In the last post, I answered the question "Why bother praying if God already knows everything I plan to pray for?" in this way: "Because He told us to. There must be a reason why He would have us pray, even if He doesn't need us to."
But our human curiosity struggles with "just do it" as an answer. We want to know why! And as with every other part of the Christian life, God binds up a blessing with every call to obedience.
In Philippians 4:5b-7, we even get a glimpse at the "why" of prayer: "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
"And the peace of God..." describes both the effect of "praying in everything" and letting your requests "be made known to God.": "The peace of God, ..., will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." But this "effect" is given us in God's Holy Word; it is sure and certain.
So although there are other benefits to praying, here is one: The peace of God that guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus!
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
Prayer: Why Bother? - Part 1
If God already knows everything anyway - everything we want, everything we need, everything we are inclined to praise Him for - why bother? What good does it do?
The answer to this question comes in two parts (one today and one tomorrow), and the first part is not very satisfying for many people: God told us to pray even though He already knows everything! So whether it's for our good (for some reason) or for His good (which would also be our good), we pray because He told us to pray!
St. Paul acknowledged and passed on this command to us in Ephesians 6:16-18: "In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, ..."
The answer to this question comes in two parts (one today and one tomorrow), and the first part is not very satisfying for many people: God told us to pray even though He already knows everything! So whether it's for our good (for some reason) or for His good (which would also be our good), we pray because He told us to pray!
St. Paul acknowledged and passed on this command to us in Ephesians 6:16-18: "In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, ..."
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Prayer: It's Like Breathing
Prayer is another form of communion with God, though it is a very different experience than the Lord's Supper. Formally prayer is "speaking to God in words and thoughts," though as you will see, speaking to God in 'thoughts' can cover a lot of ground.
Now at first it may seem like a good definition of prayer would be "TALKING with God in words and thoughts," but "talking with" is different from "speaking to" in the following way: God does not speak back in prayer. Prayer is one-way communication. God speaks back to us in other ways.
So what do we say to God? Although prayer will vary from person to person and occasion to occasion, what we can say about prayer falls into two categories: "supplication and intercession" (that is, asking something of God) or "praise and thanks" (that is, rejoicing in who God is and what He has done for us).
Some people will immediately object that one can say more than this to God. And I agree! Just think of the conversations Tevye shares with God in A Fiddler on the Roof. In that musical, we see a man talking to his God in an almost conversational way, and many of my prayers sound like that.
But there are no commands or promises in God's Word about our "rambling monologues" toward heaven other than God's promise to hear us. On the other hand, there are commands and promises about our "supplications and intercessions" and "praise and thanks." So we're going to limit our attention to these!
In the end, though, prayer is like breathing. You live in a relationship with the Author of Life; apart from that relationship you die. So sharing with Him your needs and desires because you trust Him to provide what you need and what is good for you - that is simply what it means to have a God! What would it mean to have a God that you asked nothing from? Or that you could live just fine without? That you could take or leave? That sounds like a toaster or a microwave, not a God!
And the same goes for "praise and thanksgiving"! We teach our children to say "thank you" when someone does something for them or gives them something because it's polite. And we want to be respectful to God, too. But on another level, what would it mean if we had nothing good to say about our God?!? If we were never impressed with what He does for us? Or how incredible He is in making all this stuff that we see around us (to say nothing of making us)? Or how merciful He is to save us? Or how gracious to take care of us, even when we don't do enough to take care of ourselves? If His grace, mercy and power don't move us in our inner being, what kind of God do we have?
You see! We live in a relationship that moves us to prayer! It's like breathing!
Now at first it may seem like a good definition of prayer would be "TALKING with God in words and thoughts," but "talking with" is different from "speaking to" in the following way: God does not speak back in prayer. Prayer is one-way communication. God speaks back to us in other ways.
So what do we say to God? Although prayer will vary from person to person and occasion to occasion, what we can say about prayer falls into two categories: "supplication and intercession" (that is, asking something of God) or "praise and thanks" (that is, rejoicing in who God is and what He has done for us).
Some people will immediately object that one can say more than this to God. And I agree! Just think of the conversations Tevye shares with God in A Fiddler on the Roof. In that musical, we see a man talking to his God in an almost conversational way, and many of my prayers sound like that.
