What Does This Mean?

Warnings and Promises

Dear saints, in Genesis 19, we hear of Lot, a righteous man and nephew to Abraham. He settled in the land of Sodom. He remained righteous despite the moral and ethical depravity of the city, but also foolishly remained there. As God prepared to judge and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He sends two angels to rescue Lot and his family. The wickedness of the city is seen in the narrative, and when Lot lingers, the angels forcibly take him, along with his wife and daughters, out of the city. The family, minus Lot’s sons-in-law, is rescued from disaster, though the effects of sin even in the righteous are soon seen.

In our Gospel lesson this morning, our Lord warns his disciples of what will soon come in Jerusalem. But as often is the case in Scripture, the warning has both an immediate and future meaning.

Our Lord had just finished teaching publicly, and as He was leaving the Temple, the disciples marveled at the complex. But Jesus stuns them saying, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” They reach the Mount of Olives, and the disciples ask what the sign of the Temple’s destruction and the sign of His return are.

Jesus answers the question about the end times first, concluding the verse before our lesson this morning. He begins to answer the first question saying, “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.”

Just as Lot was warned of Sodom’s imminent destruction, Jesus warns His disciples of what will occur before Jerusalem’s. But unlike Lot, God’s faithful people will not have an angel escort them out. They must hear and heed the Word of Christ, staying vigilant in what is occurring around them. This is what happens. And it happens before Jerusalem is besieged and the Temple destroyed. Though most of the apostles had left Jerusalem and were serving in their vocation around the world, those Christians in Jerusalem knew of our Lord’s teaching. And when they saw the abomination of desolation take place, they knew the cities time was short. They heeded our Lord’s warning and fled to the hills and settled in a place called Pella.

But why does Jesus also say, “And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.”? It is because of the urgency in the needed flight. Those who are pregnant cannot move as fast as others. Families with small children move slowly as a unit. Jesus shows concern for them, as their escape will be more difficult than others. The cold and damp conditions of winter would inhibit a rapid flight. And because of the legalism of the Jews, an escape on the Sabbath would be impeded by those trying to enforce their Tradition on the Christians escaping. God’s people are exhorted to pray because God listens. Everything is in His hands, and the judgment coming to Jerusalem may be delayed or even be sped up through fervent prayer.

All these things which our Lord said would happen have come to fruition. The abomination occurred. God’s elect fled. The city was sacked, and the Temple was destroyed. Most of the remaining population were killed. And still, there is more to our lesson. While what we have covered so far is history, the rest of the lesson is just as applicable to us today as it was in the days leading up to the destruction of the Temple.

Jesus warns us, “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it….”

There are ideas of what the abomination of desolation was, but we do not know for sure. What we do, however, know for sure is that abominations are rampant today, as they have been at all times. And tragically these abominations are spreading like a malignant tumor into many places that see themselves as a Christian church. False teaching is everywhere from false prophets and even false christs. Many have large followings and speaking out against their false teaching paints a large target upon your back and chest.

Apostasy and false teaching will continue to get worse until our Lord returns. Heretics and antichrists, large and small, will seek to damage the Church under the guise of wisdom and truth. Our Lord warns us here to hold firm to the true faith. Should a teacher say that Christ is in the wilderness with the pagans or in the halls of the philosophers, do not believe them. Christ is in His church, where He promised to be.

Yet we do not have the warning to flee in the sight of such abominations. Instead, we have the imperative to stand firm in the faith. We are to remain God’s faithful witness to the truth, even when the world and those aligned with it look to silence the proclamation of God and His Holy Word. When a siege is laid upon us, we seek refuge not in running away, but in our God. For He, as we heard and sang last week, is our Refuge and Strength. He is our very present help in trouble. Recall the words of the Introit: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutor! O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you…Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”

It is right for us to say these words today. It is not upon your own strength or merit that you believe in Christ. You do not keep yourself in the true faith. It is not your wisdom or understanding that keeps you from being led astray by a false teacher. Rather it is the Holy Spirit at work in you. He keeps you. He is gracious to you and comforts you in distress.

God is your deliverer; not you. When you are mocked for your old-fashioned, that is, Biblical beliefs, you will not be put to shame before Him. You will be His witness. When you are weak, He is strong. When your heart faints, He gives you courage. When you sin, He calls you to repentance and forgives you your trespasses. All this He does out of divine love for you. A love that took on your flesh, died, and rose for you, forgiving all the sins of those who trust in Him.

