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 Lord's Prayer Introduction, Part 3: Click here and read 21-34.
The basics:
- We should be drawn to prayer because God arranges the words and form for us. He places them upon our lips. Through this we may see how heartily He pities us in our distress and never doubt that such prayer is pleasing to Him and shall be answered.
- The Lord's Prayer has a great advantage over all other prayers that we might compose ourselves, because we can be certain it is pleasing to God.
- The Lord's Prayer has been prescribed so we should see and consider the distress which ought to urge and compel us to pray without ceasing.
- Prayer done as a good work and without asking of God is to be rejected. Those who do this act as though they are unwilling to take anything from God, but wish only to give Him something.
- There must be earnestness in true prayer. We must feel our distress - such distress that presses us and compels us to call and cry out. The distress which ought to concern us most is abundantly set forth in the Lord's Prayer.
- God requires that we plead for our necessities and wants, not because He does not know them, but that we may have our hearts opened to stronger and greater desires, and expect to receive much.
- We should accustom ourselves from youth to daily pray for all our wants, and for the needs and wants of those among us: our pastors, the government, neighbors, etc.
- The devil is well aware of what damage and harm it does him when prayer is in proper practice, and therefore, he works to discourage prayer.
- All our shelter and protection rest in prayer alone. We are too weak to cope with the devil and all his power. We must take up the weapons with which Christians must be armed in order to stand against the devil.
- Whenever a Christian prays, "Dear Father, let Thy will be done," God speaks and says, "Yes, dear child, it shall be so, in spite of the devil and all the world."
- Each petition of the Lord's Prayer states a need, every need we have, so great that it ought to constrain us to keep praying it all our lives.
My thoughts today:
The Lord's Prayer - the perfect prayer to pray each day and the perfect prayer to instruct and guide our other prayers.
A few times throughout these readings Luther has discussed how little we actually see our own needs. Sure, we think we know them, but we are blinded by this world. What we see as needs are generally not what God knows our needs are. He has given us a prayer that instructs us to see our true needs.
The distress which ought to concern us most is abundantly set forth in the Lord's Prayer.
There is nothing wrong with praying God will help you find your lost keys.
There is nothing wrong with praying God will help your baby go back to sleep [you know, like I was crying out at 12, 3, and 5 a.m. this morning].
Luther reminds us God desires spontaneous, crying out prayers. But these prayers should be stemming from a prayer life filled with the Lord's Prayer. From this prayer, God works our hearts to be turned to greater desires. He molds our perceptions of needs and wants. He points us to His will, which is the greatest will that could possibly be done.
Dear Father, let Thy will be done.
Yes, dear child, it shall be so, in spite of the devil and all the world.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Large Catechism: The Lord's Prayer Introduction, Part 2
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 Lord's Prayer Introduction, Part 2: Click here and read 12-21.
The basics:
- On our account prayer would amount to nothing, but He has commanded it. Therefore everybody should always come before God in obedience to this commandment.
- It is disobedient to do prayer for the work of it, but expect it may not be heard. That is staking prayer on risk, and therefore it is a lost prayer.
- No matter the holiness of the man, prayer is still commanded. It is commanded as much for St. Paul as it is for me.
- Our prayers are precious, holy, and pleasing to God. God does not regard prayer on account of the person, but on account of His word and obedience to it.
- All our prayers must be based and rest upon obedience to God, irrespective of our person, whether we be sinners or saints, worthy or unworthy.
- If God did not intend to answer our prayers, He would not command that we pray.
- God promises it shall be done as we pray. Psalm 50:15 and Matthew 7:7.
- "This you can hold up to Him and say: Here I come, dear Father, and pray, not of my own purpose nor upon my own worthiness, but at Thy commandment and promise, which cannot fail or deceive me." Paragraph 21.
My thoughts today:
Here are a few quotes from today that I need to pin up on the fridge for reminding. If I was awesome, I would make you free printables. We all know that is what awesome bloggers do.
