___
___
___
This may seem to be outside of the intended subject of this blog, but I hope it is worth saying.
I've been following the convention on the live stream since the beginning, and to be totally honest, most of it has made me kind of nauseous. The beautiful classic hymns turned into 3rd rate rock songs, the seeming indifference of the (now former) president and standing committee to the serious issues brought up by faithful pastors, the political sophistry in the guise of a "meditation and devotion" before the presidential election; all of these things were rather disturbing, yet when Harrison was elected and took the microphone, it was as if all of the nonsense hushed.
"You have kept your long-standing tradition of electing sinners to this office."
With an acknowledgement of the hurt which filled many hearts at that place and time, President Harrison spoke words of healing and forgiveness, and I again remembered that confessional Lutheran doctrine, at its heart, isn't about angry polemics. How easy it is to forget that confessional teaching and living loses its very foundation without compassion, kindness, and forgiveness, for these are the very things which we see revealed by God through the cross of Jesus Christ.
Thanks be to God and may President Harrison faithfully lead our synod and all of its congregations in living a life of repentance through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
An Order of Prayer Before Holy Communion
Read John 1:1-18 understanding that this same Word of God, who has become flesh is united with the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper.
Lord,
I have been unfruitful today
I have not lived up to your Law's demands.
Many times I have rejected your sanctifying grace,
I have not clung to Christ alone,
I am still struggling with the Old Adam.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a miserable sinner.
For the sake of your sorrowful passion, Have mercy upon me and upon the whole world.
Oh Son of God, you have revealed to your Christian Church that you have delivered your body to be broken, and your blood to be shed for the forgiveness of sins, so that we may live in the hope of sharing in your resurrection. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, Have mercy upon us by your Holy Sacrament. Your Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church thanks you for inviting us to this heavenly and spiritual banquet, where your Body is true food, and your Blood is true drink.
Oh Heavenly Comforter, the Holy Spirit of Truth, we thank you for revealing through the Word of God that this simple, yet heavenly and unfathomable, bread and cup offers us the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus Christ, you who are Son of God, God the Son, and son of Mary, we praise you, for you have died for our sins on the agonizing cross. This revelation of your love, shows us that you payed the ultimate price for our attendance at your Holy Supper. In fact, no supper has ever been so costly; therefore, we know that you are delighted to see your children around your table. Gather your Church together Oh Lord, as a mother hen gathers her chicks. Lord Jesus Christ, Grant that we may eat your body and drink your blood, to the saving of our souls and bodies.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, and Your will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven,
Give us this day our Daily bread,
And Forgive us of our sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from evil. Amen
Heavenly Father,
Clothe your church with Robes of righteousness, Through the forgiveness of our sins, in Christ Jesus, that all who attend your supper throughout the whole Church on Earth may receive you with faith in your precious promises. All of this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit eternally.
Amen.
Lord,
I have been unfruitful today
I have not lived up to your Law's demands.
Many times I have rejected your sanctifying grace,
I have not clung to Christ alone,
I am still struggling with the Old Adam.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a miserable sinner.
For the sake of your sorrowful passion, Have mercy upon me and upon the whole world.
Oh Son of God, you have revealed to your Christian Church that you have delivered your body to be broken, and your blood to be shed for the forgiveness of sins, so that we may live in the hope of sharing in your resurrection. Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, Have mercy upon us by your Holy Sacrament. Your Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church thanks you for inviting us to this heavenly and spiritual banquet, where your Body is true food, and your Blood is true drink.
Oh Heavenly Comforter, the Holy Spirit of Truth, we thank you for revealing through the Word of God that this simple, yet heavenly and unfathomable, bread and cup offers us the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus Christ, you who are Son of God, God the Son, and son of Mary, we praise you, for you have died for our sins on the agonizing cross. This revelation of your love, shows us that you payed the ultimate price for our attendance at your Holy Supper. In fact, no supper has ever been so costly; therefore, we know that you are delighted to see your children around your table. Gather your Church together Oh Lord, as a mother hen gathers her chicks. Lord Jesus Christ, Grant that we may eat your body and drink your blood, to the saving of our souls and bodies.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, and Your will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven,
Give us this day our Daily bread,
And Forgive us of our sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from evil. Amen
Heavenly Father,
Clothe your church with Robes of righteousness, Through the forgiveness of our sins, in Christ Jesus, that all who attend your supper throughout the whole Church on Earth may receive you with faith in your precious promises. All of this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit eternally.