But there are no commands or promises in God's Word about our "rambling monologues" toward heaven other than God's promise to hear us. On the other hand, there are commands and promises about our "supplications and intercessions" and "praise and thanks." So we're going to limit our attention to these!
In the end, though, prayer is like breathing. You live in a relationship with the Author of Life; apart from that relationship you die. So sharing with Him your needs and desires because you trust Him to provide what you need and what is good for you - that is simply what it means to have a God! What would it mean to have a God that you asked nothing from? Or that you could live just fine without? That you could take or leave? That sounds like a toaster or a microwave, not a God!
And the same goes for "praise and thanksgiving"! We teach our children to say "thank you" when someone does something for them or gives them something because it's polite. And we want to be respectful to God, too. But on another level, what would it mean if we had nothing good to say about our God?!? If we were never impressed with what He does for us? Or how incredible He is in making all this stuff that we see around us (to say nothing of making us)? Or how merciful He is to save us? Or how gracious to take care of us, even when we don't do enough to take care of ourselves? If His grace, mercy and power don't move us in our inner being, what kind of God do we have?
You see! We live in a relationship that moves us to prayer! It's like breathing!
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Sacrament of the Altar: But What If I Don't Believe This? - Part 2
After the last post on the "real presence," you still might be struggling to believe it. And that might make you wonder all over again whether you can or should participate in the Lord's Supper at St. Paul - Annapolis?
In essence, the answer is still the same. Jesus instituted the Supper for His disciples, and you cannot claim to be a disciple if you do not follow your Master in the things He says and does. If you will not believe what the Lord says in the Scriptures, you should NOT participate in the Lord's Supper.
But just as in the earlier post "What If I Don't Believe This? - Park I: There is a difference between saying, "I understand what God says in the Scriptures, and I WON'T believe it until I'm convinced" and saying, "I understand what God says in the Scriptures, and I am struggling to believe it, but I WANT to." The former are the words of a sinner refusing to repent; the latter are the words of a sinner repenting. The former words belong to someone who should NOT participate in the Lord's Supper; the latter words belong to someone who SHOULD.
In essence, the answer is still the same. Jesus instituted the Supper for His disciples, and you cannot claim to be a disciple if you do not follow your Master in the things He says and does. If you will not believe what the Lord says in the Scriptures, you should NOT participate in the Lord's Supper.
But just as in the earlier post "What If I Don't Believe This? - Park I: There is a difference between saying, "I understand what God says in the Scriptures, and I WON'T believe it until I'm convinced" and saying, "I understand what God says in the Scriptures, and I am struggling to believe it, but I WANT to." The former are the words of a sinner refusing to repent; the latter are the words of a sinner repenting. The former words belong to someone who should NOT participate in the Lord's Supper; the latter words belong to someone who SHOULD.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
The Sacrament of the Altar: Do You Really Believe This? - Part 2
The other thing about the Lord's Supper that people really struggle to believe is what we Lutheran's call "the doctrine of the real presence." In brief: We believe the Bible speaks clearly, that Christ identified the bread and the wine used in the Supper as His Body and Blood. That is what He gave His disciples in the Supper.
The counterargument offered to this most often is that Jesus was speaking figuratively. These say that Jesus was only creating a symbol that only points to the real body and blood sacrificed on the cross.
Now let me say this: If we had nothing but the words of scripture to go on, then I would have to admit that this argument is POSSIBLE, but it's still not the clearest interpretation of the scriptures we have. There are many ways to argue this point, and we cannot go through them in depth here - I urge you to participate in a confirmation class to delve deeper into "why" questions - but here's a brief summary:
1. The clearest meaning of Jesus' words (though also most challenging to modern sensibilities) is the literal sense. Even St. Paul takes it that way in 1 Corinthians 10:16: "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" So without a compelling argument from Scripture itself, we receive the clearest meaning.
2. The Lord's Supper is clearly patterned after the Passover observed in Egypt and the "blood of the covenant" offered at the foot of Mt. Sinai. In both cases, the blood was applied directly. And in the subsequent annual observance of the Passover, the blood of the sacrifice was applied directly. It is a stretch to imagine that Jesus would have instituted a change to the basic structure of the very ritual He referenced when He's talking to Jews (i.e., those who would have VERY naturally taken the ritual to mean a literal application of the sacrificed blood.) "Going the other way" requires that we read INTO scripture something that NONE of the Gospel writers recorded.