In the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, you see the awful consequences of sin. Temporal consequences of destruction, starvation, and violence. And eternal consequences of disregard and unfaithfulness to God. We continue to see these consequences today with all the errors and abominations of our culture. But whatever may befall you temporally, cling to your Christ. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

As Jesus says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” When your Jesus does return, there will be no mistaking it. It will be known everywhere instantly. He will Himself descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And whether living or asleep, you will be gathered together with Him in the air, like vultures surrounding the corpse, and will always be with your Lord. He will gather you to Himself, rescuing you from the destruction of sin and delivering you to eternal life. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

What is this “Sola Gratia” of the Reformation?

It’s one of the five solas of the Reformation. They are: sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria. The Latin means: scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and to the glory of God alone. Last week, we talked about Sola Fide. This week Sola Gratia is on the topic. Sola Gratia is also a corrective reaction to an error of Rome in teaching Christian works.

Rome’s confusion lay in the idea that grace was a substance, which added a superpower to humanity. Gratia Infusia (infused grace), delivered in baptism, forgave only original sin in their teaching. That infusion, they held, also gave people the ability to perform good works and merit a clear conscience before God.

As before, we can’t look honestly at our lives without seeing our sin on plain display. This flies in the face of gratia infusia. St. Paul teaches us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” [Ephesians 2:8-9]

It’s not my works that merit anything. Instead, Jesus died for my sins and delivers forgiveness to me, received through faith. St. Paul has more to say here. “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” [Romans 3:21-25]

This grace is delivered through means. The physical instruments by which we receive in our Baptism, the hearing of the Word, and the Sacrament of the Altar. Yes, yes, the Holy Spirit can inspire faith in anyone He desires by any means. But, we can have confidence that He will and does work faith and deliver grace through His means as promised. And, we should only look for grace where Jesus has promised to deliver it.

“While the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” [1 Peter 3:20b-21]

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” [Romans 10:17]

“And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” [Matthew 26:27-28]

So, this grace we receive means we are free to sin with reckless abandon, yes? No, St. Paul disagrees. “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” [Romans 6:1-4]

So, we do have to do good works, right. Yeah, not quite. Let’s look at Ephesians 2 again. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. [Ephesians 2:8-10]

The beautiful thing about grace is that even our works are prepared beforehand by God. The works merit us nothing. Yet, in faith, we forgiven by grace. And, our faithful hearts do the works for our neighbor. Not me, but Christ living in me.

Forgiveness, Life, and Salvation, by grace through means.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

What is this “Sola Fide” of the Reformation?

It’s one of the five solas of the Reformation. They are: sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria. The Latin means: scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and to the glory of God alone. Last week, we talked about Sola Scriptura. This week Sola Fide is on the menu. Sola Fide is a corrective reaction to an error of Rome in teaching the Christian faith.

The error, simply stated, is the attribution of works, to merit salvation for Christians. Popes and councils, cardinals and bishops had developed a teaching apart from the scriptures, that salvation came by way of baptism and the works done by Christians. It’s obvious to us, when we observe ourselves, that our righteousness isn’t greater than our sin. The papal solution was “treasury of merits” stored-up by the canonized saints. These could be bought and earned by the faithful.

The methods: confession, penance, indulgences, and the like deserve their own treatment elsewhere.

Martin Luther and the reformers who follow him found a different teaching in the Word of God. Our righteousness before God comes by way of faith. Our works merit us nothing before God. St. Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” [Romans 1:16-17]

Our salvation is from God. His righteousness is revealed by the faith we have been given. And, in this faith we dwell. The faith we received clings to Jesus. And through that faith, we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

Paul also teaches us, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” [Romans 3:21-24]

Grace and faith to believe are these gifts to us in Christ. Now, the opposite error lives among us in modern Christianity. We are tempted to think of our believing like a work. When asked we may say, “I’m going to Heaven because I believe.” We’re so trained in that idea, that the inconsistency passes right by us. Placing confidence in our “believing” is just another works-righteousness method of salvation. We’ve traded external works for an internal one. But, we make faith into a new work that we do for salvation.

The Disciples reacted differently concerning their faith in response to the command to forgive your brother. “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ And the Lord said, ‘If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.’” [Luke 17:5-6]. They realized the smallness of their faith and the lack of its power to accomplish anything. The apostles also see that its source, Jesus, will make them better from without rather than from within.

The writer of Hebrews also exhorts us concerning good works and church attendance. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” [Hebrews 10:19-25]

The faith we receive in baptism clings to Jesus for salvation. But, it also does things in us. It drives us to good works for the benefit of our neighbor. It drives us to gather with the faithful in the Lord’s house. We tend to think that great faith can exist in us, or more commonly, in our loved ones apart from works and the church. This just isn’t so.

