children.
We are children, dysfunctional children, but children nonetheless. Imagine being a child again (again this may be easier for some to imagine than others). Sometimes I think it might not be half bad: no work, a free place to stay, someone cooks all your meals, does all your laundry. Kids have a good setup. Why? Because they can’t take care of themselves. They are helpless. Their parents take care of them. In the same way, Our Father takes care of us.
It’s good to see yourself as a child, in fact, Jesus said “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." We are helpless. We need our Father’s provision and guidance.
In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus told his disciples a parable about a helpless widow. She was alone with no one to provide for her and had an adversary bringing suit against her. But she recognized that she was helpless and knew where to turn for help. Day and night she pleaded to an unrighteous judge, pestering him until he showed her justice against her adversary. Jesus points out that if this is what an unrighteous judge does, how much more will God give justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night?
We Christians are helpless, like children, like this widow, but we too know where to turn for help. Our Father in heaven is not an unrighteous judge. How much more will He protect and defend us, his Children?
The courtroom imagery Jesus uses works for our situation as well. The helpless widow had an adversary, bringing suit against her. We too have an adversary, the devil, who is like a roaring lion, walking around seeing who He can devour. Satan acts as the prosecution against us, accusing us before God. He reminds us of our sin. He loads us down with guilt for all our failures, like our failure to pray and not lose heart.
If we were alone in pleading our case, we’d be sunk. In fact, we have no case. We are indeed guilty as sin. We, like the widow, are helpless. Our sin confronts us and Satan accuses us. We have nothing to do but confess and repent, falling on the mercy of the court. Because of our sin, the verdict is that we are condemned sinners.
But it’s not case closed. We, like the widow, know where to turn for help. We have a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He has more forgiveness than we have sin. And we have an amazing defense attorney, an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the righteous one.
Jesus says that God will give justice speedily to us, the elect and chosen children of God. Our justice comes through Jesus, our advocate, who offers a guilty plea in our place for our crimes against God. He gives us his innocence, his righteousness and takes our death sentence upon himself by his sacrifice on the cross.
Because of Christ, we have every reason for confidence and hope. Because of Jesus, we strive to always pray and not lose heart, as he encourages us in our Gospel reading.
Always pray? How is that possible? “Always pray” does not mean you must do nothing in life except pray every minute. It means to pray consistently and regularly, like sitting down and having a chat with your family at the dinner table. Dinner time conversation is a routine that families have. It is the same with us and our Heavenly Father. We pray consistently and confidently, day and night by developing holy habits and routines.
We all have good habits and routines in our lives like brushing our teeth and washing our face. How did you develop that habit? You did it day after day. It became a routine. It is the same with prayer. Daily prayer is like the rhythm of life. It is like breathing. It is like waking up and going to bed. It is like eating a meal.
The Bible mentions that Jesus set aside time for prayer in the morning and evening and at meals. That is a good routine for us to develop as well. The disciples recognized Jesus’ holy habit of prayer and said to Him, “Teach us how to pray.” Jesus gave them the words to say; what we call the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is not an obligation, but an invitation to join Jesus in prayer to ‘Our’ Father.
We are invited to join in the pattern of Christ. In the morning, just after you wake up, join in prayer with our Savior to Our Father. In the evening, just before you go to bed, join in prayer. When you sit down for a meal, join in prayer.
If you don’t have a copy of Portals of Prayer (hold up), pick one up as you leave. They are in the back and are provided by your church to aid in your prayer and devotional life. It gives you words to say: Luther’s Morning and Evening and Table Prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, a prayer for the beginning and end of each day.
This is one of many tools you may use to help develop a prayer routine. But remember, there is no law or obligation in how you pray. Prayer is a gift, not a burden. In prayer, we receive from God, we do not perform a work for Him. No need to beat yourself up over how little you pray, or be weighed down by guilt because you don’t pray as much as you’d like. If you forget to pray, You are forgiven! Repent, turn to God in prayer and receive from Him. Nobody prays enough, nobody does anything enough. Except Jesus.
In every circumstance of life, Jesus prayed. In the book of Luke, we are told that Jesus prayed at his baptism and before he went out to preach. Jesus prayed before he chose his 12 apostles and before his transfiguration. Jesus prayed in lonely places by himself and in private with his disciples. Jesus prayed before he fed the 5,000, before the Last Supper, and before his meal in Emmaus. Jesus prayed for the Father’s will to be done, in the garden before his crucifixion. Jesus prayed for the Father to forgive those who crucified him, as he hung on the cross. Jesus prayed to commit his Spirit to his Father as He died.
Right now, Jesus is still praying and he invites us to join Him. Through Jesus’ intercession we are able to confidently approach God’s throne of grace. We pray as if it means something, because it does. We pray as if we are talking to God, because we are. We pray as if the one we are talking to has redeemed the entire world and us, because He has. We pray as if our life depends on it, because it does. We pray like the helpless children that we are, relying entirely upon our Father, constantly approaching him day and night, confident that He will hear us on account of Christ our Lord.