Amen.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wilhelm Loehe's excellent Eucharistic Exhortation found in his Pastor's devotional classic _Seed-Grains of Prayer_
"DEARLY Beloved! Forasmuch as we purpose to come to the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He hath given us His Body to eat and His Blood to drink, it becometh us diligently to examine ourselves as Saint Paul exhorteth. For this Holy Sacrament hath been instituted for the special comfort and strengthening of those who humbly confess their sins, and who hunger and thirst after righteousness. But if we thus examine ourselves, we shall find in us nothing but sin and death, from which we can in no wise set ourselves free. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ hath had mercy upon us, becoming incarnate for our sins' sake, that so He might fulfill for us the holy will and law of God, and for us and our deliverance suffer death and all that we by our sins have deserved. And to that end that we should the more confidently believe this, and be strengthened by our faith in cheerful obedience to His will, He took bread, and when He had given thanks He brake it, saying, "Take and eat, this is My Body which is given for you," that is to say, I have taken upon Myself human nature, and all which I do and suffer, I do and suffer for you. It is all for you, and unto your certain knowledge and testimony of this, I give you My Body to eat. After the same manner, also, He took the cup, and when He had given thanks,* He gave it to them, saying, "Drink ye all of it; This cup is the New Testament in My Blood, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins; this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me," that is to say, since I have interested Myself in you, and have taken your sins upon Me, I shall offer Myself for sin unto death, shed My Blood, work out for you all grace and the pardon of your sin, and so set up a new testament wherein your sin is forgiven you and will be no more remembered eternally. Unto your certain knowledge and testimony of this, I give you My Blood to drink.
Therefore, who eateth of this bread, and drinketh of this cup, firmly believing the words of Christ, and the evidences which he receives of Christ, dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in Him, and hath eternal life.We should also do this in remembrance of Him, showing His death, that He was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification, and rendering unto Him most hearty thanks for the same, take up our cross and follow Him; and, according to His commandment, love one another even as He hath loved us. For we are all one bread and one body, even as we are all partakers of this one bread and drink of this one cup. For, as from many berries all crushed together, one wine and one drink comes forth; and from many grains one flour is ground and one bread or loaf is baked, so also all who are members of Christ through faith shall in brotherly love, for Christ our Redeemer's sake, be one body and meat and drink in deed, not in words alone, but in very deed and truth, as St. John teacheth (1. John 3). Showing forth faithfully this relation one to another without shadow of deception. To all this may the Almighty and merciful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ help us by His Holy Spirit. Amen."
This is a beautiful example of Loehe's liturgical zeal. This was written by the German Pastor who sent CFW Walther and Martin Stephan to America. Walther would later be the first president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. I'm still awaiting Loehe's _Aphorisms On the New Testament Offices and their Relationship to the Congregation—On the Question of Church’s Polity_ (1849) in the mail.
Therefore, who eateth of this bread, and drinketh of this cup, firmly believing the words of Christ, and the evidences which he receives of Christ, dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in Him, and hath eternal life.We should also do this in remembrance of Him, showing His death, that He was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification, and rendering unto Him most hearty thanks for the same, take up our cross and follow Him; and, according to His commandment, love one another even as He hath loved us. For we are all one bread and one body, even as we are all partakers of this one bread and drink of this one cup. For, as from many berries all crushed together, one wine and one drink comes forth; and from many grains one flour is ground and one bread or loaf is baked, so also all who are members of Christ through faith shall in brotherly love, for Christ our Redeemer's sake, be one body and meat and drink in deed, not in words alone, but in very deed and truth, as St. John teacheth (1. John 3). Showing forth faithfully this relation one to another without shadow of deception. To all this may the Almighty and merciful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ help us by His Holy Spirit. Amen."