I'll give you another argument, though I don't want you to take it as seriously as the previous two:
3. The practice and doctrine of the earliest church affirms their belief in the real presence in the sacrament. The idea that the bread and wine are just symbols was an innovation that was introduced MUCH later in history. (It really took off in the wake of the Renaissance, among the second generation of reformers, and (especially) during the Enlightenment; i.e., over a thousand years AFTER Jesus instituted the Supper.)
The counterargument offered to this most often is that Jesus was speaking figuratively. These say that Jesus was only creating a symbol that only points to the real body and blood sacrificed on the cross.
Now let me say this: If we had nothing but the words of scripture to go on, then I would have to admit that this argument is POSSIBLE, but it's still not the clearest interpretation of the scriptures we have. There are many ways to argue this point, and we cannot go through them in depth here - I urge you to participate in a confirmation class to delve deeper into "why" questions - but here's a brief summary:
1. The clearest meaning of Jesus' words (though also most challenging to modern sensibilities) is the literal sense. Even St. Paul takes it that way in 1 Corinthians 10:16: "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" So without a compelling argument from Scripture itself, we receive the clearest meaning.
2. The Lord's Supper is clearly patterned after the Passover observed in Egypt and the "blood of the covenant" offered at the foot of Mt. Sinai. In both cases, the blood was applied directly. And in the subsequent annual observance of the Passover, the blood of the sacrifice was applied directly. It is a stretch to imagine that Jesus would have instituted a change to the basic structure of the very ritual He referenced when He's talking to Jews (i.e., those who would have VERY naturally taken the ritual to mean a literal application of the sacrificed blood.) "Going the other way" requires that we read INTO scripture something that NONE of the Gospel writers recorded.
I'll give you another argument, though I don't want you to take it as seriously as the previous two:
3. The practice and doctrine of the earliest church affirms their belief in the real presence in the sacrament. The idea that the bread and wine are just symbols was an innovation that was introduced MUCH later in history. (It really took off in the wake of the Renaissance, among the second generation of reformers, and (especially) during the Enlightenment; i.e., over a thousand years AFTER Jesus instituted the Supper.)
Sunday, February 23, 2020
The Sacrament of the Altar: But What If I Don't Believe This? - Part 1
But what if you are having a hard time believing that God would accomplish the forgiveness of sins through eating and drinking? (To say nothing of WHAT we are eating and drinking! That's a whole other issue, and we'll get to that next.) If someone can't quite bring themselves to believe it, can they commune anyway?
The short answer is: Yes and no. I know - that's not helpful! So let me explain...
God's Word is very clear. This cup is the covenant in His blood for the forgiveness of sins. It is not forgiveness for drinking wine; it's forgiveness because this eating and this drinking have been tied to Jesus' sacrifice on Calvary's cross by God's Word. Consequently, the Reformers gave this answer: "That person is truly worthy and well prepared [to receive this sacrament] who has faith in these words: 'Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.'"
That said, they also added this: "But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words 'for you' require all hearts to believe."
Sounds like the answer is "no," right? And that's the simplest answer. But I want to offer two additional thoughts:
1. What if "someone can't quite bring themselves to believe it"? That's part of the problem! We want it to make sense and it doesn't. So let me ask you this: Do you believe that God COULD do it this way if He so chooses? When I put it that way, most people will admit that the answer is "yes." So the question isn't your faith in what God CAN do! You trust Him to do what He will. You're question is what He DOES do and what He SAYS He will do.
2. If you want to know what He DOES do or WILL do, what else do you have to go by except His Word?
Rather than wanting it to "make sense," ask that God will grant you faith to trust the things He says and does that DON'T make sense!
If you can honestly pray "Lord, I'm having a hard time believing this. But I want to. Help my unbelief!", then I urge you to participate in the Supper. That is a disciple's prayer of repentance; the blessings of the Supper are meant for Jesus' disciples.
On the other hand: If you say "I don't believe it, and until it makes sense to me, I won't believe it.", then I urge you to refrain from receiving the Supper. Remain in your pew or come to the rail to receive a blessing by crossing your arms.
The short answer is: Yes and no. I know - that's not helpful! So let me explain...