The faith dwelling in us desires only to love and serve our neighbor. The faith dwelling in us desires only to dwell in the Lord’s house among His people. Selfishly keep our works from our neighbor, willfully absenting ourselves from the Lord’s house on Sundays, these are the marks of unbelief. We are called to exhort each other concerning this unbelief.

We: “Where have you been lately? I haven’t seen you in church.”

They: “Well, I’ve been busy hunting/attending kids’ games/sleeping in/out of town on vacation/attending an unfaithful church.”

We: “You know, faith can’t be kept from the House of God and the gathering of the faithful.”

That’s a brutally uncomfortable conversation. But, you owe it to your neighbor to serve them in love like this. Silence towards the marks of unbelief is the opposite of love.

Faith alone can never hate its neighbor, encouraging their unbelief.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

Your Unpayable Debt: Paid in Full

Dear saints, we consider this morning how often we must forgive our fellow brother or sister before we may retain the sins committed against us. Our Gospel lesson begins with St. Peter asking our Lord, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” He thinks this is a large number, for the rabbis of the day said you only needed to forgive the same sin three times. Imagine, therefore, Peter’s surprise when Jesus replies, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.”

Our Lord uses the question to launch into our parable for this morning. It concerns a king who decides to settle the accounts with his servants. As he settles them, a servant is brought before him who owes 10,000 talents, which means he owed about 20 years’ worth of wages to his king. It was an insurmountable debt and could never be repaid. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

From our perspective, and considering the customs of the first century, we might understand selling the man into slavery. It’s like what used to be ‘debtors’ prison.’ Selling his things, like today when items are repossessed when a loan defaults, makes sense. But the wife and children? That seems harsh. But under the law of the time, the wife and children would be considered part of the man’s property, and thus, part of his possessions. Do not impose our current day law and morality on a parable making a point while using the customs of the day.

So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” The man’s plea brings pity and compassion to the king, and he does have mercy on the man. The full debt of the man is forgiven, and he is sent on his way, reconciled to his king. He has no burden of debt, large or small, regarding his king.

You would think this act of mercy would have a profound impact on him. You would think that, if anyone owed him anything, he would reciprocate the mercy. Or, at the very least, not require full payment immediately. But we see the hard-heartedness of the servant immediately.

But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

It is a shocking response. Even the worldly among us would bristle at such an action. It is not surprising that the news of this gets out quickly. And it is less surprising that the king is told quickly. Now, imagine the dread the forgiven servant feels when he is again summoned before the king. And the horror he feels when he hears the judgment: “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”

It doesn’t end there. It gets worse for the wicked servant because this isn’t just a chastisement. For in his anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debts. The jailers here aren’t the jailers we think of today. They aren’t just making sure you don’t escape. These jailers are oppressive and often torture those they have as a prisoner. In fact, their job is to exact torture and pain. And this man will be under them until all – every cent – of his debt is repaid. Said another way, they will oppress him forever. He will never get out.

It is important to remember that, when looking at parables, we should look for the shocking thing. And when we find the shocking thing, it is nearly always the work that God is doing. Here, the shocking thing is the king simply waving away billions of dollars in debt as if it were nothing. And so, we find ourselves God’s debtor. Our debt is sin. We constantly and continually wrack up our debt of sin. A debt that we are hopeless to pay a single one of them back.

We began the Divine Service today with a verse we also found in the Introit: “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” It is a fearful thing to stand before the Holy God. Especially when you know the debt you owe to Him. Yet we continue saying, “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”

God has mercy and pity upon you and forgives your sins. The whole of your debt is canceled. You may stand before Him guiltless and go your way in peace. It is, after all, what we come here for. We hear His absolution. We hear His Word read. We receive His gifts in the Holy Supper. And we hear His benediction, sending us out in peace.

Because of all this, we are mindful of the mercy shown upon us when our brother or sister, our fellow servant, sins against us. In a few minutes, we will pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Luther writes of this petition, “We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look at our sins, or deny our prayer because of them. We are neither worthy of the things for which we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace, for we daily sin much and surely deserve nothing but punishment. So we too will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.”

Our forgiving the sins that are committed against us is part of bearing fruit in keeping with repentance. If we refuse, we do not bear the good fruit of a good tree, but the bad fruit of the diseased tree. Such a bad tree is cut down and thrown into the fire. Or, in the words of our parable, the hard-hearted servant who has no mercy on his fellow-servant, is given to the torturer for eternity.