This is a beautiful example of Loehe's liturgical zeal. This was written by the German Pastor who sent CFW Walther and Martin Stephan to America. Walther would later be the first president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. I'm still awaiting Loehe's _Aphorisms On the New Testament Offices and their Relationship to the Congregation—On the Question of Church’s Polity_ (1849) in the mail.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
On Confession and Absolution
"Only those things have been recounted whereof we thought that it was necessary to speak, in order that it might be understood that in doctrine and ceremonies nothing has been received on our part against Scripture or the Church Catholic."
-Conclusion of the Augsburg Confession
"For this life, is in truth wholly devoted to repentance, penthos and wailing. This is why it is necessary to repent, not merely for one or two days, but throughout one's whole life."
-St. John Chrysostom's De Compunctione I
"Therefore, if you live in repentance, you walk in Baptism, which not only signifies such a new life, but also produces, begins, and exercises it."
-Luther's Large Catechism
I firmly believe that Lutherans should be directed to read the church fathers more often. Not because they add to the scriptures or bear some authority outside of them but because if we read them more we would be more confident that we have maintained the apostolic doctrine and that our Evangelical Lutheran Church is or is within that same church which was born on pentecost and has flowed not from the 16th century but throughout the ages.
On Confession and Absolution, Father Luther teaches, not a different doctrine, but the same one as Chrysostom in his admonition to confession:
"In the first place, I have said that besides the Confession here being considered (Confession and absolution to a Pastor) there are two other kinds, which may even more properly be called the Christians' common confession.They are (a) the confession and plea for forgiveness made to God alone and (b) the confession that is made to the neighbor alone. These two kinds of confession are included in the Lord's Prayer, in which we pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" (Matthew 6:12), and so on."
-Luther's Admonition to Confession
"'Whose sins you shall forgive,' He says, 'they are forgiven them: whose sins you shall retain, they are retained' [John 20:23].
What greater power is there than this? ...The Father has given all the judgment to the Son. And now I see the Son placing all this power in the hands of men."
-St. John Chrysostom's Homily on John (86:4)
"Tell your sin to God alone: 'Before You alone have I sinned, and I have done what is evil in Your sight' [Psalm 50(51):4]; and your sin will be forgiven."
-Chrysostom's Homilies on Penance 3:4
I'm concerned that this is a subject which modern Lutherans have forgotten. Sure, we have our common confession in the mass, but what has become of the church which confesses:
"Confession in the churches is not abolished among us; for it is not usual to give the body of the Lord, except to them that have been previously examined and absolved. And the people are most carefully taught concerning faith in the absolution, about which formerly there was profound silence. Our people are taught that they should highly prize the absolution, as being the voice of God, and pronounced by God's command."
The act of examination before absolution points to individual confession and absolution. Have we entered another era of what Melanchthon called "profound silence"; therefore, I leave you with this:
"Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.'” -John 20:21-23
"And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." -James 5:15-16
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -Ephesians 4:32
"Rather, we give this counsel: If you are poor and miserable, then go to Confession and make use of its healing medicine. He who feels his misery and need will no doubt develop such a longing for it that he will run toward it with joy. But those who pay no attention to it and do not come of their own accord, we let them go their way. Let them be sure of this, however, that we do not regard them as Christians."
-Luther's Exhortation to Confession
-Conclusion of the Augsburg Confession
"For this life, is in truth wholly devoted to repentance, penthos and wailing. This is why it is necessary to repent, not merely for one or two days, but throughout one's whole life."
-St. John Chrysostom's De Compunctione I
"Therefore, if you live in repentance, you walk in Baptism, which not only signifies such a new life, but also produces, begins, and exercises it."
-Luther's Large Catechism
I firmly believe that Lutherans should be directed to read the church fathers more often. Not because they add to the scriptures or bear some authority outside of them but because if we read them more we would be more confident that we have maintained the apostolic doctrine and that our Evangelical Lutheran Church is or is within that same church which was born on pentecost and has flowed not from the 16th century but throughout the ages.