Vicar Darren Harbaugh
Imagine you’re the parent of a 2 or 3 year old child, (this may be easier for some to imagine than others). How would you feel if that child did not communicate with you for a week? Not only that, but imagine that the child tries to do everything for himself: tries to make all his own meals, wash his own clothes, clip his own finger nails, do his own grocery shopping. This behavior would vary from humorous to downright dangerous.
It’s because small children are helpless. We all know this. It may be hard to believe, but everyone in here was a small child once. When we were children, we relied on our parents for everything. If left by ourselves, we would not have survived. When we needed something, we cried out and our parent took care of us. Our parents knew what we needed even more than we did.
Though we have grown up, we are still helpless little children. We are God’s children and are as dependant upon God for every need now as we were dependant upon our parents so long ago. But instead of calling out to our Father and receiving from Him, we often go a long time without even communicating with Him. We do not pray. And as absurd as it may be, we try to do everything for ourselves.
Why don’t we pray?
As we journey through life, we are like the kids in the back seat who constantly ask, “Are we there yet?” We don’t like God’s time schedule. We’re impatient. We’d like to be the one who’s driving, even though our feet can’t even reach the petals.
When you’re a kid in the backseat, it’s hard to see where you are going and it’s difficult to realize that any progress is being made in the journey. It is also hard to see the effect of prayer. Our prayers may not get answered in the way we would like them to be. We don’t understand. Sometimes God may appear to be indifferent, unresponsive, and unhelpful, like those parents in the front seat appear to be.
Sometimes we don’t acknowledge that we are simply helpless children. We live our lives like practical atheists, who sit in a pew on Sunday, but behave the rest of the week as if God did not exist. Other things take precedent over God.
All this can produce guilt for not praying, causing us to lose heart. Praying can feel like a chore, something to check off the to-do list. If we forget to pray, we may feel guilty and see God as a cruel judge out to punish us, rather than seeing God as our Father and ourselves as his children.
We are children, dysfunctional children, but children nonetheless. Imagine being a child again (again this may be easier for some to imagine than others). Sometimes I think it might not be half bad: no work, a free place to stay, someone cooks all your meals, does all your laundry. Kids have a good setup. Why? Because they can’t take care of themselves. They are helpless. Their parents take care of them. In the same way, Our Father takes care of us.
It’s good to see yourself as a child, in fact, Jesus said “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." We are helpless. We need our Father’s provision and guidance.
In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus told his disciples a parable about a helpless widow. She was alone with no one to provide for her and had an adversary bringing suit against her. But she recognized that she was helpless and knew where to turn for help. Day and night she pleaded to an unrighteous judge, pestering him until he showed her justice against her adversary. Jesus points out that if this is what an unrighteous judge does, how much more will God give justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night?
We Christians are helpless, like children, like this widow, but we too know where to turn for help. Our Father in heaven is not an unrighteous judge. How much more will He protect and defend us, his Children?
The courtroom imagery Jesus uses works for our situation as well. The helpless widow had an adversary, bringing suit against her. We too have an adversary, the devil, who is like a roaring lion, walking around seeing who He can devour. Satan acts as the prosecution against us, accusing us before God. He reminds us of our sin. He loads us down with guilt for all our failures, like our failure to pray and not lose heart.
If we were alone in pleading our case, we’d be sunk. In fact, we have no case. We are indeed guilty as sin. We, like the widow, are helpless. Our sin confronts us and Satan accuses us. We have nothing to do but confess and repent, falling on the mercy of the court. Because of our sin, the verdict is that we are condemned sinners.
But it’s not case closed. We, like the widow, know where to turn for help. We have a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He has more forgiveness than we have sin. And we have an amazing defense attorney, an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the righteous one.
Jesus says that God will give justice speedily to us, the elect and chosen children of God. Our justice comes through Jesus, our advocate, who offers a guilty plea in our place for our crimes against God. He gives us his innocence, his righteousness and takes our death sentence upon himself by his sacrifice on the cross.
Because of Christ, we have every reason for confidence and hope. Because of Jesus, we strive to always pray and not lose heart, as he encourages us in our Gospel reading.
Always pray? How is that possible? “Always pray” does not mean you must do nothing in life except pray every minute. It means to pray consistently and regularly, like sitting down and having a chat with your family at the dinner table. Dinner time conversation is a routine that families have. It is the same with us and our Heavenly Father. We pray consistently and confidently, day and night by developing holy habits and routines.
We all have good habits and routines in our lives like brushing our teeth and washing our face. How did you develop that habit? You did it day after day. It became a routine. It is the same with prayer. Daily prayer is like the rhythm of life. It is like breathing. It is like waking up and going to bed. It is like eating a meal.
The Bible mentions that Jesus set aside time for prayer in the morning and evening and at meals. That is a good routine for us to develop as well. The disciples recognized Jesus’ holy habit of prayer and said to Him, “Teach us how to pray.” Jesus gave them the words to say; what we call the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is not an obligation, but an invitation to join Jesus in prayer to ‘Our’ Father.
We are invited to join in the pattern of Christ. In the morning, just after you wake up, join in prayer with our Savior to Our Father. In the evening, just before you go to bed, join in prayer. When you sit down for a meal, join in prayer.