We forgive because we have been forgiven. We have been forgiven of more sin than could ever be committed against us. Therefore, we may look to our persecuted martyred brothers and sisters when they forgave those sinning against them. At Joseph, whose brothers committed sins against him, and he returned their evil with good. For Stephen, who asks that God forgive those murdering him even as stones reigned down upon him.

And we look to Jesus, who took on your flesh and died for you. On account of Him, you do not receive the just punishment you deserve because He has already suffered it. Rather, you get to show the mercy you have received to others. And each other. It is why you freely forgive and do good for those who sin against you. And why, as we prayed, our faithful Lord grants that what we ask in faith, we obtain. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

What is this “Sola Scriptura” of the Reformation?

It’s one of the five solas of the reformation. They are sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria. The Latin means: scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and to the glory of God alone. Sola Scriptura is the anchor of the Christian faith. I recently discussed how this concept defines the widening gap between the ELCA and the LCMS. Today, we’re talking about the history of sola scriptura by itself.

Prior to the Reformation, the scriptures were only available to Europeans in Latin and in expensive, closely guarded handwritten copies. Two men changed that situation. Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press (cir. 1450 AD), which made printed and reprinted materials accessible to many more people. Martin Luther translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into German (1521-1522 AD), which made the Word of God accessible to common folk, to read and hear. An unintended consequence of the Luther Bible was a codification of one dialect of German as predominant.

Shortly thereafter, vulgar translations appeared throughout Europe. Used this way, vulgar doesn’t mean “crass.” Vulgus, latin: common language, means the language spoken commonly by the people around us. The Vulgate, the Latin bible of St. Jerome, was created by the same impetus. St. Jerome wanted to provide the people with a Bible in their own language. It became ensconced in the European church as the only language for the Christian faith. But, St. Jerome and Martin Luther were inspired by similar intentions.

The Roman officials in Luther’s day opposed making the scriptures available in the common language for various reasons. One significant reason was perspicuity. Rome held that the common folk can’t understand the Word of God. For the Lutheran reformers, the opposite was true. We hold to perspicuity, understandability of the scriptures. Those passages that are less clear are revealed by the passages that are more clear. The principle, scripture interprets scripture, keeps us looking to God’s Word to reveal itself from within.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” [2 Timothy 3:16-17]

Now, American Christianity suffers from a selfish, egotistical view of the scriptures. We tend to think of the Word of God and its study as a pattern of life and knowledge outside the church. The Reformers would be aghast at this idea. We have no promise of receiving or sustaining saving faith apart from the public proclamation of God’s Word. It is the hearing that produces and sustains faith.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” [Romans 10:17]

We have a promise that by hearing, we receive. And, we do. The faith that comes by hearing is ours to receive often. It’s imperative for us to remember that me and my Bible in solitude, though plausible for us now, is not how God promises to work in us. His gifts through His Word are corporate in function. They are for the whole body, gathered together, as we do each Sunday morning.

Always hear and be conformed by the Word of God.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

Christianity Without One of the Five Solas

The theology of the reformation centers upon five solas: scriptura, fide, gratia, Christus, & Deo gloria. That’s not French. But, please pardon my Latin. Sola means alone. I’ll talk about the five together in another article. Today, sola scriptura, scripture alone is the key to our conversation. This’ll be a comparative look at the two views of the scriptures between the LCMS and the ELCA.

This is a step into the way-back machine. The issues concerning the modern leadership of the ELCA are a result of the formational view of the scriptures. There are some important parts of the family tree to get in order. The LCMS was formed on April 26, 1847. The ELCA was formed on April 30, 1987 as a result of the merger between three American Lutheran church bodies.

These are the three Lutheran bodies comprising the merger, resulting in the formation of the ELCA. The Lutheran Church in America (LCA) was formed in 1962. The American Lutheran Church (ALC) was formed in 1960. The Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC) was formed in 1976. That last one is significant to our discussion. The AELC is the church body formed after the 1974 split from the LCMS and the “walk-out” of a significant number of faculty and students from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. That time period and its details deserve lengthy attention on their own.

The AELC’s influence on the formation of the ELCA can’t be undersold. For us today, the view of scripture needs to be understood in the way one is stated and the other restated. The center of the controversy between the LCMS and the dissenters, leading to the formation of the ELCA, was the reliability and the normative function of the scriptures. Those who walked out did so because the LCMS stood firm on a position that the Word of God, the Bible, is true and correct as we have received it.