I am no awesome blogger. So, you just get the words. Do some old school WordArt to it, and you got yourself a printable. And it's free!
"Here I come, dear Father, and pray, not of my own purpose nor upon my own worthiness, but at Thy commandment and promise, which cannot fail or deceive me."
"My prayer is as precious, holy, and pleasing to God as that of St. Paul or of the most holy saints...For I gladly grant that he is holier in his person, but not on account of the commandment; since God does not regard prayer on account of the person, but on account of His word and obedience thereto."
"...I pray for the same thing for which [the saints] all pray and ever have prayed; besides, I have just as great a need of it as those great saints, yea, even a greater one than they."
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 Lord's Prayer Introduction, Part 2: Click here and read 12-21.
The basics:
- On our account prayer would amount to nothing, but He has commanded it. Therefore everybody should always come before God in obedience to this commandment.
- It is disobedient to do prayer for the work of it, but expect it may not be heard. That is staking prayer on risk, and therefore it is a lost prayer.
- No matter the holiness of the man, prayer is still commanded. It is commanded as much for St. Paul as it is for me.
- Our prayers are precious, holy, and pleasing to God. God does not regard prayer on account of the person, but on account of His word and obedience to it.
- All our prayers must be based and rest upon obedience to God, irrespective of our person, whether we be sinners or saints, worthy or unworthy.
- If God did not intend to answer our prayers, He would not command that we pray.
- God promises it shall be done as we pray. Psalm 50:15 and Matthew 7:7.
- "This you can hold up to Him and say: Here I come, dear Father, and pray, not of my own purpose nor upon my own worthiness, but at Thy commandment and promise, which cannot fail or deceive me." Paragraph 21.
My thoughts today:
Here are a few quotes from today that I need to pin up on the fridge for reminding. If I was awesome, I would make you free printables. We all know that is what awesome bloggers do.
I am no awesome blogger. So, you just get the words. Do some old school WordArt to it, and you got yourself a printable. And it's free!
"Here I come, dear Father, and pray, not of my own purpose nor upon my own worthiness, but at Thy commandment and promise, which cannot fail or deceive me."
"My prayer is as precious, holy, and pleasing to God as that of St. Paul or of the most holy saints...For I gladly grant that he is holier in his person, but not on account of the commandment; since God does not regard prayer on account of the person, but on account of His word and obedience thereto."
"...I pray for the same thing for which [the saints] all pray and ever have prayed; besides, I have just as great a need of it as those great saints, yea, even a greater one than they."
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Large Catechism: The Lord's Prayer Introduction, Part 1
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 Lord's Prayer Introduction, Part 1: Click here and read 1-11.
The basics:
- We have learned what me must do and believe in the previous sections, now we learn how we ought to pray.
- We are unable to follow the Ten Commandments even though we have begun to believe the Apostles' Creed. Therefore, we must pray to Him, that He would give, preserve, and increase in us faith and the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments, and that He would remove everything that is in our way of doing so.
- It is our duty to pray because of God's commandment. In the Second Commandment, we are commanded to call upon the name of our Lord in every need.
- Some fall into a pattern of not praying, because they think someone else will pray.
- "Just as it would be idle for a son to say to his father, 'Of what advantage is my obedience? I will go and do what I can; it is all the same;' but there stands the commandment, Thou shalt and must do it, so also here it is not left to my will to do it or leave it undone, but prayer shall and must be offered at the risk of God's wrath and displeasure."
- The heart is by nature so depressed that it always flees from God and believes He does not wish or desire our prayer because we are sinners and have merited nothing but wrath.
- By the Second Commandment, He shows us that He wishes to draw us to Himself, that we are humbled and share our misery and plight with Him, and pray for grace and help.
My thoughts today:
Throughout my life, I have gone through various stages of praying. I distinctly remember in college that I kept a sheet of paper taped by my bed. It was a list of all the things I should have been praying for. Each night I would say, "Dear Lord, You know the list. Amen."
