Thursday , August 28, 2008
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Service changes back to regular time after August |
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Studies
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See the following studies below: 1. Suffering - a contemporary Perspective
SufferingA Contemporary PerspectiveIndeed, the church stands at the threshold of enthusiasm if a personal encounter displaces the message of justification through faith in the crucified Christ which Augustana recognizes as the heart of the Gospel. Concordia Theological Quarterly Volume 46, number 4 October 1982, p. 267, The Theology of the Cross by Karl Wengenroth. There is shift from theology to anthropology. The question, “Who am I?” is posed before all others, yet the question, “Who am I before God?” receives no answers. Christ is considered the great example of true humanness. The suffering that took place for our redemption becomes a proof of the human potential for self-sacrificing love. Christ and His cross become a motivation to master the problems of life in accordance with His moral standards and to find a meaning in life through reasonable deliberation.
In contrast to such a view, the theology of the cross shows me that I can now live a life empowered by a source wholly outside myself. I need no longer rely upon my own strength. Because the theology of glory is such a dangerous temptation for the church, a careful definition of the theology of the cross is clearly essential. Wengeroth p. 268 Christ and the cross
All aspects of salvation stand in light of the cross – Christ’s incarnation (Matthew 1:21); Christ’s baptism followed by John’s words, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:21). Christ repeatedly announced his suffering and death. Even the risen Lord is the crucified Lord, and in the returning Lord we meet “the Lamb that was slain” (Revelation 5:12) Wengeroth p. 270 The Theology of the Cross versus The Theology of Glory 1. Charismatic and “holiness” movements either seek certain visible signs from, or they identify themselves as a sinless Christian community. The theology of the cross puts an end to both claims by testifying the decisive criterion of Christian living is faith. It is not from the holiness of its life that the church receives its perfection but from the forgiveness of sins. As Luther says: “Sinners are beautiful because they are loved; they are not loved because they are beautiful.” (Luther’s comments on these sis 28 at the Heidelberg Disputation) 2. Syncretistic movements speak of many ways of salvation. They make the salvation accomplished by Christ on the cross merely one of many religious possibilities for man. 3. Some modern “missionary” strategies consider the development of certain social structures equally as important as the proclamation of justifying grace in Christ. 4. Political theology misconstrues the realization of democracy or racial integration as participation in human salvation. 5. Contextual theology calls for the adoption of non-Christian cultural elements to express the Gospel in order to make it more easily acceptable to prospective Christians. Thus, human religious activity becomes more important than simple trust in the grace of God. 6. Unionism makes corporate size, organizational efficiency, and public influence the criterion of church union, rather than agreement in confession. Unionism has as its goal the visible establishment of the kingdom of God in this world. In actuality, the church cannot retreat from the scandal of the cross if it is to be the church of Christ. True unity in Christ can exist only in and under the cross. 7. A theology of success looks upon financial gain and external growth as sure signs of divine blessing. The theology of glory, understood in this way, is constantly in search of progress in this world. It draws up programs which are designed to make the kingdom of God sufficiently manifest that we may recognize at least the outlines of paradise in this world. But since sin, death, and the devil cannot be overcome except through the daily forgiveness of sins, and since the power of this world has not been eliminated, the theology of glory stands in sharp contrast to the form of God’s kingdom under the cross. The theology of the cross looks forward to an end of this world and in the meantime expects every Christian to live as a disciple of the crucified Lord in obedient suffering. Conclusion
As dangerous as the theology of glory is, the church must do more than simply expose and reject it. Rather, the church must seek to live in accord with the theology of the cross in terms of personal piety, worship, pastoral care, administration of the sacraments, and stewardship. Robert A. Kelly, The Suffering Church: A Study of Luther’s Theologia Crucis, CTQ January 1986Volume 50, Number 1
Unless the influence of the theologia crucis on a particular locus is understood, then Luther’s thinking is not understood. Christ alone rules the true church; when this church grows, it grows purely because of the action of Christ. AE 39:68-73
