Body

News and Notes

The Bible is hated by the worldly - Luther

Our Augsburg Confession - Chief Articles 1-6

Sermon - John 14:1-11 - m.e.l.

Special prayer from our Lutheran Hymnal

First Things First - r.w.s.

How shall the young secure their hearts
And guard their lives from sin?
The Word the choicest rules imparts
To keep the conscience clean.
'Tis like the sun, a heav'nly light
That guides us all the day,
And thro' the dangers of the night
A lamp to lead our way.
Thy Word is everlasting truth;
How pure is every page!
That holy Book shall guide our youth
And well support our age.
(TLH #286, vv.1,2,5)

---------------------------------------------------------

(excerpted from the book Luther: On God's Word
translated and published by The Lutheran Reformation Hour)

~ Psalm 2:10-12 ~

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

---------------------------------------------------------

Our Augsburg Confession
The Confession of Faith
which was submitted to
His Imperial Majesty Charles V
at the Diet of Augsburg
in the year 1530
by certain princes and cities

I will speak of thy testimonies before kings,
and will not be also shamed.
Psalm 119:46

------------------------

The Chief Articles of Faith
(1-6)

(to be continued in the next ILC Journal issue)

1] Our Churches, with common consent, do teach that the decree of the Council of Nicaea concerning the Unity of the Divine Essence and concerning the Three Persons, is true and to be believed without any doubting; 2] that is to say, there is one Divine Essence which is called and which is God: eternal, without body, without parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; and 3] yet there are three Persons, of the same essence and power, who also are coeternal, the Father the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And the term "person" 4] they use as the Fathers have used it, to signify, not a part or quality in another, but that which subsists of itself.

5] They condemn all heresies which have sprung up against this article, as the Manichaeans, who assumed two principles, one Good and the other Evil: also the Valentinians, Arians, Eunomians, Mohammedans, and all such. 6] They condemn also the Samosatenes, old and new, who, contending that there is but one Person, sophistically and impiously argue that the Word and the Holy Ghost are not distinct Persons, but that "Word" signifies a spoken word, and "Spirit" signifies motion created in things.

1] Also they teach that since the fall of Adam all men begotten in the natural way are born with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with 2] concupiscence; and that this disease, or vice of origin, is truly sin, even now condemning and bringing eternal death upon those not born again through Baptism and the Holy Ghost.

3] They condemn the Pelagians and others who deny that original depravity is sin, and who, to obscure the glory of Christ's merit and benefits, argue that man can be justified before God by his own strength and reason.

1] Also they teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God, did assume the human nature in 2] the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, so that there are two natures, the divine and the human, inseparably conjoined in one Person, one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and 3] buried, that He might reconcile the Father unto us, and be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of men.

4] He also descended into hell, and truly rose again the third day; afterward He ascended into heaven that He might sit on the right hand of the Father, and forever reign and have dominion over all creatures, and sanctify 5] them that believe in Him, by sending the Holy Ghost into their hearts, to rule, comfort, and quicken them, and to defend them against the devil and the power of sin.

6] The same Christ shall openly come again to judge the quick and the dead, etc., according to the Apostles' Creed.

1] Also they teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for 2] Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. 3] This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight. Rom. 3 and 4.

1] That we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. For through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, 2] the Holy Ghost is given, who works faith; where and when it pleases God, in them that hear 3] the Gospel, to wit, that God, not for our own merits, but for Christ's sake, justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ's sake.

4] They condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that the Holy Ghost comes to men without the external Word, through their own preparations and works.

1] Also they teach that this faith is bound to bring forth good fruits, and that it is necessary to do good works commanded by God, because of God's will, but that we should not rely on those works to merit justification 2] before God. For remission of sins and justification is apprehended by faith, as also the voice of Christ attests: When ye shall have done all these things, say: We are unprofitable servants. Luke 17, 10. The same is also taught by 3] the Fathers. For Ambrose says: It is ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith alone.

