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 Sacrament of the Altar, Part 7: Click here and read 75-87.
The basics:
- If we do not feel hunger or thirst for the Sacrament, we need to remember that we are made of flesh. St. Paul tells us in Galations 5 that the fruit of the flesh are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. Run to the Sacrament because of your flesh!
- If you are unable to feel your own sinful flesh, at least believe the Scriptures; they will not lie to you, and they know your flesh better than you yourself.
- The less you feel your sins and infirmities, the more reason you have to go to the Sacrament to seek help and a remedy.
- If you are in the world, there will be sins and misery. Others will do things to give you cause for sin.
- The devil leads the heart astray from the Word of God, and blinds it, that we cannot feel our distress or come to Christ.
- If after seeing the impact of your flesh, the world, and the devil, you still do not hunger and thirst for the Sacrament, ask others to pray that the stone be removed from your heart. And come to the Sacrament more eagerly, as to fight off the flesh, the world, and the devil which are deceiving you.
- This exhortation of the faith is for the old and grown and the young, who ought to be brought up in the Christian doctrine and understanding. They need to practice this from their youth and accustom themselves to them.
- It is the father of the family's duty, by the command of God, to teach these things to his children.
My thoughts today:
That's all he wrote, my friends.
Ha!
Along with about 6 million other things - all about as awesome as the next.
Don't let this be the last Luther you read. Don't let this be the last foundational Lutheran document you read. Like I said when we started this journey 15 weeks ago, there is just so much really bad theology out there for you to read. You must fill yourself with good stuff.
It will make you change the way you respond to daily struggles.
It will make you capable of fighting off incorrect doctrine.
It will force you to see yourself as a poor, miserable sinner, in need of real forgiveness.
It will pour the Gospel out on you in ways you have never experienced.
The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, has given us the good stuff.
Soak it up, friends.
I'm out.