OK, maybe a few other words were in there, but that was pretty much the extent of it. And while He did, in fact, know the list, I am pretty sure that isn't exactly what He commands in calling upon His name in every need.
The truth is it is just so hard sometimes. Life takes over - in whatever stage or season of life we are in. Papers must be written. Chores must be done. Dinner must be cooked. Diapers have to be changed. Lessons have to be taught. Blog posts must be written...Oh, maybe not that one. But you get my point. There is so much to pray for that our brains can literally start believing there isn't really anything to pray for because there is simply too much stuff and not enough time. Our hearts are so depressed that they flee from God, in the words of Luther. We are sinners, and because of that, we are sinners in our prayer life, as well. But, oh gracious Lord of ours, He does not hold this against us.
"For by this commandment He gives us plainly to understand that He will not cast us from Him nor chase us away, although we are sinners, but rather draw us to Himself, so that we might humble ourselves before Him, bewail this misery and plight of ours, and pray for grace and help." Paragraph 11.
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 Lord's Prayer Introduction, Part 1: Click here and read 1-11.
The basics:
- We have learned what me must do and believe in the previous sections, now we learn how we ought to pray.
- We are unable to follow the Ten Commandments even though we have begun to believe the Apostles' Creed. Therefore, we must pray to Him, that He would give, preserve, and increase in us faith and the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments, and that He would remove everything that is in our way of doing so.
- It is our duty to pray because of God's commandment. In the Second Commandment, we are commanded to call upon the name of our Lord in every need.
- Some fall into a pattern of not praying, because they think someone else will pray.
- "Just as it would be idle for a son to say to his father, 'Of what advantage is my obedience? I will go and do what I can; it is all the same;' but there stands the commandment, Thou shalt and must do it, so also here it is not left to my will to do it or leave it undone, but prayer shall and must be offered at the risk of God's wrath and displeasure."
- The heart is by nature so depressed that it always flees from God and believes He does not wish or desire our prayer because we are sinners and have merited nothing but wrath.
- By the Second Commandment, He shows us that He wishes to draw us to Himself, that we are humbled and share our misery and plight with Him, and pray for grace and help.
My thoughts today:
Throughout my life, I have gone through various stages of praying. I distinctly remember in college that I kept a sheet of paper taped by my bed. It was a list of all the things I should have been praying for. Each night I would say, "Dear Lord, You know the list. Amen."
OK, maybe a few other words were in there, but that was pretty much the extent of it. And while He did, in fact, know the list, I am pretty sure that isn't exactly what He commands in calling upon His name in every need.
The truth is it is just so hard sometimes. Life takes over - in whatever stage or season of life we are in. Papers must be written. Chores must be done. Dinner must be cooked. Diapers have to be changed. Lessons have to be taught. Blog posts must be written...Oh, maybe not that one. But you get my point. There is so much to pray for that our brains can literally start believing there isn't really anything to pray for because there is simply too much stuff and not enough time. Our hearts are so depressed that they flee from God, in the words of Luther. We are sinners, and because of that, we are sinners in our prayer life, as well. But, oh gracious Lord of ours, He does not hold this against us.
"For by this commandment He gives us plainly to understand that He will not cast us from Him nor chase us away, although we are sinners, but rather draw us to Himself, so that we might humble ourselves before Him, bewail this misery and plight of ours, and pray for grace and help." Paragraph 11.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Large Catechism: The Apostles' Creed Article 3, Part 4
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 3, Part 4: Click here and read 61 - the end of the Apostles' Creed section.
The basics:
- The congregation of the Christian Church on earth is appointed for the dispensing of the Holy Ghost and the Word. This is where He speaks and does everything.
- We believe He brings us to the Church by the Word, and through the same Word bestows, strengthens, and increases our faith.
- The Apostles' Creed surpasses and exceeds the wisdom, mind, and reason of all men.
- Beyond all He gives us on this earth through His creation, in the Apostles' Creed we learn of His gifts of His Son and the Holy Ghost.
- Our Lord Jesus Christ is a mirror of the paternal heart of the Father.