The LCMS Constitution and By-Laws speak of the scripture this way in Article II, Confession. “The Synod, and every member of the Synod, accepts without reservation: 1. The Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice;”

That is to say, Scripture IS God’s Word and it conforms us to itself. The Word of God is specifically identified as the “only rule and norm of faith and practice.” Our understanding of the confessions of the Lutheran church flow from that. And, every member congregation is compelled by their membership in the LCMS to confess the same way. The scope of the Bible for us is for both faith and practice. So, all aspects of life in the church are subject to direction, correction, and formation by the Word of God.

The ELCA says four unique things in its Constitution and By-Laws. Hear them from the perspective of the longstanding statement of the LCMS starting in Chapter 2: Confession of Faith, 2.02.a and following. “a. Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation.” This definition creates a sense of a Jesus, who can be known outside of the scriptures. The deity who can be known apart from the scriptures is the one through whom everything was made and by whom new creation comes.

Second, the constitution also says, “b. The proclamation of God’s message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ.” This defining characteristic cuts short the definition of the scriptures. It carves out the possibility that the inconvenient parts of the epistles of Paul, Peter, John, James, and the author of Hebrews can be excluded. Here God’s Word is further reduced in its normative function for me.

Third, the constitution says, “c. The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by God’s Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God’s revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God’s Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.” Notice what isn’t said. In this definition God’s Word isn’t inspired and God-breathed as we received it. Rather, for the ELCA, the Bible is inspired through the authors, but not absolutely correct in the writing we received. Further, the faith inspired can override the words of the scripture, if we deem it necessary.

Lastly, this section says, “2.03. This church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.” This statement seems authoritative concerning the scriptures. But, it follows a definition of what the scriptures are, which has carved out a space for my opinion of them and their interpretation.

The current situation in the ELCA is best understood not in reverse by a transgender bishop, the ordination of transgendered priests, homosexual clergy, or female clergy. We need to clearly see that the Word of God, the Holy Scripture we have received, is not authoritative to the ELCA. That lack of authority creates the space for all past, current, and future errors.

This matters for us in the LCMS. It matters because we are forever fighting the battle to maintain sola scriptura among our churches. It also matters because Christians on the other side of the fence are being served and taught by pastors who are thoroughly committed by ordination vows to this unfaithful definition of the scriptures. They are two generations deep into pastors, who believe, teach, and confess this error. Without a solid, reliable Bible, our faith stands on shaky ground.

You are responsible in the Christian faith to help your friends and family find a faithful church and a faithful pastor. Such a church can never be a church that denies or makes clear the path to deny the normative function of the scriptures, for faith and life.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” [2 Timothy 3:16-17]

Let us be ever instructed by the Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God!

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

A Journey of Faith

Dear saints, we are sometimes tempted to think that those of notoriety are somehow and for some reason exempt from the realities of life. Now, we know it is not true. Celebrities, politicians, sports stars, and CEOs are constantly in the news with some struggle of some sort. But they are often looked at as ‘above’ things like cancer. Perhaps that is why there is such a shock when news breaks of someone like Chadwick Boseman or Norm MacDonald dying from it. Or, maybe, it is because people have made gods out of celebrities and are astounded when their god is toppled. Even when the man or woman would resent being seen as such a deity.

This morning brings a lesson about a nobleman whose family is struck with certain disaster. The man’s son is near death. But alas! The nobleman hears that Jesus has come from Judea into Galilee once again. This news begins a three-stage journey for the man. It is a journey that begins with fear and sorrow but ends with rejoicing and life.

As the man hears Jesus is back in the area, he journeys from Capernaum uphill to Galilee, some sixteen miles, to meet Him. When he arrives, he asks Jesus to come down and heal his son, adding that the boy was close to death. We see a young and imperfect faith in this request. The nobleman has surely heard of the miracle of water made wine. He may have heard of the other works Jesus has done. He believes Jesus can heal his son.

But this faith is small and imperfect. He seems to think Jesus must be physically present to heal the boy. And the addition of before my child dies indicates he thinks that, while Jesus can heal, he cannot deliver one from the dead. What the nobleman does not understand is that Jesus not only knows of the boy, but He knows what He will do for the boy and for the entire family. Jesus looks at the man and says, “Unless y’all see signs and wonders y’all will not believe.”

Our Lord is saying that the people looking for signs and wonders are looking for the wrong thing. Such signs, and the awe they brought, were not for the sake of the sign and accompanying wonder. They pointed to the doer of the sign. It is as if Jesus were saying, “Oh that you would think less about signs and more about Me!”

The man responds in a similar way to the Syrophoenician woman. He looks to the Lord in his weak faith and says, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” But Jesus does not come down. He does not need to. Instead, He says, “Go. I grant you his life.”