God's Word is very clear. This cup is the covenant in His blood for the forgiveness of sins. It is not forgiveness for drinking wine; it's forgiveness because this eating and this drinking have been tied to Jesus' sacrifice on Calvary's cross by God's Word. Consequently, the Reformers gave this answer: "That person is truly worthy and well prepared [to receive this sacrament] who has faith in these words: 'Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.'"
That said, they also added this: "But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words 'for you' require all hearts to believe."
Sounds like the answer is "no," right? And that's the simplest answer. But I want to offer two additional thoughts:
1. What if "someone can't quite bring themselves to believe it"? That's part of the problem! We want it to make sense and it doesn't. So let me ask you this: Do you believe that God COULD do it this way if He so chooses? When I put it that way, most people will admit that the answer is "yes." So the question isn't your faith in what God CAN do! You trust Him to do what He will. You're question is what He DOES do and what He SAYS He will do.
2. If you want to know what He DOES do or WILL do, what else do you have to go by except His Word?
Rather than wanting it to "make sense," ask that God will grant you faith to trust the things He says and does that DON'T make sense!
If you can honestly pray "Lord, I'm having a hard time believing this. But I want to. Help my unbelief!", then I urge you to participate in the Supper. That is a disciple's prayer of repentance; the blessings of the Supper are meant for Jesus' disciples.
On the other hand: If you say "I don't believe it, and until it makes sense to me, I won't believe it.", then I urge you to refrain from receiving the Supper. Remain in your pew or come to the rail to receive a blessing by crossing your arms.
The Sacrament of the Altar: Do You Really Believe This? - Part 1
For some reason, the other elements of the Christian faith - even some of the amazing ones, like "God in human flesh" or "forgiveness of sins because Jesus died for me" - don't disturb folks nearly as much as the Sacrament of the Altar.
How can we believe that eating bread and drinking wine could possibly accomplish something as incredible as giving us forgiveness of sins (to say nothing of eternal life and salvation)?
Along with the Reformers, we focus on the words of Christ. The Small Catechism puts it this way: "Certainly not just the eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: 'Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.' These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: 'forgiveness of sins.'"
You see: It's not the eating and the drinking by itself that accomplishes anything. It's that GOD HIMSELF says they do. If it weren't for His words, there'd be no reason to believe that eating and drinking could possibly have such benefits for us. But once you know that God said so... that changes things!
How can we believe that eating bread and drinking wine could possibly accomplish something as incredible as giving us forgiveness of sins (to say nothing of eternal life and salvation)?
Along with the Reformers, we focus on the words of Christ. The Small Catechism puts it this way: "Certainly not just the eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: 'Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.' These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: 'forgiveness of sins.'"
You see: It's not the eating and the drinking by itself that accomplishes anything. It's that GOD HIMSELF says they do. If it weren't for His words, there'd be no reason to believe that eating and drinking could possibly have such benefits for us. But once you know that God said so... that changes things!
Saturday, February 22, 2020
The Sacrament of the Altar: Why Do We Do This? - Part 2
In the last post, I claimed that the first reason why we Christians celebrate the Lord's Supper is "because Jesus told us to." And this is true! But that's not the ONLY reason. In fact, it's not even the BEST reason! We don't celebrate the Supper just because we have a command to do so from Christ; we also do it because Christ Himself attached great promises to the Supper itself!
In Matthew's Gospel, he is careful to include these words from the night when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper: "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' 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.'"
Now that last part is important. Jesus' blood was poured out as "the blood of the covenant" for the forgiveness of sins. We'd have to do a longer Bible study of the Old Testament sacrificial system to fully understand what it means, but let's say this here: The blood of the covenant was applied to the people to cover their sins in the sight of God. When Jesus uses these words - "blood of the covenant" - to refer to His own blood, He is saying something VERY profound.
Now take it one step further. Jesus is holding a cup of wine before His disciples and saying, "THIS is my blood of the covenant." Which means when we take this cup (and by association the whole Supper which Jesus bid us repeat), we receive the same forgiveness.
The forgiveness of sins! Reconciliation with the Author of Life for the sake of His Son! Restoration of His favor and protection in this life and for eternity! Those are INCREDIBLE gifts given to us in a SUPRISING package!
That's an even BETTER reason to celebrate the Lord's Supper!
In Matthew's Gospel, he is careful to include these words from the night when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper: "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' 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.'"