If you don’t have a copy of Portals of Prayer (hold up), pick one up as you leave. They are in the back and are provided by your church to aid in your prayer and devotional life. It gives you words to say: Luther’s Morning and Evening and Table Prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, a prayer for the beginning and end of each day.
This is one of many tools you may use to help develop a prayer routine. But remember, there is no law or obligation in how you pray. Prayer is a gift, not a burden. In prayer, we receive from God, we do not perform a work for Him. No need to beat yourself up over how little you pray, or be weighed down by guilt because you don’t pray as much as you’d like. If you forget to pray, You are forgiven! Repent, turn to God in prayer and receive from Him. Nobody prays enough, nobody does anything enough. Except Jesus.
In every circumstance of life, Jesus prayed. In the book of Luke, we are told that Jesus prayed at his baptism and before he went out to preach. Jesus prayed before he chose his 12 apostles and before his transfiguration. Jesus prayed in lonely places by himself and in private with his disciples. Jesus prayed before he fed the 5,000, before the Last Supper, and before his meal in Emmaus. Jesus prayed for the Father’s will to be done, in the garden before his crucifixion. Jesus prayed for the Father to forgive those who crucified him, as he hung on the cross. Jesus prayed to commit his Spirit to his Father as He died.
Right now, Jesus is still praying and he invites us to join Him. Through Jesus’ intercession we are able to confidently approach God’s throne of grace. We pray as if it means something, because it does. We pray as if we are talking to God, because we are. We pray as if the one we are talking to has redeemed the entire world and us, because He has. We pray as if our life depends on it, because it does. We pray like the helpless children that we are, relying entirely upon our Father, constantly approaching him day and night, confident that He will hear us on account of Christ our Lord.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
What is fellowship?
I used to think that a good church had: good fellowship, good music and a good sermon. I stopped going to church when I realized that I had better fellowship with my friends at a bar, I heard better music on my ipod, and could download a better sermon online.
Why go to church?
Fellowship is indeed a good reason, but what is it? It may not mean what you think it means.
Some churches have said, "We've lost any idea of community," and responded by promoting that they are all about "fellowship." This seems to involve hanging out with other Christians. It's probably a good idea to define what fellowship is. The Bible is a good place to look.
The New Testament speaks of koinōnia - "sharing" or "participation in a common thing" Christian fellowship has a earthly but also a heavenly dimension.
We have fellowship (share/participate) with Christ - 1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship (koinōnia)of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
We have fellowship (share/participate) in the body and blood of Christ - I Cor 10:16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation (koinōnia) in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation (koinōnia)in the body of Christ?
We fellowship (share/participate) as we serve (diakonia) others - 2 cor 8:3-4 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part (koinōnia) in the relief of the saints
We fellowship (share/participate) with the Holy Spirit - 2 cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship (koinōnia) of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
We fellowship (share/participate) in the sufferings of Christ - Phil 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share (koinōnia) his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Our God actually comes to us in his body and blood, fellowshiping with us in an awesome, mysterious way and we fellowship with him in our journey through the Christian life in an awesome mysterious way. I like hanging out with people, but fellowship with God - our creator, redeemer and sanctifier beats coffee hour any day.
p.s. All this is not to downplay the communion of the saints (where 2 or 3 are gathered, there I am in the midst of you) Also, When we sing to God, we join our voices with angels and archangels, all the saints and the whole host of heaven, magnifying and glorifying God. That is also awesome fellowship, but I think that's a whole other aspect of this "fellowship" topic to be addressed.)
Why go to church?
Fellowship is indeed a good reason, but what is it? It may not mean what you think it means.
Some churches have said, "We've lost any idea of community," and responded by promoting that they are all about "fellowship." This seems to involve hanging out with other Christians. It's probably a good idea to define what fellowship is. The Bible is a good place to look.
The New Testament speaks of koinōnia - "sharing" or "participation in a common thing" Christian fellowship has a earthly but also a heavenly dimension.
We have fellowship (share/participate) with Christ - 1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship (koinōnia)of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
We have fellowship (share/participate) in the body and blood of Christ - I Cor 10:16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation (koinōnia) in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation (koinōnia)in the body of Christ?
We fellowship (share/participate) as we serve (diakonia) others - 2 cor 8:3-4 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part (koinōnia) in the relief of the saints
We fellowship (share/participate) with the Holy Spirit - 2 cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship (koinōnia) of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
We fellowship (share/participate) in the sufferings of Christ - Phil 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share (koinōnia) his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Our God actually comes to us in his body and blood, fellowshiping with us in an awesome, mysterious way and we fellowship with him in our journey through the Christian life in an awesome mysterious way. I like hanging out with people, but fellowship with God - our creator, redeemer and sanctifier beats coffee hour any day.
p.s. All this is not to downplay the communion of the saints (where 2 or 3 are gathered, there I am in the midst of you) Also, When we sing to God, we join our voices with angels and archangels, all the saints and the whole host of heaven, magnifying and glorifying God. That is also awesome fellowship, but I think that's a whole other aspect of this "fellowship" topic to be addressed.)
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