It is as if He said, “It is not at all necessary for me to go to Capernaum to save your child’s life, not necessary that I should thus prolong your suspense and anxiety—right here and now I grant your prayer and give you your little son’s life.” (Lenski, adapted)

The man’s journey turns from sorrow to hope with these words. He believes the words of Jesus and he went back down to his home. He is eager to see his son and rejoice in the life that the boy has. The small faith it took to come to Jesus in the first place has been tested by the Lord and has begun to grow as the nobleman leaves Christ’s presence. He did not need a sign because trusted Christ’s word.

Our lesson records Jesus saying, “Go; your son will live.” The Greek certainly may be translated like that, but the more natural reading is, “Go; your son lives.” The reason for this is what happens as the man heads back to Capernaum: servants meet him along the way. Literally what these slaves tell him is, “Your child lives.”

If the child had begun to get better, there certainly would be hope among the household. But slaves would not have been summoned to seek out the nobleman, for what would happen if the child regressed and died before his father returned? The news, “The child is getting better!” would certainly encourage the father, but there would still be fear the rest of the journey. But the word to him is far better: “Your child lives.”

The journey which began in fear and morphed into hope, is about to conclude in peace. The father asks what time, what hour, the child got better. “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The seventh hour! The hour Jesus said, “Go; your son lives.”

That little spark of faith which the nobleman carried with him to Cana began to grow in the presence of Jesus. And now, upon hearing of the miraculous healing of his son, that spark burst into a great blaze. Upon his return home, this blazing fire of faith proclaims to the entire household what Christ, their Messiah, did for them. And not only the man, but the entire household believed. Jesus sustains life in the boy, but also performs a greater miracle in the giving eternal life to the entire household.

The lesson closes with John telling us, “This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.” Remember the purpose of the signs, and the entire Gospel according to John for that matter: That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

The nobleman knew that Jesus could heal but thought He must be present to do so. Our Lord does not reject the man’s request due to a weak faith or a lack of understanding. Instead, your Lord helps the stumbling and weak in faith. The nobleman and his increasing faith simply take Jesus at His word. Though his faith was not fully developed, this is the definition of saving faith: taking God at His word.

John records this sign for your comfort. The faith you have you did not muster. It was given to you as a gift. You may feel like your faith is a roaring fire, or you may think it is a smoldering wick. Remember that our Lord does not break the bruised reed or snuff the smoldering wick. Call out to Him for mercy and peace. Ask that He, as the author and perfector of your faith, bring forth its fire. And remember that you are not saved because of faith, but that you are saved through faith.

Finally, because faith and salvation are not your work, but the work of God for you, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. In His mercy, God provides you all you need. And as His household, he keeps you in His continual godliness and protection. You, therefore, return to your homes in peace. You gather here to hear His mercy and grace proclaimed to you and to receive it tangibly as you gather around His altar. In song and thanksgiving, you receive His Divine Service as you await your call to His side in Paradise. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

Is Patriarchy Better Than Matriarchy?

In all this data concerning fathers, does that mean the opposite is better? Only fathers should bring the kids to church? Should only men be the ones to function in a Christian way, in family and the church?

No, and that’s not what I’m getting after. A matriarchal structure of church governance and mothers solely leading their children to church won’t build strong churches or many church-going children as they grow into adulthood. But a patriarchal form and function is just an error in the opposite direction.

The first narrative of the creation teaches us, “then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ … And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.” [Genesis 1:26-28, 31]

God created Mankind, male and female, in His image of perfection and holiness. We were made to have dominion over the whole earth without sin. That is to say, we were to have dominion without the inclination to domineer over the earth. This is a concept we can hear, but it doesn’t flow easily into our understanding. The corruption of sin in the earth makes dominion a burden in which we engage. Creation itself also battles against the dominion. It’s in the curse, thorns and thistles resist us.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. … Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’ Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens… But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” [Genesis 2:15, 19a, 20b-24]

The expansion of the sixth day narrative teaches us more about God’s love for mankind. He created us with a different care and detail than the beasts of the field. He made us incomplete by ourselves. The man, stronger and bolder, is made to toil, lead, provide, and protect. The woman, less strong and more gentle, is made to bear, nurture, produce, and protect. The roles of man and woman are different, complimentary, and only complete in each other.

I’ve used the protection descriptor in both cases on purpose. One of the best descriptions of the complimentary interrelation of women and men comes from a deaconess friend of mine. She says it’s out of Luther. But, I can’t corroborate yet. Someday I shall.

