Higher Things Blogosphere

Brent Kuhlman : Third-Last Sunday

Brent Kuhlman — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:37:28 -0500

Third-Last Sunday (Trinity 22 / One Year Series)
8 November 2009

St. Andrew’s, Laramie, WY

St. Matthew 18:21-35

“You know Reverend. I’m quite generous. Very forgiving person. I can forgive someone once. Even twice. And possibly even a third time. Especially if it’s just a little thing. But there comes a time when you have to draw the line Reverend. You just can’t go on forgiving losers, scum, trash, and deadbeats. Especially when what they do is so mean and hurtful. And they do it on purpose over and over again. If I keep saying, ‘If forgive you,’ they’ll take advantage of me. I’ll look weak. Stupid. Three strikes and you’re out I say. My forgiveness only lasts for so long. And then I’m done. The forgiveness dries up.”

The apostle and man with his eyes on the bishop’s office in Rome -- Peter likes to keep score too. He’s a bit more generous on the sin score keeping. How many times do you forgive a brother who sins against you? Peter is willing to stretch it out to seven times. That’s really magnanimous. But then the forgiveness must stop.

“Right Jesus? Surely you agree with our generosity! Our willingness to forgive up to a point! His majesty Peter I is on our side.”

Are you sure you want to hear what Jesus has to say? His answer may just send you and Peter sprawling with His typical bizarre answers to our scorekeeping questions. You want to hear from Jesus? Really? All right.

“Seventy times seven!” Jesus announces. I.E. not just three. Not just seven. But forgiveness without limits. Without boundaries. Isn’t that how you want Him to forgive you? Imagine if Jesus treated you the way you treat others! It wouldn’t be good. It would end hellaciously.

You and I owed King Jesus more than we could ever repay. We couldn’t atone. Ever! Enormous, astronomical, beyond belief debt. Sell the kids. Sell the wife. Work a million lifetimes. Hire a credit consolidation firm. Make all kinds of deceiving promises. But the accounts would never get reconciled. Not even close. Ever!

And yet the King – King Jesus makes a decision. He decides to have mercy. Pity. So gracious. So giving. So forgiving. He dies to all the scorekeeping, audits, and accounting. Rips up the debt documents. And He settles your account – BY FORGIVING IT! Wipes all your debt of the books. All of it! Forgets it ever existed!

Kingdom of Heaven King Jesus is categorically and recklessly generous with forgiveness. Unlimited, unconditional, full and complete absolution for you that flows from His bloody Good Friday wounds. “Father, forgive them,” He prayed. And this prayer was for His enemies who wanted Him stone cold dead and who stopped at nothing to get that done. That’s you and me. Our sin put Him there. We saw to it as well! “Crucify Him!” was our demand too!

And yet He prays: “Father, forgive them. Father, forgive these dyed in the wool sinners. All of them. Forgive every last one of them and every one of their sins for my sake.” No limits. No boundaries. No forgiveness statute of limitations. The forgiveness job for all sin and every sinner gets done. Yours. Mine. The world’s.    “It is finished!” Indeed.

All your sin is forgiven. The whole enchilada. None left out.

Now if you don’t believe that or want nothing to do with what appears to be such an idiotic King and His ridiculously weak and foolish kingdom, then you won’t be forgiving your brother from the heart. Instead, you’ll just go on in the relentless and unforgiving slavery of getting even, being at each other’s throats, settling unfinished business, and paying people back who sin against you – no matter how trivial the hurt. And we all know what pay back is . . . payback is HELL! Not for the other person but for you who won’t forgive. And all that the King will have to say to you is: “You wicked servant. I died for you. Forgave everything of yours. And now you won’t forgive? Jailers! . . . This is how my heavenly Father will treat you because you insist on not letting my forgiveness have its way with you.”

Today, Kingdom of Heaven King Jesus stands before you. He is as generous and as reckless with His forgiveness as always. He forgave you in the absolution. And in a few minutes He’ll forgive you again with His promise that His Body and His Blood is for the forgiveness of your sins. All of them. None left out.