Fellow redeemed sinners, redeemed by the blood
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Jesus once asked the Pharisees the all important question: "What think ye of Christ?" (Matthew 22:42). That question must be correctly answered by anyone and everyone who would be saved and arrive safely in heaven when they depart this life. There is no comfort now or in the future for those who will not know and trust in the real Jesus, the Christ of the Holy Bible. A false Christ gives no real and lasting comfort, but only deceives and leads one to eternal death and damnation. What do I mean by the term "false Christ?" Simply this: any "Christ" put forth who is NOT the Christ described in the Holy Scriptures, that is, any "Christ" proclaimed who is NOT the second Person of the Holy Trinity, true God and true man, coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Holy Ghost.

Jesus Himself warns us in Matthew 24:24, "...there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Be warned: not everyone that talks of a Jesus is talking of the real Jesus. The devil's deceiving disciples are a real danger my friends. For example, the apostle Paul feared that the Christian congregation at Corinth might be misled, for he writes in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him." You see, the false prophets who proclaim "another Jesus" always appeal to the sinful flesh, intellect, and emotions of their hearers. This is still going on today when, for instance, people are taught that Jesus was ONLY a man given extraordinary gifts, or ONLY a great teacher of moral principals that we are to imitate in order to please God and thus be saved by our works; all such false teaching indeed puts forth a "false Christ" which gives false hope and false, fleeting comfort.

For real comfort you and I need Christ Jesus – not an imitation – and our text for today drives the point home in a marvelous manner. Therefore, in view of our Scripture selection and with the help of the Holy Ghost, let us ponder the theme:

The words of our text were first spoken by Jesus to His disciples shortly before His bitter sufferings and death on the cross of Calvary for our sins. Jesus knew that the events that were then about to take place would shake up His followers quite a bit, and so He said to them in verse 1,

The all-knowing Lord Jesus knew what lay ahead for His disciples, He knew their hearts were troubled and how they would be tempted to despair and doubt, and so the loving Lord urged them to cling to Him in faith. Such is good for us too. We need to cling to Christ Jesus ever more firmly when we are troubled in heart. When we are uncertain of what the future holds and we are worried and concerned, we need to flee to Jesus in prayers of faith, and in Him we will find comfort for our troubled hearts.

Furthermore, realize that by looking at Jesus with the eyes of faith we always have the abiding comfort of knowing that He has paid for all of our sins, not one excepted. Any troubles we have in this life are nothing in comparison with what Jesus went through for us. We are all miserable sinners, but Jesus bore ALL of our sins in His body on the accursed tree of the cross and paid for them with His holy and precious blood– surely that should be of great comfort to us even while we are enduring troubles in this life. May we always believe in God the Father and in His only-begotten Son, Christ Jesus, and thus be comforted.

Heaven is God the Father's house, for Jesus taught us to pray, "our Father which art in heaven" (Matthew 6:9). What does Jesus here in our text assure His disciples of concerning His Father's house? That there are many mansions in it – there is no shortage of space in paradise – and that He was going to prepare them a place there. Remember that when Jesus spoke the words of our text He was about to suffer and die for the sins of the world, bodily rise from the dead after 3 days, and visibly ascend into heaven 40 days after that– and it all happened as Jesus promised. Jesus never lies, so, the disciples had no reason to doubt Jesus' words of promise regarding His preparing them a place in paradise.

Jesus never lied to the disciples then, and He never lies to His present-day disciples either. We too can be sure that Jesus has prepared a place in heaven for all of His believing children. O what comfort we should take in that fact! The grave is not the end. When we Christians close our eyes in death our souls are immediately transported to the mansions of heaven, just as was the penitent thief on the cross next to Jesus, to whom the Lord promised, "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). O beloved, Christ Jesus has prepared a place of comfort for us! A wonderful place of eternal comfort! May you and I daily repent of our sins and continue to cling to Christ Jesus in sincere, humble faith; and then, be comforted by Christ Jesus, knowing that He has indeed prepared a place of comfort for us.

May we never cease thanking and praising Christ Jesus for His love and matchless mercy.

Note that our text stresses that Jesus would go and prepare a place in His Father's house for His followers; it does not say that Jesus prepares a place in heaven for every human being. No, only the disciples of Christ – the Christians – have a place prepared for them in heaven. The unbelievers have another place prepared for them called hell. Revelation 21:8 states the case: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." That's hell my friends, the place "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44). What a terrible fate awaits those who persist in impenitence and reject the Redeemer! Pray that multitudes would sincerely repent of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ now while they yet have time, so that they too may know the comfort we Christians have in Christ Jesus.