- These articles divide Christians from all other people upon earth. All those outside of Christians, whether heathen, Jews, or false Christians and hypocrites, may believe in one true God, yet they do not know what He thinks of them and cannot expect any love or blessing from Him. For they have not Christ, and are not favored by any gifts of the Holy Ghost.
- The Ten Commandments teach us what we ought to do. The Apostles' Creed teaches us what He does for us. The Ten Commandments are written on the hearts of all men. The Creed is beyond comprehension for all men, and must be taught by the Holy Ghost. The law makes no Christian, because we are not able to follow them. The doctrine of faith brings grace and makes us acceptable to God.
My thoughts today:
I have to confess there are many times I ramble off the Apostles' Creed without even realizing what I am saying. My family says it every night, we say it at two different churches every Sunday - it is pretty much just there in my brain somewhere. When it is time to say it, out it comes.
Some people may see this as just a silly thing. Why say it so often? Why repeat something every Sunday in church that you know most people are just saying from rote memory?
For anyone who thinks that, I am quite certain they have never had the experience of sitting next to an elderly, dementia or Alzheimer's stricken Christian with a background in repeating the Apostles' Creed thousands of times.
They might not be able to tell you their roommate's name. They may not remember their own spouse. They might not be able to recall the names of their children or grandchildren. They might not even know their own name.
But...
It brings tears to my eyes just thinking of the bedsides my family and I have sat by in the past two and a half years...
They have always remembered the Apostles' Creed. The words might be jumbled. They might accidentally slip into the Nicene Creed [but really, who doesn't do that...]. But when it is time to say it, out it comes.
Their eyes are closed, they breathe quick breaths between lines, and they recite that Apostles' Creed like they did so many times in their youth. This is the faith brought by the Holy Ghost. A faith that goes from womb to tomb, yet completely incomprehensible to the greatest of human minds. This isn't a faith they made for themselves. This is a faith given to them.
What makes Christians different?
We have the one true God who does everything for us. We don't work to earn His favor. We don't wonder what He thinks about us. We don't speak the Creed without the Holy Ghost doing it for and through us. We don't seek to explain away our faith by reason. We take God by His Word, and we repeat that Word over and over again. All the while, the Holy Ghost is sustaining and strengthening our faith.
May the Holy Ghost continue to sustain and strengthen the faith of all Christians, that we may boldy proclaim the words of the Apostles' Creed every chance we get.
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 3, Part 4: Click here and read 61 - the end of the Apostles' Creed section.
The basics:
- The congregation of the Christian Church on earth is appointed for the dispensing of the Holy Ghost and the Word. This is where He speaks and does everything.
- We believe He brings us to the Church by the Word, and through the same Word bestows, strengthens, and increases our faith.
- The Apostles' Creed surpasses and exceeds the wisdom, mind, and reason of all men.
- Beyond all He gives us on this earth through His creation, in the Apostles' Creed we learn of His gifts of His Son and the Holy Ghost.
- Our Lord Jesus Christ is a mirror of the paternal heart of the Father.
- These articles divide Christians from all other people upon earth. All those outside of Christians, whether heathen, Jews, or false Christians and hypocrites, may believe in one true God, yet they do not know what He thinks of them and cannot expect any love or blessing from Him. For they have not Christ, and are not favored by any gifts of the Holy Ghost.
- The Ten Commandments teach us what we ought to do. The Apostles' Creed teaches us what He does for us. The Ten Commandments are written on the hearts of all men. The Creed is beyond comprehension for all men, and must be taught by the Holy Ghost. The law makes no Christian, because we are not able to follow them. The doctrine of faith brings grace and makes us acceptable to God.
My thoughts today:
I have to confess there are many times I ramble off the Apostles' Creed without even realizing what I am saying. My family says it every night, we say it at two different churches every Sunday - it is pretty much just there in my brain somewhere. When it is time to say it, out it comes.
Some people may see this as just a silly thing. Why say it so often? Why repeat something every Sunday in church that you know most people are just saying from rote memory?