And He has taught you to pray: “Our Father who art in heaven . . . forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

And you are forgiven. For Jesus’ sake. And now He sends you out into the world to speak His forgiveness to others who desperately need it. To forgive as freely and (dare I say it) as recklessly as He has forgiven you.

In the Name of Jesus.

The Life and Times of Martha : Almost here...

Martha Scharff — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:23:10 -0500

Well, the day that I've been talking about for the past 2 months is finally here. That's right, I leave for NATS tomorrow! We had a recital tonight where I sang two of my songs. It went really well, despite the fact that I've felt a little under the weather all week. I'm very excited and I think that I can do well this weekend. My voice has grown so much this year and I'm really excited to get some positive feedback from the vocal professors that will be judging me. However, winning and getting some money wouldn't be too bad either.

Other than NATS, I have opera try-outs on Tuesday of next week that I'm very excited for. I there is a possibility that I could get a good role this year. Keep your fingers crossed. Well, that's all I can say for now. Keep me in your prayers these next few days, to stay healthy enough to sing this weekend. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Christus Victor : The Flesh Hates the Creeds

John Pawlitz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:48:04 -0500

Scripture tells us that none can say, "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. This is a most remarkable endorsement of credal statements. The creed explains to us who our God is not in empathetic compassionate terms, but in academic, rigorous and theologically meaningful language. And it goes without saying that if the Holy Spirit would like us to have, learn, and confess the creeds, the flesh would like to point out flaws, misunderstandings, and confusions over the terms of the creed.

Nothing more forms the basis for the doctrine of forgiveness in justification than a right confession of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as well as a particular understanding of the incarnation. Ecclesiastes says, the words of the wise are as goads, be warned of anything in addition to them, and this is how we form our opinion of the creeds. They keep our theology in place, and any scratching of their surface or hesitation with respect to them is sure to be the shipwreck of faith.

A greater theologian than Chemnitz on this subject would be hard to find. I know he greatly divests his energy in discussing the Trinity and two natures in an unflinching manner. If you are daring him to wink on the subject, you will lose your dare and finally find a measure of confidence in his dedicated approach.

We should not dare to forget what a treasure the credal teachings about God are, how rich they are, or how splendid and spiritual the confidence is that arises from them! Simply imagine if you had to ask yourself when Christ was made, and you will see how easily all of your theology unwinds without this basis. Or let us consider such ecclesiological parasites as patripassians. Suppose the hidden Father could suffer, then what does that do to the very concept of deity? What is it then that Christ is called the suffering servant?

While I cannot say enough in wonder and awe at the creeds, and I truly have no desire other than to continue to learn about their meaning, I nevertheless agree (er, homologeo) that it is not enough for the reticence of the gospel simply to confess the creeds. Without the great office of distinction between law and gospel, and without Word and Sacrament, etc., there is still a Romanism and Orientialism that defies the spirit of the gospel, even while purporting to confess the creeds. Therefore, the devil really is a lion prowling for us, waiting to catch us at unawares, even while we hold the creeds, or as an evil prince who completely captures and enslaves us without the creeds.

Brent Kuhlman : Revelation 3:1-6 Part Two

Brent Kuhlman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:49:18 -0500

Click here to listen to part two of this program.

Brent Kuhlman : Revelation 3:1-6 Part One

Brent Kuhlman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:47:28 -0500

Click here to listen to part one of this program.

Brent Kuhlman : All Saints' Day

Brent Kuhlman — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:47:18 -0500

Click here to listen to this sermon.

All Saints’ Day
1 November 2009

Revelation 7:9-17

Today a glimpse into heaven. Your loved ones who have died in the faith are there. They are in Christ. Christ is in and with them. Angels are there too. Millions of them. But angels are angels. Part of God’s invisible creation. When you die you don’t become an angel. Please teach people that. Our loved ones and friends who trusted Jesus for their salvation are in His presence. He’s got them. They only await the resurrection of the body on the last day.

Do you see it? No. But John did. And he’s written it down for you to hear. So, if you’ve ever asked, been asked, or wondered about what heaven is like, what the saints are doing there, here’s your opportunity for a sneak peek.

Behold! There is an enormous multitude of people. From all over the world. Name the country. Name the language. Name family. There are so many you can’t even begin to count them all. Heaven’s not going to be empty. More there than you could ever imagine. Better get used to a heaven busting at the seams!

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count from all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages – standing before the Lamb – wearing white robes – palm branches in their hands. And they shouted very loudly: ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!’”

Heaven is God’s doing. God’s giving. His creation. His very, very, very good new creation. A new heaven and a new earth that is the home of righteousness. Sin, suffering, death, and decay are no more. The butchery of war, famine, sickness, and the grave have been conquered by the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world in His Good Friday Death. In heaven such evil is excluded in the presence of the Lamb reigning in His heavenly kingdom.

Believers that have died are with Jesus. To be with Jesus or in Jesus is to be in heaven. And there is extravagant praise. Giving God the Father and Jesus His only-begotten Son their due. “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!”

All Saints’ Day draws us homeward to heaven. Today we sing:

“Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine,
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee for all are Thine.”

We feebly struggle. We’re still in this world where the evil of the world, the devil, and our sinful nature battles and batters us constantly. Our bodies get older and wear down. And when the Sunday divine service is over, God sends us back out in to that battlefield – the hard realities of daily living. Tests. Paying bills. Impatiently waiting on the weather to get the crops in. Family frustrations. Dealing with people that dislike or even hate us. We encounter opposition for believing in Jesus. The devil uses our sins to accuse us and threatens us with damnation. Death snatches away people we love. Sometimes when they’re too young. Some of us are old and ready to die. We’re homesick for heaven. But the earth is where we live now.

And so All Saints’ Sunday. The bigger picture. Revelation 7 puts this troublesome life with all its disappointments, heartaches, and miseries into perspective. The perspective of heaven! The Book of Hebrews reminds us that we are like our father Abraham: “looking forward to new city whose architect and builder is God,” (Hebrews 11:10). In other words, the Holy Trinity has created, redeemed, and sanctified us to be fellow citizens with all the saints: Adam, Eve, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Hannah, Samuel, King David, Isaiah, Mary, Joseph, Peter, Paul, Luther, ect. In fact, you too are a saint because you have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. The white robes you wear are the robes of Christ’s righteousness given to you in Holy Baptism.

Lutherans do talk about saints. We are not shy about it. Saints are sinners that believe their sins are forgiven in Christ’s blood. We remember those who have gone before us in faith so that “our faith may be strengthened when we see what grace they received and how they were sustained in faith.” In addition, “their good works are to an example for us, each of us in our own calling,” (Augsburg Confession). Only by God’s grace that is given to us through Jesus are any of us saints. We are “holy ones” because Jesus has given us His holiness in His Blood sacrificed on Good Friday and that same Blood in the cup of the Sacrament. We are saints, that is, holy ones, only because of Jesus. By what He’s done for us and by what He gives us.

For the saints in heaven they see with their eyes what they always had on this earth by faith in Jesus. Done is the daily dying to sin. Their eternal Sabbath rest is won. No more struggling with sin. No more temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. They live in pure victory as they sing with the angels of heaven: “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom, and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Where Christ is with His gifts there are His saints who believe in Him. In heaven and on earth! The saints in heaven and the saints on the earth sing in the presence of the Lamb who was slain. Today we confess His gracious presence with His Body and Blood as we sing: “O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world. Have mercy upon us . . . O Christ, Thou Lamb of God that takest away the sin of the world. Grant us Thy peace.”

If only our eyes could see. But we hear the Lamb’s voice in His Word: “Take eat. Take drink.” He is here. And He’s brought all of heaven with Him. All the angels, the archangels and all the company of heaven.

Dr. Hermann Sasse correctly taught that, the Sacrament of the Altar is our heaven on earth.” That’s because Jesus grants us access to Himself and to the Father who sits on the throne by His Blood.

You don’t have to wait until you die to go to heaven. When you’re at the Sacrament of the Altar all of heaven is there with Jesus. Millions of angels. All those who have died believing in Jesus too. Yes, that’s right, the people you loved in this life are where they’ve always been: with Christ. At the Lord’s Supper you are given to remember them properly: that Christ has them and they are with Him. And in the Lord’s Supper all of heaven is right here in our midst. It is your heaven until you enter heaven. Happy All Saints’ Day!’

In the Name of Jesus.

Amiga: Luvable lutheran's blog : Tweetin Worship

mt1goal — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:53:10 -0400

Howdy-

I've been extremely busy with work, putting in 50-60 hour work weeks and now I'm sick. I'm glad to get refreshed each week in the Divine Service as God gives me the strength to serve others through the hats I wear.

Meanwhile, I saw this link about Tweeting and Facebooking in worship. Some of it has been led by Willow Creek which is no surprise since they and Saddleback are the leaders in Christianity today that most all churches look to and emulate.

HT is also technically advanced as you see those who tweet and have facebook pages in addition to the blogs listed on this website. However, I think the key difference with HT pastors and laypeople is that there is the disinction between work, play, and education/catchesis and that HT folks have such a high respect for Christ and his servants (pastors) that facebooking and tweeting during the Divine Service would be considered Taboo. What are your thoughts? Do you agree? Have you seen folks that tweet and facebook in service? I ask since I'm careful to turn off my blackberry during service. Now I must admit, it has come on during sunday school when I look up something for pastor on google. I also sent an IM afterwards to another pastor with a question from a layperson. So it's not that I dont see the value of having facebook and the internet readily available to supplement the information and aid bible study. However, I just don't see it aiding worship, but rather distracting from our focus on God's Word and His Sacrements. Last time I checked, facebook or twitter couldn't provide the forgiveness of sins.

Rev. Cwirla's Blogosphere : Blessed Reformation Day

Rev. William M. Cwirla — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:32:35 -0400

Christus Victor : Regarding the Mood Changes in Temptation

John Pawlitz — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:19:00 -0400

Nothing is so flattering to a man as to believe that he can resist any and all temptation, except further, to presume that by some strange coincidence, he need not resist it. There is something tempting in this, yes; there is the temptation to give up. After all, God did not give us the doctrine of original sin, except for this reason, for the excuse to give up is much more largely enhanced by the notion of the impossibility of success. And as long as we have, on the one hand no need to resist temptation (making resistance pointless), and on the other, an impossibility for resisting it, we have two points, with which we can oppose the singular Scriptures, which teach that God provides a way for us to stand even during temptations.

I make no secret of my incredibly unprofound measure of infatuation with Tolkien and Middle-Earth. But there is one passage I would cite where Frodo has the Ringwraiths following him (in Fellowship) and they twist his words and demands.

'Go back!' he cried. 'Go back to the Land of Mordor, and follow me no more!' His voice sounded thin and shrill in his own ears. The Riders halted, but Frodo had not the power of Bombadil. His enemies laughed at him with a harsh and chilling laughter. 'Come back! Come back!' they called. 'To Mordor we will take you!'

'Go back!' he whispered.

'The Ring! The Ring!' They cried with deadly voices; and immediately their leader urged his horse forward into the water, followed closely by two others.

'By Elbereth and Luthien the Fair,' said Frodo with a last effort, lifting up his sword, 'you shall have neither the Ring nor me!'

etc.

It is only appropriate (if I may say so) to cite Tolkien because the whole concept of the Ring (and the Lord thereof) seems to deal with temptation. Everyone who encounters the Ring seems to be weakened by temptation and desire for it.

Here is what seems to be a guiding principle in the matter: the Ringwraiths would rather get by temptation and deception what they cannot get by strength of force. Would it not be much easier to get their prize by a simple twisting of words? This is what makes Frodo's demand that they get back to Mordor a joke. They simply twist his words, so that they will go back to Mordor with him and the Ring in tow. But when Frodo uses the proper names of those points of referents that are far stronger than his own will, even then he has not won the fight, except that he has resisted their mockery far enough to resist handing it to them on a silver platter. Then indeed, his words prove meaningful when the elven flood overtakes the Black Riders, even though, to be sure, they will stun him by silencing him and breaking his sword.

Generally, a great part of resisting temptation emulates bravery. Ulysses Grant said upon finding a rebel camp deserted that he could tell they had left in a flurry and fearfully, and it left a great impression on him because he knew that the enemy had fear (also). Perhaps no general has set a better tone for modern American warfare than General Grant. He was not afraid of escalations in bloodshed, and he did not back down from victory in order to appear humanitarian. This is because you win not by looking humanitarian, but by making the cocky enemy back down. If you are not willing to pay this price, you should not even fight. He understood the cost of war, which is something we need in our generals, and it is why we credit those who bring success, even at a cost. They have made difficult sacrifices but achieved some result.

It does not do for we Christians to think that the devil has no fear of the Word of God. He even flees from music. Why does the devil tempt us? It is no doubt because he cannot have us through sheer force, due to our baptism. We are safe in the ark of baptism into Christ, and the floods of sin cannot drown us there. I think he tempts us because he does not wish to expend his power in persecuting us, if he can get things from us without a fight. Why not win on a bluff, and avoid showing your cards?

That being said, it follows to explain the stage on which temptations, rather than persecutions, are the choice approach of Satan. We can do nothing to insure our fall to temptation, except set up lofty visions and expectations for ourselves. As the proverb elucidates: pride goeth before the fall. Nowhere is the temptation of Satan's minions more effective than in such a case. When we, through the sinful pride of humanity, set up an idolatrous expectation, on which we focus rather than on Christ, we have already broken the first commandment, and cannot hope to obey in that case. So, when we have great expectations (to use Dickens' ploy for a moment) then indeed, we are most vulnerable to temptations.

This may seem an unsophisticated analysis of the subject, but in the end, when Satan cannot play off of our pride, he tries to trigger our pride through a kind of flagrant persecution. If we are not tempted by a prideful, pietistical approach to Christianity, let him set up where Christians are considered immoral somehow, and see if that does not trigger our pride somehow. Or let him do worse, and see if we would rather have our prideful expectations of God become our gods.

Luther rightly explains this great power of Satan over the world in the famous hymn, when he says "deep guile" and "great might". For Satan to win over us in temptation, all that is required is that he wear us down by playing off our pride and then disappointing us. Once we realize our expectations have not been met, then we are under temptation. He only wishes to set us up in such a way as might make us colder and more indifferent toward repentance. He need not say, "I am a devil and shall beat you up." But that is what he does.

Now that this sort of temptation can be beaten is a doctrine nearly lost on my ears. But I think it should be clear that Satan has his weaknesses. I am not pretending that actual fighting of some type is to be accounted for in some sort of spiritual novel. We must, nonetheless, call to mind those objects which separate us from our expectations and result in a cessation of temptation due to bold confidence. These we chiefly find in the Word of God. The Psalms either needlessly describe temptations, or else temptations are a real subject to be dealt with in serious theology. Again, either Peter needlessly cautions against a roaring lion, or else we are really to put on the armor. I cannot attribute a deferent indifference to the Holy Spirit, if he moans and cries in words unfathomable on our behalf. Thus, since we have mentioned psychological triggers in a way, I suppose we should seek the Word of God and generally any poetical or musical triggers to the doctrines which confidently separate us from our present weakness for expectations and idols, so as to be brought, incidentally, back into line with the 1st commandment while trusting in Christ.

The Life and Times of Martha : Almost Halloween

Martha Scharff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:58:56 -0400

Well, I'm starting to get very bad about writing on my blog. However, I can safely say that not much is happening other than the fact that I am becoming very stressed out. That is not much different than any other college student! Good news though, I had Gold Medal auditions tonight and I made it into the final round on November 14! So, if I win in November, it means that I will be able to perform my piece with the orchestra next semester. I also have the NATS vocal competition next weekend at Augustana College in Illinois. I'm pretty excited. I'm not expecting to win, but you never know! In these next two weeks, please keep me in your prayers so that I can remain healthy. Other than that, nothing new is going on. It's cold outside and I love it. I just wish that it would stop raining.