This is a paraphrase of the description: woman was made out of man, weaker, smaller, more in need of protection. She is taken from under his arm. Her place is there, under the protective, strong arm of her mate. The man is incomplete by himself too. In his strength, he has no protection from the hole in his side. His mate, under his protection guards his heart. The two have different and complementary roles. The one flesh is stronger and more capable to have dominion over the earth.

Relative to all of that, one of the foci of the reinvigoration of fatherhood as a critical function in the life of the church needs to be the whole family. The intended result is strong, faithful Christian families. That means Mom and Dad together with the kids on Sunday morning. Both teaching the kids to follow along, sing along, and participate through the hymns and liturgy. In repetition, the kids will memorize liturgical songs and some hymns too.

This conclusion comes out of the original data set too. Fathers are the stronger individual influence. BUT, mothers and fathers together are still 7% more influential than that solo paternal influence. Mom & Dad deliver a high-water mark of 74% of the kiddos growing into church attending adults. The very best thing we can see among our families is Fathers leading their whole family into regular, active church attendance.

Strong Christian parents, together, raise faithful Christian children.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

The Wedding Feast

Dear saints, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.” Weddings are festive events even in our day. Countless hours are spent planning them. From colors to dresses to guests lists, it can be exhausting. And while it does not have to be, a wedding is often expensive. But the weddings of our day are brief when compared to weddings in the days of Jesus. These weddings were week-long feasts. And this morning, we hear of a king who has prepared the wedding feast for his son.

Everything is ready, the oxen and fattened calves are slaughtered and prepared. And the king sends his servants to call those invited to the feast. Call those who knew the feast was coming. But those invited would not come. They spurned the invitation.

Undeterred, the king sends other servants, this time announcing that all was prepared and the dinner is ready to begin. These servants are met with two groups of people: The first ignore the call to the feast and go to farm or business. The other group forcibly seizes the servants, treats them in a shameful and spiteful manner, and kills them. Imagine killing someone who brings the news that you have been called to a wedding feast, where you would be fed and dined in luxury for a week by your king!

The king’s response is swift. He sends soldiers to the cities of those murderers and destroyed them, burning down their cities. The destruction of the cities would impact those who ignored the servants and went to their farms and businesses. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’” When these servants go, they find whoever they found, good or bad, and gathered them into the wedding hall. Finally, the dinner begins.

There is more to the parable but let us begin unpacking it now. It is clear who the king and his son are. It is none other than our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. The parable is an allegory explaining the Father and His work accomplished through Christ. The wedding feast here is the church.

While most English translations use the word servants, a more literal word is slave. Slaves are sent to those invited, that is, called to the feast. These people are the Jews, the people of Israel. God’s servants in the form of prophets and priests have been calling Israel to His church since God chose them as His people. And we hear in the Old Testament that these prophets and priests are ignored. Sometimes they are killed.

Undeterred, God sends more slaves. These slaves represent God’s servants and messengers in the form of the Apostles and early disciples, such as Philip and Stephen. They are ignored by the Jews when invited to believe in the Messiah they have been waiting for. Some are mistreated and murdered for inviting the King’s people to His feast. And when the destruction of the Temple occurred in 70 AD, we could be seeing another part of the parable occurring.

Israel and the Jews were called to the feast. But they deemed themselves unworthy to attend. Finally, God sends even more slaves. This time they go anywhere and everywhere to invite all they find. These slaves represent the early church through today and into the future. These slaves are the pastors and teachers and Christians who desire their neighbor to know the love of Christ and to believe in Him for their salvation.

To be sure, many today still ignore the message. Many today are more worried about the fruits of their earthly work or the gain they can gather from trade and business. And many slaves are treated shamefully by those the Good News is proclaimed to. They are sometimes even killed. But these slaves also bring into the feast both the good and the bad. The wedding hall, that is, the Church is filled with guests.

The good and evil in the parable are described in this way because of what they look like to the human eye. The tax-collectors and others in open sin are the evil; people like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea are the good. And yet all are guilty before God. All are equally sinful and in need of forgiveness and righteousness that they cannot achieve on their own. That means that you and I are among those evil and good who have been brought into the wedding hall.

Wedding feasts in those days often had a garment that was worn by the guests. This was not a tuxedo you rented. It was not your finest suit and tie. It was nothing you brought but was given to you upon your arrival. Thus, all these people arrive at the feast, remove their dirty clothes, and put on the garment provided by the King.

The garment is the righteousness of Christ. In your baptism, you are clothed in this righteousness. No longer are you guilty before God, but you are perfect and pure. You attend the feast and recline at the table with your fellow saints, even coming to the altar where you are fed and nourished and forgiven by Christ’s Body and Blood.

