Read the Large Catechism with me.
Ten-minute studies on short readings from the Large Catechism.
Let's do this.
Click on the link below and read the short assigned reading. Then, if you have time, check out what I have to say about it. If not, no problem. Just soak up the goodness of the LC.
The Apostles' Creed Article 2: Click here and read 25-33.
The basics:
- And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
- God has completely poured forth Himself and withheld nothing from us through the Second Person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ.
- In this article, we learn how we have been redeemed. What do you believe in the Second Article of Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ, true Son of God, has become my Lord. But what is it to become Lord? That He has redeemed me from sin, from the devil, from death, and all evil. Before I had no King. I was captive under the power of the devil, condemned to death, enmeshed in sin and blindness.
- The devil led us into disobedience, sin, death, and all evil, and we fell under God's wrath and displeasure, as we had deserved. The Son of God had compassion on our misery, and came from heaven to help us. He has made us free.
- The sum of this article is that the word Lord signifies Redeemer - He who has brought us from Satan to God, from death to life, from sin to righteousness, and who preserves us in the same.
- The rest of the article explains this redemption: how and whereby it was accomplished, how much it cost Him, and what He spent and risked that He might win us,
- He did none of this for Himself.
- On the last day, He will completely part and separate us from the wicked world, the devil, death, sin, etc.
- The entire Gospel which our pastors preach is based on this.
My thoughts today:
OK, so this section cannot be read only once. Seriously, find another five minutes later today and read it again. Why? Because it is the Gospel.
The Gospel is good for you to hear and read over and over again. First, because it creates faith in you. Second, so you can recognize when you are hearing the Gospel being preached and when you are hearing rubbish from the pulpit.
From paragraph 33:
"Ay, the entire Gospel which we preach is based on this, that we properly understand this article as that upon which our salvation and all our happiness rest, and which is so rich and comprehensive that we never can learn it fully."
Who is Luther talking to again? Oh, yes, back to the introduction a long time ago - the Large Catechism is for everyone but most especially pastors.
Itching ears want to hear new and different things. We want to hear things we don't need to hear. Here, Luther is reminding preachers of the Gospel that they are indeed preachers of the Gospel. What do they preach? The Gospel.
Preachers don't preach about how you can do something to get to heaven.
Preachers don't preach about how you win people for Christ.
Preachers don't preach about how you can have your best life now.
Preachers preach the Gospel - in season and out of season.
They keep preaching the same Gospel when you think you know it.
They keep preaching the same Gospel when you know you don't know it.
"...which is so rich and comprehensive that we never can learn it fully."
Upon this article rests our salvation and all our happiness. Preachers need not preach anything else.
So, go ahead and find another five minutes today to read Luther's words again.
The words of a preacher. The words of the Gospel.