Now that last part is important. Jesus' blood was poured out as "the blood of the covenant" for the forgiveness of sins. We'd have to do a longer Bible study of the Old Testament sacrificial system to fully understand what it means, but let's say this here: The blood of the covenant was applied to the people to cover their sins in the sight of God. When Jesus uses these words - "blood of the covenant" - to refer to His own blood, He is saying something VERY profound.
Now take it one step further. Jesus is holding a cup of wine before His disciples and saying, "THIS is my blood of the covenant." Which means when we take this cup (and by association the whole Supper which Jesus bid us repeat), we receive the same forgiveness.
The forgiveness of sins! Reconciliation with the Author of Life for the sake of His Son! Restoration of His favor and protection in this life and for eternity! Those are INCREDIBLE gifts given to us in a SUPRISING package!
That's an even BETTER reason to celebrate the Lord's Supper!
Friday, February 21, 2020
The Sacrament of the Altar: Why Do We Do This? - Part 1
In the last post, I focused mostly on the look-and-feel of communion at St. Paul, and also what we believe is going on there (as revealed by the liturgy itself). But you may have noticed that I never quoted a single scripture, and that is very unusual for a Lutheran Christian pastor. Lutherans take their queues (especially when it comes to the sacraments) from what the scriptures actually say, so it is important that we recognize the Biblical foundations of the Lord's Supper.
Why do we do this? The answer is found in several places in the scripture, but let's first consider Mark 14:22-25. There Jesus is eating the Passover (a Jewish festival meal) with His disciples on the night before He will be crucified. "And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Luke included another key feature of this event that helps us understand what Jesus intended. In Luke chapter 22, Jesus explicitly says that the disciples should "Do this in remembrance of me" (verse 19).
But if there were any lingering questions about whether Jesus intended for this Supper to be repeated by Christians of every time and place, we find the Apostle Paul saying this about the continuing practice of the Lord's Supper in the early church: "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
So why do we celebrate the Lord's Supper in the church? The first answer is this: Because Jesus told us to!
Why do we do this? The answer is found in several places in the scripture, but let's first consider Mark 14:22-25. There Jesus is eating the Passover (a Jewish festival meal) with His disciples on the night before He will be crucified. "And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Luke included another key feature of this event that helps us understand what Jesus intended. In Luke chapter 22, Jesus explicitly says that the disciples should "Do this in remembrance of me" (verse 19).
But if there were any lingering questions about whether Jesus intended for this Supper to be repeated by Christians of every time and place, we find the Apostle Paul saying this about the continuing practice of the Lord's Supper in the early church: "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
So why do we celebrate the Lord's Supper in the church? The first answer is this: Because Jesus told us to!
Thursday, February 20, 2020
The Sacrament of the Altar: What's Going On Here?
It's time to move on to a new topic: The Sacrament of the Altar. Holy Communion. The Eucharist. The Lord's Supper. It goes by many names, but they all refer to the same thing.
After the prayers of the church and collecting the offering, we begin to approach the altar area, gathering at a rail. (In our congregation, this process is guided by ushers and follows a particular order. This is not a requirement, but it is good for things to be orderly and reverent in a worship service.) Once there the pastor welcomes the gathered group "to the table of the Lord," which indicates that he (the pastor) and we (the congregation) aren't the ones who host this gathering. There is another host who is "the Lord."
By the time you approach the rail, though, you should know who "the Lord" is and what He is welcoming You for, because the liturgy that goes before the service has already told you. Before people started coming forward to the rail, the pastor stands at the altar and chants some words of welcome, blessing and prayer called the "preface" and the "proper preface" (i.e., "The Lord be with you." "And also with you." "Lift up your hearts." "We lift them up unto the Lord." "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.").
After these, we sing what is called the "sanctus" (i.e., "holy"), which echoes the sound of the angels in heaven gathered around the throne of God Almighty and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Basically, we are joining our voices to theirs. We are entering the presence of God in a very special way!
Then the pastor speaks the words of a prayer called the "great thanksgiving," which says what happens at communion very clearly: "Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end."
So He (that is, Jesus) is the Lord, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He welcomes us to His Supper. He (that is, Jesus) bids us to eat and drink His body and blood. Through it we are forgiven, renewed and strengthened in faith. That is what we gather to receive at the rail.