Luther in “On the Councils and the Church” gave seven signs by which the Christian can, in faith, detect the presence of the hidden church. First - the preaching of the Word of God, the Gospel; second – baptism, taught, believed, and administered according to Christ’s command. Third – the sacrament of the altar is administered, believed, and rec3ived according to Christ’s institution; fourth – the office of the keys administered publicly so that sin is confessed and forgiven; fifth – the consecration and call of people to the public offices of the Word, sacraments and keys; sixth – public prayer, praise, and thanksgiving to God in worship.AE 41:148-164
The seventh sign according to Luther is that the hidden church can be recognized in faith by the possession of the sacred cross, these are “the afflictions of all the faithful” or “afflictions which the church suffers on Christ’s account.” AE 27:134 The reason for the suffering must be purely because Christians want to preach only Christ and adhere to God’s Word. Institutional success produces a spiritual sleepiness which is brought on by prosperity. Those who are prosperous often will not stand up in defense of the Gospel because they are afraid to lose wealth and property. The idea that wealth and success are a sign of God’s favor is an idol and an obstacle to the true faith. AE 21:17 It is sad, but true, says Luther, that even so many years after Christ people still seek their own success and the devil’s false but showy signs attract a greater following than the cross of Christ. AE21:280
The primary reason that suffering is to be accepted as a good rather than avoided as an evil is that Christ Himself suffered. The connection of Christ and suffering is so strong that Luther can say that the person who avoids persecution chooses thereby to surrender Christ. AE 21:45 Our own flesh, the world, and the devil all insist that the Gospel be silenced and use every weapon available to oppose those who insist on proclaiming Christ alone. Persecution of the church must only be because of the preaching of the
A lost (or shall we say forgotten) concept in Lutheran congregations (including Lutheran auxiliaries) is vocation. Vocation is thought of in terms of being employed or having an occupation. Thus men, women and children in our Lutheran congregations do not understand their vocation as ones called to faith in Jesus Christ to serve others. Most Lutherans would be in agreement with the phrase “we are called to faith in Jesus Christ to serve others,” but the misunderstanding is found when Lutherans divorce their worship life from their life of service.
Faith comes first. Faith is not what we decide to do for God but rather what God generates in our lives by the Gospel. Faith is the result of the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives by Word and sacrament. The reason that faith is not our work is very clear from Scripture: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: not as a result of works, that no one should 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 NASB
“God’s vocation”?
John The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Just as our neighbor is in need and lacks that in which we abound, so we are in need before God and lacked his mercy. Hence, as our heavenly Father has in Christ freely come to our aid, we also ought freely to help our neighbor through our body and its works, and each one become as it were a Christ to the other that we may be Christ to one another. (AE 31:367-368).
We shall now speak of the fruit of this sacrament, which is love; that is, that we should treat our neighbor as God has treated us. Now that we have received from God nothing but love and favor, for Christ has pledged and given us his righteousness and everything he has; he has poured out upon us all his treasures, which no man can measure and no angel can understand or fathom, for God is a glowing furnace of love, reaching even from the earth to the heavens. Love, I say, is a fruit of the sacrament (AE 51:95).
Where such faith is thus continually refreshed and renewed, there the heart is also at the same time refreshed anew in its love of the neighbor and is made strong and equipped to do all good works and to resist sin and all temptations of the devil. Since faith cannot be idle, it must demonstrate the fruits of love by doing good and avoiding evil (AE 38:126).
Do you see yourself as redeemed by Christ? Do you relish and cherish all of the opportunities to “grow in faith” during worship? Do we struggle because we look more at our lives instead of Christ’s life? Do you worship God with “true faith” in Christ or are you merely going through the actions? Do you receive the mercy of God in Christ by gladly hearing the Word of God and clinging to it? Do you enjoy your baptism each and every day? Do you bow before your Savior and humbly receive His body and blood in the sacrament for the forgiveness of sins, your sins?
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