For anyone who thinks that, I am quite certain they have never had the experience of sitting next to an elderly, dementia or Alzheimer's stricken Christian with a background in repeating the Apostles' Creed thousands of times.
They might not be able to tell you their roommate's name. They may not remember their own spouse. They might not be able to recall the names of their children or grandchildren. They might not even know their own name.
But...
It brings tears to my eyes just thinking of the bedsides my family and I have sat by in the past two and a half years...
They have always remembered the Apostles' Creed. The words might be jumbled. They might accidentally slip into the Nicene Creed [but really, who doesn't do that...]. But when it is time to say it, out it comes.
Their eyes are closed, they breathe quick breaths between lines, and they recite that Apostles' Creed like they did so many times in their youth. This is the faith brought by the Holy Ghost. A faith that goes from womb to tomb, yet completely incomprehensible to the greatest of human minds. This isn't a faith they made for themselves. This is a faith given to them.
What makes Christians different?
We have the one true God who does everything for us. We don't work to earn His favor. We don't wonder what He thinks about us. We don't speak the Creed without the Holy Ghost doing it for and through us. We don't seek to explain away our faith by reason. We take God by His Word, and we repeat that Word over and over again. All the while, the Holy Ghost is sustaining and strengthening our faith.
May the Holy Ghost continue to sustain and strengthen the faith of all Christians, that we may boldy proclaim the words of the Apostles' Creed every chance we get.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Large Catechism: The Apostles' Creed Article 3, Part 3
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 3, Part 3: Click here and read 54-60.
The basics:
- In the Christian Church we have forgiveness of sin.
- Everything in the Christian Church is ordered so we shall daily obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word, to comfort and encourage our consciences.
- There is nothing but continuous, uninterrupted forgiveness of sin in the Christian Church - both in that God forgives us and in that we forgive, bear with, and help each other.
- Outside of the Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness or sanctification. All who seek to merit holiness, not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves from this Church.
- We expect that our flesh will be destroyed, and arise to perfect holiness in a new eternal life.
- In our eternal life, there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly pure and holy people, full of righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body.
My thoughts today:
There are a lot of reasons to love traditional Lutheran liturgy, but this section of the LC solidified in my mind why it is vitally important for the Church.
Because of the liturgy, I am able to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have heard, recited, and received the forgiveness of sins and the Gospel. My husband is my pastor, so I know I am sure to get a pretty stellar Law and Gospel sermon, but let's just say for some unknown reason [cough, three small children, cough, OR cough, my own poor attention span, cough], I was unable to hear or even be present for the goodness of the sermon...
Even then, I know I still received the forgiveness of sin. We read the Word, we repented, we were absolved, we sang hymns of the faith, we prayed the Psalms, we received Christ's Body and Blood in Communion.
Luther says EVERYTHING in the Christian Church is ordered so we obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word. The liturgy is part of that order.
Without the liturgy, with the Word bleeding throughout it, I would not be as sure about what I had received. The liturgy forces our sinful minds to stay focused back on the Word of God, because it is all from the Scriptures.
The order of the liturgy matches the order of our God.
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 3, Part 3: Click here and read 54-60.
The basics:
- In the Christian Church we have forgiveness of sin.
- Everything in the Christian Church is ordered so we shall daily obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word, to comfort and encourage our consciences.
- There is nothing but continuous, uninterrupted forgiveness of sin in the Christian Church - both in that God forgives us and in that we forgive, bear with, and help each other.
- Outside of the Christian Church, where the Gospel is not, there is no forgiveness, as also there can be no holiness or sanctification. All who seek to merit holiness, not through the Gospel and forgiveness of sin, but by their works, have expelled and severed themselves from this Church.
- We expect that our flesh will be destroyed, and arise to perfect holiness in a new eternal life.
- In our eternal life, there will be no more forgiveness, but only perfectly pure and holy people, full of righteousness, removed and free from sin, death, and all evil, in a new, immortal, and glorified body.