In the posts that follow, we'll learn how this Sacrament came to be. These passages will answer many or most of the questions you probably have, but feel free to write them in the comments here. I'll try to make sure the posts and comments cover everything!
After the prayers of the church and collecting the offering, we begin to approach the altar area, gathering at a rail. (In our congregation, this process is guided by ushers and follows a particular order. This is not a requirement, but it is good for things to be orderly and reverent in a worship service.) Once there the pastor welcomes the gathered group "to the table of the Lord," which indicates that he (the pastor) and we (the congregation) aren't the ones who host this gathering. There is another host who is "the Lord."
By the time you approach the rail, though, you should know who "the Lord" is and what He is welcoming You for, because the liturgy that goes before the service has already told you. Before people started coming forward to the rail, the pastor stands at the altar and chants some words of welcome, blessing and prayer called the "preface" and the "proper preface" (i.e., "The Lord be with you." "And also with you." "Lift up your hearts." "We lift them up unto the Lord." "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.").
After these, we sing what is called the "sanctus" (i.e., "holy"), which echoes the sound of the angels in heaven gathered around the throne of God Almighty and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Basically, we are joining our voices to theirs. We are entering the presence of God in a very special way!
Then the pastor speaks the words of a prayer called the "great thanksgiving," which says what happens at communion very clearly: "Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end."
So He (that is, Jesus) is the Lord, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He welcomes us to His Supper. He (that is, Jesus) bids us to eat and drink His body and blood. Through it we are forgiven, renewed and strengthened in faith. That is what we gather to receive at the rail.
In the posts that follow, we'll learn how this Sacrament came to be. These passages will answer many or most of the questions you probably have, but feel free to write them in the comments here. I'll try to make sure the posts and comments cover everything!
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
When Does Confession NOT Work!
Maybe this all feels a little too neat and tidy: A human admits they've sinned, and another human says, "God forgives you."
But what about the person who isn't really sorry for their sin? Well, God's Word speaks to that. If you aren't really sorry for your sin, then what are you asking to be forgiven of? Nothing, really. And if you aren't really asking to be forgiven, are you? Not really. Without sorrow for sin, it's a sham.
But what if I know I should feel sorry but I don't? Well, it sounds like you feel sorry for being the kind of sinner who's not sorry. In that case, you can ask for forgiveness for being hard of heart and not feeling sorry for your sin as you should. (And I'd also pray for the Lord to change my heart so that I DO feel sorry for my sins!)
Basically, confession and absolution doesn't "work" when the individual Christian doesn't really believe they are a sinner or that they have sinned or if they do not believe that God will truly forgive as He said He would! In the first case, they aren't really confessing at all. In the latter case, they don't believe that God truly has any reason to be merciful.
There's another time when confession won't "work"? When you refuse to repent. This is a lot like not feeling sorry for your sin, but it's not exactly the same. You can feel sorry for your sin and still refuse to turn from it. Too many are the times when Christians have said, "I'm just going to sin again anyway. I might as well get it over with." Maybe they don't say it so crassly, but that's the way they approach it: They know what God says is sin; they know they've never been able to keep away from it in the past; they conclude that they'll not be able to keep away from it in the future; so they stop trying!
In the end: Confession doesn't "work" when Christians refuse to repent of their sins!
But what about the person who isn't really sorry for their sin? Well, God's Word speaks to that. If you aren't really sorry for your sin, then what are you asking to be forgiven of? Nothing, really. And if you aren't really asking to be forgiven, are you? Not really. Without sorrow for sin, it's a sham.
But what if I know I should feel sorry but I don't? Well, it sounds like you feel sorry for being the kind of sinner who's not sorry. In that case, you can ask for forgiveness for being hard of heart and not feeling sorry for your sin as you should. (And I'd also pray for the Lord to change my heart so that I DO feel sorry for my sins!)
Basically, confession and absolution doesn't "work" when the individual Christian doesn't really believe they are a sinner or that they have sinned or if they do not believe that God will truly forgive as He said He would! In the first case, they aren't really confessing at all. In the latter case, they don't believe that God truly has any reason to be merciful.
There's another time when confession won't "work"? When you refuse to repent. This is a lot like not feeling sorry for your sin, but it's not exactly the same. You can feel sorry for your sin and still refuse to turn from it. Too many are the times when Christians have said, "I'm just going to sin again anyway. I might as well get it over with." Maybe they don't say it so crassly, but that's the way they approach it: They know what God says is sin; they know they've never been able to keep away from it in the past; they conclude that they'll not be able to keep away from it in the future; so they stop trying!