On Confession and Absolution, Father Luther teaches, not a different doctrine, but the same one as Chrysostom in his admonition to confession:
"In the first place, I have said that besides the Confession here being considered (Confession and absolution to a Pastor) there are two other kinds, which may even more properly be called the Christians' common confession.They are (a) the confession and plea for forgiveness made to God alone and (b) the confession that is made to the neighbor alone. These two kinds of confession are included in the Lord's Prayer, in which we pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" (Matthew 6:12), and so on."
-Luther's Admonition to Confession
"'Whose sins you shall forgive,' He says, 'they are forgiven them: whose sins you shall retain, they are retained' [John 20:23].
What greater power is there than this? ...The Father has given all the judgment to the Son. And now I see the Son placing all this power in the hands of men."
-St. John Chrysostom's Homily on John (86:4)
"Tell your sin to God alone: 'Before You alone have I sinned, and I have done what is evil in Your sight' [Psalm 50(51):4]; and your sin will be forgiven."
-Chrysostom's Homilies on Penance 3:4
I'm concerned that this is a subject which modern Lutherans have forgotten. Sure, we have our common confession in the mass, but what has become of the church which confesses:
"Confession in the churches is not abolished among us; for it is not usual to give the body of the Lord, except to them that have been previously examined and absolved. And the people are most carefully taught concerning faith in the absolution, about which formerly there was profound silence. Our people are taught that they should highly prize the absolution, as being the voice of God, and pronounced by God's command."
The act of examination before absolution points to individual confession and absolution. Have we entered another era of what Melanchthon called "profound silence"; therefore, I leave you with this:
"Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.'” -John 20:21-23
"And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." -James 5:15-16
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -Ephesians 4:32
"Rather, we give this counsel: If you are poor and miserable, then go to Confession and make use of its healing medicine. He who feels his misery and need will no doubt develop such a longing for it that he will run toward it with joy. But those who pay no attention to it and do not come of their own accord, we let them go their way. Let them be sure of this, however, that we do not regard them as Christians."
-Luther's Exhortation to Confession
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Hymns and Confession/Doctrine and Practice
I found out about a hymn by Wilhelm Loehe which is in the LSB (Lutheran Service Book). However, due to our synod publishing house's greediness (I'm speaking facetiously), only folks who have a copy of the Hymnal may read it. They could at least give us samples of new additions to our synodical hymnary on the web. It would probably incline people to want a bound copy. I, possibly wrongly, assume Wilhelm Loehe wouldn't have wanted his hymn in praise of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the altar to become a bought and traded commodity. There is no other English Translation I've found, but I snooped this small portion from the google monster:
The sacrament God gives us
Binds us in unity,
Joins earth with heav’n beyond us
Time with eternity. (LSB 639, st. 3)
-Wilhelm Loehe's Wide Open Stands the Gates Adorned with Pearl.
...and this is INCREDIBLY amazing (amazingly stupid) CPH has also copywrited part of St. Thomas Aquinas's Thee We Adore, O hidden Savior, Thee (How is that possible?)
Here's a pasted example from hymnary.org:
Who in Thy Sacrament art please to be;
The sacrament God gives us
Binds us in unity,
Joins earth with heav’n beyond us
Time with eternity. (LSB 639, st. 3)
-Wilhelm Loehe's Wide Open Stands the Gates Adorned with Pearl.
...and this is INCREDIBLY amazing (amazingly stupid) CPH has also copywrited part of St. Thomas Aquinas's Thee We Adore, O hidden Savior, Thee (How is that possible?)
Here's a pasted example from hymnary.org:
LSB 640: Thee We Adore, O Hidden Savior
1 Thee we adore, O hidden Savior, Thee,
Who in Thy Sacrament art please to be;
Both flesh and spirit in thy presence fail,
Yet here Thy presence we devoutly hail.
(Sts. 2 and 3 copyrighted)
4 Fountain of goodness, Jesus, Lord and God:
Cleanse us, unclean, with Thy most cleansing blood;
Increase our faith and love, that we may know
The hope and peace which from thy presence flow.
5 O Christ, whom now beneath a veil we see,
May what we thirst for soon our portion be:
To gaze on Thee unveiled and see Thy face,
The vision of Thy glory, and Thy grace.
Amen.