My thoughts today:
There are a lot of reasons to love traditional Lutheran liturgy, but this section of the LC solidified in my mind why it is vitally important for the Church.
Because of the liturgy, I am able to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have heard, recited, and received the forgiveness of sins and the Gospel. My husband is my pastor, so I know I am sure to get a pretty stellar Law and Gospel sermon, but let's just say for some unknown reason [cough, three small children, cough, OR cough, my own poor attention span, cough], I was unable to hear or even be present for the goodness of the sermon...
Even then, I know I still received the forgiveness of sin. We read the Word, we repented, we were absolved, we sang hymns of the faith, we prayed the Psalms, we received Christ's Body and Blood in Communion.
Luther says EVERYTHING in the Christian Church is ordered so we obtain there nothing but the forgiveness of sin through the Word. The liturgy is part of that order.
Without the liturgy, with the Word bleeding throughout it, I would not be as sure about what I had received. The liturgy forces our sinful minds to stay focused back on the Word of God, because it is all from the Scriptures.
The order of the liturgy matches the order of our God.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Large Catechism: The Apostles' Creed Article 3, Part 2
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 3, Part 2: Click here and read 47-53.
The basics:
- Luther uses this section to unpack a word study expressing why he believes some of the words of the Apostles' Creed can be translated better into German.
- He argues that "the holy Christian Church" and "the communion of saints" are the same thing.
- The "Church" is not a place or building, but an assembly. "Communion" is better translated as congregation. So, we believe in the holy Christian assembly or congregation of saints.
- Until the last day, the Holy Ghost abides with the holy congregation. He brings us to Christ, He teaches and preaches to us the Word, He works and promotes sanctification, and causes the community to daily grow and become strong in the faith and its fruits which He produces.
My thoughts today:
I really connected with the comments about the Church not being a building or location. My husband serves a dual parish, and one of those churches doesn't have a building. They meet in a side building (former parish house) of another Lutheran church.
It is just a room with a folding table covered with a cloth to hold the Holy Body and Blood of Christ. There is a cross, some folding chairs, seat cushions, and a Baptismal font and podium that scoot out when they are needed. Someone recently donated a piano, so we do have one of those.
The Church is not the little, cold room we meet in each Sunday and Thursday. The Church is the people gathered there with their pastor. The Church is the communion of the saints joined in that circle as we receive Christ's Supper. Where Jesus is, there is the Church.
There is so much to be learned from a congregation who owns so little. The Gifts still flow. The Gospel is still preached. The Word is still there.
I have written so much about my own contentment [or need for it], but in this place I have learned about the contentment of the Church - finding contentment in the space, the belongings, and the location God has given us for His purposes. Thanks be to God for that cold, little room we call Church; for there, we receive eternal life and salvation.
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 3, Part 2: Click here and read 47-53.
The basics:
- Luther uses this section to unpack a word study expressing why he believes some of the words of the Apostles' Creed can be translated better into German.
- He argues that "the holy Christian Church" and "the communion of saints" are the same thing.
- The "Church" is not a place or building, but an assembly. "Communion" is better translated as congregation. So, we believe in the holy Christian assembly or congregation of saints.
- Until the last day, the Holy Ghost abides with the holy congregation. He brings us to Christ, He teaches and preaches to us the Word, He works and promotes sanctification, and causes the community to daily grow and become strong in the faith and its fruits which He produces.
My thoughts today:
I really connected with the comments about the Church not being a building or location. My husband serves a dual parish, and one of those churches doesn't have a building. They meet in a side building (former parish house) of another Lutheran church.
It is just a room with a folding table covered with a cloth to hold the Holy Body and Blood of Christ. There is a cross, some folding chairs, seat cushions, and a Baptismal font and podium that scoot out when they are needed. Someone recently donated a piano, so we do have one of those.
The Church is not the little, cold room we meet in each Sunday and Thursday. The Church is the people gathered there with their pastor. The Church is the communion of the saints joined in that circle as we receive Christ's Supper. Where Jesus is, there is the Church.