In the end: Confession doesn't "work" when Christians refuse to repent of their sins!
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
How Does Personal/Private Confession Work?
If we're talking about confession AND absolution then (strictly speaking) there is no such thing as personal/private confession and absolution. That's because absolution is a word spoken to you from the outside. You can't absolve yourself; it's God's Word spoken to you.
That said: There is a Word of God that takes root in you, which you remember and respond to in faith later after you have heard it. One of those Words, is the Word that announces God's forgiveness for Jesus' sake when you repent and turn from your sin.
So suppose you realize you have fallen into sin of one type or another. (Maybe you were reading your morning devotions and it "called you out" on a sin you'd been ignoring or suppressing.) Realizing that you have sinned once again, you drop to your knees before God saying, "God be merciful to me, a sinner!"
Now assuming you say this because you know God has already sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for all your sins (past, present and future) and promised to forgive your sins for Jesus' sake, then you are confessing to Him and "hearing" Him "speak" the words of absolution to you as a memory from an earlier sermon, Bible class or Christian conversation.
In almost every way, it looks like confession and absolution. All it's missing is a second human being (aka the pastor) who hears the words you say and speaks the absolution back to you.
In view of this, many people ask: "Well, if I can 'get forgiven' without the embarrassment of anyone hearing about my sin, why would I ever confess to a pastor?"
Answer: Because you might need to hear it directly. Hear me now and believe me later: There is something powerful about speaking your sins out loud to someone who (as a human) has no reason whatsoever to forgive you, only to hear them say the very words they have no reason to say (as a human). This mirrors the relationship we have to God Himself: Measured according to human standards of justice and law, there is no reason to expect His forgiveness. Yet we plea for mercy and experience great relief (sometimes even surprise) when He grants it to us. The more ashamed or embarrassed you are to speak the sin aloud, the more profound the words of absolution will probably strike you.
I can't make you experience this for yourself, but I wish I could. Once people have experienced genuine individual confession and absolution, they don't usually hesitate to go back again when they need it. The rest are just missing out on a profound and very personal experience of God's grace. They are no less saved, but they are missing a good gift that God means for them to have!
That said: There is a Word of God that takes root in you, which you remember and respond to in faith later after you have heard it. One of those Words, is the Word that announces God's forgiveness for Jesus' sake when you repent and turn from your sin.
So suppose you realize you have fallen into sin of one type or another. (Maybe you were reading your morning devotions and it "called you out" on a sin you'd been ignoring or suppressing.) Realizing that you have sinned once again, you drop to your knees before God saying, "God be merciful to me, a sinner!"
Now assuming you say this because you know God has already sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for all your sins (past, present and future) and promised to forgive your sins for Jesus' sake, then you are confessing to Him and "hearing" Him "speak" the words of absolution to you as a memory from an earlier sermon, Bible class or Christian conversation.
In almost every way, it looks like confession and absolution. All it's missing is a second human being (aka the pastor) who hears the words you say and speaks the absolution back to you.
In view of this, many people ask: "Well, if I can 'get forgiven' without the embarrassment of anyone hearing about my sin, why would I ever confess to a pastor?"
Answer: Because you might need to hear it directly. Hear me now and believe me later: There is something powerful about speaking your sins out loud to someone who (as a human) has no reason whatsoever to forgive you, only to hear them say the very words they have no reason to say (as a human). This mirrors the relationship we have to God Himself: Measured according to human standards of justice and law, there is no reason to expect His forgiveness. Yet we plea for mercy and experience great relief (sometimes even surprise) when He grants it to us. The more ashamed or embarrassed you are to speak the sin aloud, the more profound the words of absolution will probably strike you.
I can't make you experience this for yourself, but I wish I could. Once people have experienced genuine individual confession and absolution, they don't usually hesitate to go back again when they need it. The rest are just missing out on a profound and very personal experience of God's grace. They are no less saved, but they are missing a good gift that God means for them to have!
How Does Individual Confession and Absolution Work?
Individual confession and absolution is often mis-named "private" confession and absolution because it is done "in private" between an individual Christian and his or her pastor. But it's not truly "private" because the pastor is there to hear the individual Christian's confession. It's private between those two, but it's not truly private.