The place that Jesus went to prepare in His Father's house for His disciples is not only a place for their souls to reside, but for their bodies too. Fellow Christians, realize that the mansions of heaven are for our total personal enjoyment, that is, for us according to soul and body. Jesus promises: "...if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Christ Jesus is coming again to judge the quick and the dead at which time the unbelievers will be consigned to the everlasting torments of hell. Jesus is not coming to set up shop on this earth for 1000 years, no, He is coming to receive His disciples unto Himself– that is what our text teaches, we just read it. Jesus will visibly return to this earth in power and great glory, raise all the dead, reunite the souls with their bodies, glorify the bodies of His believing children, and take His followers to heaven to be forever with Him. Yes, fellow followers of Jesus, it is as Colossians 3:4 informs us: "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Hence, may we rejoice in knowing that Christ Jesus has prepared a place of comfort for us.

Jesus told His disciples that they knew where He was going and the way there. How did they know? Jesus had told them. Jesus was again directing His disciples to remember His words that He had spoken to them. Likewise, if we would know where Jesus went and the way to get there we must listen to Jesus' Word– the Holy Scriptures. Waiting for little voices to speak in your head, looking for visions and dreams, or contemplating the philosophies of men will never show you the Father's house or how to get there. We need the revealed knowledge of God, in other words, we need God's Book – the Holy Bible – for it is the only source of reliable, accurate and trustworthy information.

There is so much confusion amongst people when they refuse to listen to God's true Word. The almost never-ending stream of Bible versions has confused many people as multitudes of verses are changed or removed– in particular, those verses dealing with the deity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But the plethora of per-versions is not the only cause of confusion amongst professed Christians, no, even many who have the faithful KJV Holy Bible fail to use it exclusively and fail to take it as it reads in context. All too many people wrest the Scriptures out of context, or they add to it, or take away from it, just so that they can fit it to their preconceived notions. May you and I strive to maintain and practice the principal of "Scripture interprets Scripture." God grant that we truly listen to the Lord Jesus, that we may be comforted by Him.

The words of Thomas show that he had not really been listening to Jesus and taking His words to heart. Unfortunately, Thomas and the rest of the disciples often had their focus on this world, and they yearned for a temporal kingdom. In the chapter preceding our text Jesus told His disciples that He would be betrayed and would be yet a little while with them and then go where they could not follow at that time. The disciples did not fully understand that Jesus came to this earth to pay for the sins of the world with His holy and precious blood, and to usher in the New Testament era, not to establish an earthly kingdom but rather to bring the Kingdom of God – a spiritual kingdom – to men.

Listen again to what Thomas, speaking on behalf of all the disciples, said: "Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" As I said before, Jesus had told them where He was going and how to get there, but they had not really listened. You would think that Jesus would have gotten angry with these men for not paying attention to Him and for being ignorant after all the instruction He had given them, but He didn't get angry. O, how patient our Lord was with them, and is with us too! It's amazing how our dear Lord Jesus puts up with our denseness. God is truly merciful! Just consider how He answered Thomas in verse 6 of our text,

Could Jesus put it any plainer to Thomas, to the rest of the disciples, and to us? No. Jesus answered directly in the strongest, clearest terms possible, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." At that time Jesus was soon going visibly to God the Father, and thus the place where the Father dwells– heaven, the place of eternal comfort.

Take note of the fact that Jesus is, "the way, the truth, and the life." Here in our text the original Greek definite article singular is appropriately conveyed to us in English with the word "the." Hence, the Holy Ghost who gave us the Scriptures is making the point crystal clear to us that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to God the Father, which is doubly emphasized by the phrase of Jesus, "no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Jesus IS the ONLY WAY to GOD and HEAVEN, period. Contrary to the popular opinion pedaled by many today that basically says that "all religions lead to God, they just take different paths, and everyone will eventually get to heaven"; our text teaches in no uncertain terms that CHRIST JESUS is the ONLY way to God and heaven, there is no other way.

It is as Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:27, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Without Jesus Christ it is impossible to know God the Father. Consequently, it is true that without Jesus Christ one can only know a false God, as is the case with every religion other than true Christianity. For example, the god of the Muslims, Allah, is a false God and anyone trusting in that god is going to hell. Christ Jesus is the only Way to have real and lasting comfort.

JESUS IS THE TRUTH, says our text. Jesus IS the ONLY TRUTH. Jesus is truth personified. Again, we see that all religions cannot be equally good and lead to the true God and heaven, for there is ONE TRUTH– CHRIST JESUS! Jesus is the living Word of God, the only-begotten Son of the Father from eternity, born of the virgin Mary in time– true God and true man. "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Yes, the real Jesus IS TRUTH and there is no other. There is no salvation without Christ Jesus, for He is the one true Savior.

All religions that teach salvation other than by grace through faith in Christ Jesus alone are religions of the devil, for the Bible says that the devil "was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). Think about it. Any religion without Christ Jesus as its central object and theme is without the Truth, and therefore is a lie, a product of the devil.

Remember this too: Jesus is the only Truth, and so if anyone tells you that you are saved by faith in Jesus AND by your works, they have added what they consider a second truth, which is necessarily a lie, hence they are not really putting forth the true Jesus. This is a deception that is running rampant among many churches calling themselves "Christian" these days. The false prophets are proclaiming "another Jesus" by their practice of teaching that Jesus' atoning work was not actually sufficient for all sins but that you must do works of penance and so forth. Beware of Satan's subtle tricks. Take it to heart that Christ Jesus is the only Way to have real and lasting comfort.

JESUS IS THE LIFE says our text. There is NO life without Jesus. Spiritual life and eternal life are impossible without Jesus, because without God-given faith in Jesus you remain dead in your trespasses and sins and destined for eternal damnation in Hell. Jesus IS the life-giver for He sends His Holy Spirit who works through the Gospel to create and sustain saving faith in the hearts of men, women, and children; and that God-given and preserved faith clings to Christ Jesus and receives the forgiveness of sins and the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer. Indeed, Jesus IS the LIFE for 1 John 5:11-12 & 20 declares: "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." Yes, Christ Jesus is the only Way to have real and lasting comfort.

Just think of what Jesus is getting at here in our text: knowing Jesus IS knowing the Father; seeing Jesus IS seeing the Father. Jesus is alluding to the fact that He is one with the Father, as He says in John 10:30, "I and my Father are one." This is a profound mystery and is best expounded by looking at what Scripture itself says on the subject, therefore listen to Colossians 2:9 which says of Christ Jesus: "in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Jesus is God my friends; seeing Jesus with the eyes of faith is seeing God. If you want real and lasting comfort then fix your eyes upon Christ Jesus.

Philip did not grasp what Jesus was saying, and so he asked the Lord to show him and the other disciples the Father. Isn't it something how patient our Lord is with Philip and the rest? We ought to take comfort in knowing that Jesus is patient with us too.

Again Jesus here stresses His oneness with the Father by pressing the fact that seeing Him IS seeing the Father. It seems as if Philip was seeking a view of God the Father as if the Father were a separate God from the Son, which showed spiritual blindness on Philip's part. Holy Writ declares that "God is a Spirit" (John 4:24) and as such cannot be seen with the physical eyes, but Jesus being true God and true man can be seen with the physical eyes, and Jesus is not a separate God but He is one with the Father, therefore, seeing Jesus with the eyes in one's head and more importantly with the eyes of faith IS seeing God the Father as well. The mystery of the Holy Trinity is deep and incomprehensible to our finite minds, but we are simply to believe it because God says it. God grant that we always believe and not doubt the words of 1 John 5:7, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

The words and works of Jesus are the words and works of the Father. Amazing, but true! There is only ONE GOD, and yet there are three Persons, our text here speaking of two, the Father and the Son.

Notice Jesus' words indicating the interpenetration and interpermeation of the Father and the Son: "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?" The Father and the Son are IN each other– ONE GOD. "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." Jesus Words are the Father's Words are God's Words. Jesus was and is never alone in His utterances and works, but is rather in perfect concert with the heavenly Father.

Yet, only Jesus is true man as well as being true God. The Father and the Holy Ghost are God only and they did not die for us, only Jesus is true God and true man– He died for us, shedding His holy blood to pay for our sins, yea, the sins of the whole world. Can we harmonize all these deep truths with our finite reason? Of course not! God is GOD; He is infinitely above us. Thankfully, He has told us of Himself or we would not and could not know as much about Him as we do. We must simply stand in awe of the great mystery of the Triune God, and believe in Him with all our heart.

Jesus urged Philip and the other disciples, and for that matter He urges us, to simply BELIEVE what He says concerning Himself. If we won't simply take Jesus at His Word then we ought to believe anyway because His works prove His Words to be true. My friends, there is no excuse for unbelief. Jesus words and works are more than ample proof that He is the one, true Savior of the world, so, BELIEVE ON HIM! Those who in faith see Jesus, see the Father as well. Christian: be comforted by Christ Jesus, for He is your God, your Lord, your Savior, and your Redeemer; He has rescued you from eternal ruin, He has prepared a place in heaven for you, He loves you. Place and keep your full trust and confidence in Christ Jesus for "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Yes, be comforted now and forever by Christ Jesus. Amen.

---------------------------------------------------------

Hymn #189

He is arisen! Glorious Word!
Now reconciled is God, my Lord;
The gates of Heaven are open.
My Jesus did triumphant die,
And Satan's arrows broken lie,
Destroyed hell's direst weapon.
Oh, hear What cheer!
Christ victorious Riseth glorious,
Life He giveth--
He was dead but now He liveth

---------------------------------------------------------

O Lord God, heavenly Father, we humbly confess unto Thee that by our evil-doing and continual disobedience we have deserved these Thy chastisements; yet we earnestly beseech Thee, for Thy name's sake, to spare us; restrain the harmful power of the enemy and help Thy suffering people that Thy Word may be declared faithfully and without hindrance and that we, amending our sinful lives, may walk obedient to Thy holy commandments; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord.

O merciful Father in heaven, who holdest in Thy hand all the might of man and who hast ordained the powers that be for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well, and of whom is all rule and authority in the kingdoms of the world, we humbly beseech Thee, graciously regard Thy servants, the President of the United States, the Governor of this Commonwealth, our Judges and Magistrates, and all the rulers of the earth. May all that receive the sword as Thy ministers bear it according to Thy commandment. Enlighten and defend them by Thy name, O God. Grant them wisdom and understanding, that under their peaceable governance Thy people may be guarded and directed in righteousness, quietness, and unity. Protect and prolong their lives, O God of our salvation, that we with them may show forth the praise of Thy name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you."
(Matthew 6:33)

W hat a blessing those have who put first things first in their lives. Far too often the things of the kingdom of God: the preaching and teaching of His Word; the reception of the blessed Sacrament; the careful training and tutoring of the children God has given us are crowded out in our thinking and planning in the mad dash to keep up with the latest this world has to offer our children and families. Surely we will become backward, ignorant and totally blind if we do not, for example, honor the new communication god of this jaded age, the Internet. What gems mined from the shafts of the cult of self este(a)m; what prime tidbits of pornography; what terrible losses in fractional buying and selling of shares on the stock market we will suffer if we should fail properly to honor our new god in favor of that ancient, old fashioned, antiquated and politically incorrect, male chauvinistic book called the Bible. Surely many are bent on perishing encased in flesh and the things of the flesh.

M ay our dear God graciously banish all "anxiety and panic attacks" as well as all other "problems" used in psychobabble verbiage, from our minds and hearts by His dear Word and give us confidence, trust, faith and conviction in and of an eternal life in and through the shed blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Then we can use everything rightly, even that impressive gift of cyber-space, the Internet together with Virtual Reality; digital TV, and whatever other choice morsels the 3-1/2 pound brain of man is able to invent and produce. Let us heed the Savior's command to seek first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, for then we, indeed, will have all other things added to us.

(TLH Hymn #60)

Hark, a thrilling voice is sounding!
"Christ is nigh!" we hear it say;
"Cast away the works of darkness,
O ye children of the day!"

Startled at the solemn warning,
Let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.

Lo, the Lamb, so long expected.
Comes with pardon down from heaven.
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all, to be forgiven,

That, when next He comes with glory
And the world is wrapped in fear
He may shield us with His mercy
And with words of love draw near.

Honor, glory, might, dominion,
To the Father and the Son.
With the everlasting Spirit,
While eternal ages run! Amen.