There is so much to be learned from a congregation who owns so little. The Gifts still flow. The Gospel is still preached. The Word is still there.
I have written so much about my own contentment [or need for it], but in this place I have learned about the contentment of the Church - finding contentment in the space, the belongings, and the location God has given us for His purposes. Thanks be to God for that cold, little room we call Church; for there, we receive eternal life and salvation.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Large Catechism: The Apostles' Creed Article 3, Part 1
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 3, Part 1: Click here and read 34-46.
The basics:
- I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
- This article relates to sanctification, because the Holy Ghost makes us holy.
- The Holy Ghost sanctifies us through the communion of saints or the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. He leads us into His holy congregation, and places us in the bosom of the Church, where He preaches to us and brings us Christ.
- None of us could come to Christ on our own.
- Christ accomplished the work, but if it were to remain hidden, no one would receive it. Therefore, God sends forth His Word to be preached through the Gospel, and the Holy Ghost delivers the work of Christ.
- What do you mean by the words: I believe in the Holy Ghost? Answer: I believe that the Holy Ghost makes me holy, as His name implies. What method does He use to accomplish this? By the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
- Luther discusses the misunderstanding of the Holy Ghost in the Roman Catholic Church, as they believe in personal works and merit.
- Where Christ is not preached, there is no Holy Ghost who creates, calls, and gathers the Christian Church, without which no one can come to Christ the Lord.
My thoughts today:
One of the greatest lessons I have been taught since entering the Lutheran church is that language matters. The way I speak about my faith makes a big difference.
When I say that I came to Christ or invited him to live in my heart, I am putting the emphasis on my own work. I did this. Language matters.
When I say that all you need to do to be saved is ask God into your life and heart, I am putting the emphasis on your own work. You need to do this. Language matters.
In a culture obsessed with what you and I can do for ourselves, it is so refreshing to be freed from this burden in the Church. It isn't about you, and it isn't about me. It is about Him. We are not the ones doing the action. He is. Language matters.
The Holy Ghost delivers Christ's completed work to us. He brings me to church, He fills me with Gospel, He sends me out, He makes me holy, He will raise me from the dead, He will bring me to live eternally by His side.
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 3, Part 1: Click here and read 34-46.
The basics:
- I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
- This article relates to sanctification, because the Holy Ghost makes us holy.
- The Holy Ghost sanctifies us through the communion of saints or the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. He leads us into His holy congregation, and places us in the bosom of the Church, where He preaches to us and brings us Christ.
- None of us could come to Christ on our own.
- Christ accomplished the work, but if it were to remain hidden, no one would receive it. Therefore, God sends forth His Word to be preached through the Gospel, and the Holy Ghost delivers the work of Christ.
- What do you mean by the words: I believe in the Holy Ghost? Answer: I believe that the Holy Ghost makes me holy, as His name implies. What method does He use to accomplish this? By the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
- Luther discusses the misunderstanding of the Holy Ghost in the Roman Catholic Church, as they believe in personal works and merit.
- Where Christ is not preached, there is no Holy Ghost who creates, calls, and gathers the Christian Church, without which no one can come to Christ the Lord.
My thoughts today:
One of the greatest lessons I have been taught since entering the Lutheran church is that language matters. The way I speak about my faith makes a big difference.
When I say that I came to Christ or invited him to live in my heart, I am putting the emphasis on my own work. I did this. Language matters.
When I say that all you need to do to be saved is ask God into your life and heart, I am putting the emphasis on your own work. You need to do this. Language matters.
In a culture obsessed with what you and I can do for ourselves, it is so refreshing to be freed from this burden in the Church. It isn't about you, and it isn't about me. It is about Him. We are not the ones doing the action. He is. Language matters.
The Holy Ghost delivers Christ's completed work to us. He brings me to church, He fills me with Gospel, He sends me out, He makes me holy, He will raise me from the dead, He will bring me to live eternally by His side.
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