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.

The man represents those in the church who have insulted God and who reject the garment that He graciously provides. By removing the garment provided and taking on his own clothing, he thinks himself worthy by what he has done and by who he is. When the King finds him and questions him, the man knows there is nothing he can say for himself. He is silent.

Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” The man is not excluded from the feast by God. He excludes himself from the feast and declares himself unworthy to be there by rejecting the gift of grace that is salvation.

Jesus is making it clear in this parable that not everyone goes to heaven. Not even everyone who goes to church goes to heaven. Some come outwardly, that is, they sit in the pews and may even serve as leaders or pastors. But they do not come into the kingdom. They want the power of Christianity, but they do not want the cross.

In this parable, we see the reality and the danger of unbelief. It would be appropriate to feel shivers running down your spine.

But, even more, we also see a beautiful example of God’s mercy. It is God, your King, who provides the your garment. Who provides your soul’s healing and cleansing. And in this, God is glorified by exercising His mercy upon you. By forgiving your sins. And He invites you to his feast not simply as a guest but declares you to be the immaculate bride that Christ loves. He does not invite you because you are worthy, but because He is worthy. And this invitation and work that He does has made you worthy. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

Grandfathers: Do Y’all Want Them Back in Church?

Grandfathers, uncles, cousins, and male friends of fathers and fathers-to-be, this is addressed to all y’all. Let’s spend some time talking through some of the hows concerning getting the men back into church and bringing their children into the House of God. I discussed data concerning the importance of fathers to the long-term church life of their children in an earlier article. Take a look back at that one, if you’ve forgotten.

This may seem surprising, but men and women interact differently. In this particular case, the way that men encourage one another is to engage in useful tasks which can look and sound a little coarse to the eyes and ears of women who observe it. Watch men’s interaction in the driver’s lounge, on the sales floor, in the hardware store, or any other place where work is discussed in preparation to do more. You’ll see and hear men goading, mocking, and badgering one another about their performance in their various vocations of life. There’s nothing mean, cruel, or ill-intentioned about it. Offense is not given. Neither is it allowed to be taken.

The masculine behavioral rules are like the unwritten rules of adjective order in English. We are usually unaware that adjectives must follow the order: opinion, size, age, color, origin, material, and purpose (OSACOMP). A staggeringly large new blue Italian steel processional cross sounds perfectly reasonable. But, a processional large Italian new staggering steel blue cross sounds like it’s been described by a schizophrenic.

We don’t even know there’s a rule, so too with men’s interactions. We don’t know about the rules concerning the well-intentioned pressures applied between men to perform better until something is wrong. When a brother takes offense at an inoffensive comment, something is wrong. When a man appeals to his brothers in an emotional way, it rings strangely (brothers by relation not necessarily by kinship). We don’t notice until something is wrong.

There’s wisdom in knowing the value of good-natured ribbing. It encourages our brothers to do their various vocations in life with greater vigor.

The original sin of the man in the garden predicts the source of man’s sin in the future. Laziness, shirking of duty, this is our innate weakness in life. So much of our failure flows from that single source.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’ … So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” [Gen 3:1, 6]

Adam’s job in the garden was clear. He was to tend the garden and instruct his helpmate, Eve. Adam shirked his duties. The serpent had no business in the garden. The words of the serpent opposed the very Word of God and Adam said nothing. His laziness facilitated the fall and his curse reflects it.

“And to Adam he said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’” [Gen 3:17-19]

The curse tells us a little bit about what work in the garden was like. There was no pain. Thorns and thistles didn’t grow where they shouldn’t be. Eating from the fruit of the plants didn’t require the work to make it happen. And there was no sweat or pain afflicting him in the work he did. Now we struggle and suffer in the work we do. Getting those kids up, fed, dressed, in the car, attentive in the Divine service, and learning the hymns and liturgy is a chore … just like everything else good and profitable in life.

When your sons and other subordinate men aren’t bringing their families to church, try this. Treat them the same way you would if they failed to show-up for a tree trimming, as promised. Lob some sarcastic, friendly correction at them, be persistent about it, and grant no quarter for this important failure of duty. They need your encouragement.

Men, we help each other in this regard everywhere else in life. Let’s be intentional about the encouragement of our brothers in the faith too. Faith comes by hearing. I don’t want these men and their families to fall away from the faith for lack of hearing the Word of God. So, encourage them, rib them, goad them a little, in a kind way, about their duties as Christian fathers.

Strong Christian men raise faithful Christian children.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX