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Here is the Missing Title to the Post on Sanctification…Again…
Well, here it is. I’m indebted to Pr. Surburg for his taking up the work to define and defend this discussion. I’ve not had the time or, frankly, interest in doing so. What is the whole issue about? There are some very vocal and well-known people in the LCMS who believe that there is no room for true Christian exhortation in sermons without it being “Law.” So their sermons do not exhort at all, or if they do, they use exhortation to show what a lousy sin-bag you are and how much Jesus works in you. They rightly preach the passive righteousness of Christ, that is, Christ’s righteousness is ours by His grace, without any merit or worthiness in us, but also tend to preach a passive sanctification–that sanctification just “happens” … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Reclaiming Ascension
The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. That’s a big name for a big feast that nobody thinks about. But here’s the deal with the Ascension: it is so unbelievably significant for us as Christians because it reminds us why Jesus ain’t here. He’s reigning. He’s ruling. He’s with the Father present everywhere and filling all things. A Man is ruling at the Right Hand of the Father. A God gives His Body and Blood to us and never runs dry. He is ordering History and Time and everything for us, His Body, His people. This is what the Ascension teaches and confesses and celebrates. Why is it not a bigger deal in our churches? Maybe because it’s always on a Thursday (40 days after Easter Sunday is always … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
It’s All Descriptive
Fr. Larry Beane posts this brilliant essay on our Lutheran Confessions and the Mass. I won’t rehash what he has written, but I do what to expand on his observation that the entirety of the Lutheran Confessions are descriptive and not prescriptive. Every article describes the Evangelical Catholics, Lutherans, the Subscribers, Confessors or whatever you want to call them. They describe and denote what we believe, teach, and confess. They are not rule books or Commandments. Subscribe or not. Make them descriptive of you and your Church or not. We have freedom to do so. But explaining them away is not an option if they are supposed to be describing you. And they, if you’re Lutheran. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Dry Times
CS Lewis called it the dry times and likened it to hills and valleys. Our spiritual lives are like that. We have ups and downs, the times when we feel close to God, when our devotions are being said, when we are attuned to temptation and somehow the strength is there to resist. We feel good. Then there’s the other times when you barely feel connected to anyone and anything, and our prayers bounce of the ceilings or die before ever crossing our lips, and the Word is lifeless and boring as sin to us. In either situation, remember that our faith, salvation and spiritual life have little connection to our feelings. Your spiritual high and close feelings may be more due to the fact that it’s spring and you’re eating healthily. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Easter 4 Sermon
Disclaimer: I usually don’t publish my sermon manuscripts. Sermons are proclaimed to a specific people at a specific time, and I don’t believe they are for “general consumption.” Additionally, I write my manuscripts early and by Sunday morning they serve more as outlines than a transcript of what I proclaim. Keep this in mind. Your mileage may vary… +++++ Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice: That alone should encourage the crew. Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice: What I tell you three times is true.” Lewis Carrol wrote this in his poem “The Hunting of the Snark.” There’s something to it on a few levels. Repeated phrases, repeated things are important. Once, twice. Three times a lady. Repetition is the mother of learning, the Latin phrase … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Good Words on Good Works
The brouhaha over sanctification seems to be petering out, thanks be to God. What’s that you ask? Certain segments of Confessional Lutherans have been arguing in various places online about the third use of the Law and preaching sanctification. And many of them have a view of Lutheran preaching that generations and generations of Lutherans would never recognize. It is a sign of my own lack of sanctification that I can barely address this without calling the other side names and getting way too upset. Ironic isn’t it? So instead of an impassioned, unbecoming and sinful rant, I appeal to Pr. Peters. He writes, What I am concerned about is that the huff has created an atmosphere in which we feel it is safe only to preach justification and to leave all … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Law and Gospel…and Sanctification from Walther
“A third shortcoming in this context is when a preacher always preaches about repentance and faith, yet omits the need for good works and sanctification, at least in the sense that he is not instructing thoroughly on good works, Christian virtues, and sanctification. Describing the true Christian life and living in detail—gently and with practical examples—will work better than [when the preacher is] always threatening and admonishing people of the necessity to do these things. Luther writes the following in this regard, “XXX, Schrift von den Conciliis und Kirchen, 1539, Walch XVI, pp. 2741. [93]. By the way, if anyone would like a detailed description of true Christian life—both spiritually and how to live it—read Holy Scripture and also the beautiful examples in the Epistle section of Luther’s Church Postil.” (CFW Walther, Pastoraltheologie, pp. 92, 93, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
What’s Wrong with Lutheranism, Part Twenty(?)
Well. Read this. One of the funniest bloggers I know of and a Lutheran to boot on what is wrong with my denomination. Seriously. You’ve read it here for years, but he says it better and more eloquently than I can: the indictment of the LCMS Confessional Movement and the fruitless faith we preach. Seriously. Read this essay when you have ten or twenty minutes of quiet to digest it. Here’s a sample: Here is what filtered down to many of us young Lutherans: we are both sinners and justified, yes? So it’s Jesus’s job to justify, and our job to . . . sin. If we say we have no sin, then we are liars! If we say there is anything we can do about our sin, well, then we’re really lost. Don’t get … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Forgiveness Thursday
We followed the Agenda for Maundy Thursday, offering the Rite of Corporate Confession and Absolution. We did the same thing at Redeemer, but with one telling difference here: after the confession, we followed the rubric which states “The pastor absolves the penitents individually at the altar…” Previously, I followed the alternate instruction and absolved them corporately. I stood to the Epistle side, my associate pastor to the Gospel side and the people came forward in two … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
Overheard at Easter Vigil…
“Christ is the Alpha and the…[long pause]…where’s the Omega?” [Whispered], “Let’s whittle the paschal candle.” [long pause] “It’s still not working. Just shove it in there.” “The Seventh Day…no, the Sixth Day” “Take the knife to the font and whittle some more.” “Let’s just pray it doesn’t tip over, leaning like that.” [Whispered] “Phillip! Sneak back there and get the chrism! When do we need it? We need it now!” “‘And she said, ‘Rabboni’, which means Lord. No, rather it means Teacher.’” … Read entire article »
Filed under: Theology
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