-Thomas Aquinas/CPH's(lol) Thee We Adore, Hidden Savior thee
Anyways, I was thinking about how our hymnals are a type of confession of faith. Hymns, ideally, teach from the word of God; therefore, I wonder if a synodically approved hymn could be considered a confession of it's faith. I'm thinking of the historical example of the LBW (Lutheran Book of Worship). The Missouri Synod began it's creation yet didn't sanction the finished product. It's use was approved by the ELCA though, and I believe most ELCA liturgical congregations still use it.
Is the way we worship the way we believe?
Anyways, I was thinking about how our hymnals are a type of confession of faith. Hymns, ideally, teach from the word of God; therefore, I wonder if a synodically approved hymn could be considered a confession of it's faith. I'm thinking of the historical example of the LBW (Lutheran Book of Worship). The Missouri Synod began it's creation yet didn't sanction the finished product. It's use was approved by the ELCA though, and I believe most ELCA liturgical congregations still use it.
Is the way we worship the way we believe?
Saturday, June 19, 2010
This IS my body. This IS my Blood.
What saves in the Lord's Supper?
Faith but passively. Not subjective faith, or a Person's act or work of faith, but the object of that faith which in the Lord's Supper is Christ. We believe that Christ himself's body and blood is also bread and wine in the Supper. (SmalcaldArticles III:1) There is a sacramental union, which is beyond the scope of reason, and therefore can only be apprehended by faith. We believe him when he says, this is my body and this is my blood, and most importantly, when he speaks the words: given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. We hold also that this same body and blood which we hold, or recieve on the tongue, or drink from the chalice (or even from those awfull irreverent eyesoars... plastic cups) is his body and blood which there, at that time, place, and location offers the forgiveness of sin to the faithful communicant (one who trusts Christ's simple words). To those who do not believe this, Christ in the Lord's Supper is a stumbling block. In that case, the reception of the body and blood of Christ condemns those who don't believe in his true presence and true forgiveness.
How can we believe such an insane notion?
We can believe this because we understand that the right hand of God is everywhere and that the word has BECOME flesh, not that the word inhabited flesh, which is the error of Nestorius and Zwingli. The two natures cannot be comprehended as separate after the hypostatic union which began at the Annunciation. The person of Jesus Christ must be at one time, fully divine and fully human. Time and eternity have become one in Christ or our eternal salvation is not a reality. The infinite has entered the finite and will never again be seperated from it.
Reason cannnot lead to such revelations but only the word of God and it's explicit, and as secularists and radically reformed "Christians" claim, irrational teaching.
-------------
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and
my thoughts than your thoughts."
-Isaiah 55:8-9
Faith but passively. Not subjective faith, or a Person's act or work of faith, but the object of that faith which in the Lord's Supper is Christ. We believe that Christ himself's body and blood is also bread and wine in the Supper. (SmalcaldArticles III:1) There is a sacramental union, which is beyond the scope of reason, and therefore can only be apprehended by faith. We believe him when he says, this is my body and this is my blood, and most importantly, when he speaks the words: given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. We hold also that this same body and blood which we hold, or recieve on the tongue, or drink from the chalice (or even from those awfull irreverent eyesoars... plastic cups) is his body and blood which there, at that time, place, and location offers the forgiveness of sin to the faithful communicant (one who trusts Christ's simple words). To those who do not believe this, Christ in the Lord's Supper is a stumbling block. In that case, the reception of the body and blood of Christ condemns those who don't believe in his true presence and true forgiveness.
How can we believe such an insane notion?
We can believe this because we understand that the right hand of God is everywhere and that the word has BECOME flesh, not that the word inhabited flesh, which is the error of Nestorius and Zwingli. The two natures cannot be comprehended as separate after the hypostatic union which began at the Annunciation. The person of Jesus Christ must be at one time, fully divine and fully human. Time and eternity have become one in Christ or our eternal salvation is not a reality. The infinite has entered the finite and will never again be seperated from it.
Reason cannnot lead to such revelations but only the word of God and it's explicit, and as secularists and radically reformed "Christians" claim, irrational teaching.
-------------
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and
my thoughts than your thoughts."
-Isaiah 55:8-9
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