There is a prepared set of words that a pastor and parishioner can use for individual confession and absolution in the Lutheran Service Book (our hymnal) on pages 292-3.
The key differences between corporate confession and individual confession, though, are:
1. Who is present (i.e. individual and pastor)
2. The words on page 292 that say: If you wish to confess specific sins that trouble you, continue as follows: "What troubles me particularly is that..." Confess whatever you have done against the commandments of God, according to your own place in life. The pastor may gently question or instruct you - not to pry or judge - but to assist in self-examination.
That last part about the pastor "gently questioning or instructing" is how individual confession and absolution usually happens. Most often, a Christian comes to the pastor to talk something over and in the course of the conversation, it becomes increasingly clear (often to the individual) that there are sins he or she needs to confess. At that point, whether the individual requests it or the pastor suggests it, the conversation transitions smoothly into confession and absolution without using the "formal, printed rite."
Do you want to know how it "works"? Well, it "works" just like corporate confession and absolution. Through God's Word (sometimes as guided conversation with the pastor, though not necessarily) we become conscious of our sin and say "I am sorry for all of this and ask for grace. I want to do better."
The printed rite continues like this: [Pastor] "God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith. Do you believe that my forgiveness is God's forgiveness?" [Individual] "Yes." [Pastor] "Let it be done for you as you believe. In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
The Word of God convicts the sinner through the Law, but the Gospel promises grace and mercy in the form of forgiveness. The repentant sinner trusts God's promise and receives the forgiveness that He has promised.
There is a prepared set of words that a pastor and parishioner can use for individual confession and absolution in the Lutheran Service Book (our hymnal) on pages 292-3.
The key differences between corporate confession and individual confession, though, are:
1. Who is present (i.e. individual and pastor)
2. The words on page 292 that say: If you wish to confess specific sins that trouble you, continue as follows: "What troubles me particularly is that..." Confess whatever you have done against the commandments of God, according to your own place in life. The pastor may gently question or instruct you - not to pry or judge - but to assist in self-examination.
That last part about the pastor "gently questioning or instructing" is how individual confession and absolution usually happens. Most often, a Christian comes to the pastor to talk something over and in the course of the conversation, it becomes increasingly clear (often to the individual) that there are sins he or she needs to confess. At that point, whether the individual requests it or the pastor suggests it, the conversation transitions smoothly into confession and absolution without using the "formal, printed rite."
Do you want to know how it "works"? Well, it "works" just like corporate confession and absolution. Through God's Word (sometimes as guided conversation with the pastor, though not necessarily) we become conscious of our sin and say "I am sorry for all of this and ask for grace. I want to do better."
The printed rite continues like this: [Pastor] "God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith. Do you believe that my forgiveness is God's forgiveness?" [Individual] "Yes." [Pastor] "Let it be done for you as you believe. In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
The Word of God convicts the sinner through the Law, but the Gospel promises grace and mercy in the form of forgiveness. The repentant sinner trusts God's promise and receives the forgiveness that He has promised.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
How Does Corporate Confession Work?
At St. Paul - Annapolis, we practice corporate confession (and absolution) at the beginning of every service. After a period of personal meditation on our own sins and sinfulness, we give voice to our general sinfulness in unison(-ish):
"Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen."
After this, I (as the pastor) speak these words back to the congregation:
"Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Now how does this work?
Through the Word of God taught or heard prior to confession, we Christians confess our sinfulness, or inability to save ourselves, and our need for God to save us. We lay hold of the salvation God HAS worked for us in Jesus Christ by asking Him to forgive us "for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ." That is asking God to do what He has promised to do.
Then the pastor (in this case, me) speaks for God according to His divine command (John 20:19-23), announcing the forgiveness He has already promised us.
"Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen."
After this, I (as the pastor) speak these words back to the congregation:
"Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Now how does this work?
Through the Word of God taught or heard prior to confession, we Christians confess our sinfulness, or inability to save ourselves, and our need for God to save us. We lay hold of the salvation God HAS worked for us in Jesus Christ by asking Him to forgive us "for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ." That is asking God to do what He has promised to do.
Then the pastor (in this case, me) speaks for God according to His divine command (John 20:19-23), announcing the forgiveness He has already promised us.
Three Kinds of Confession
I've made reference to different ways that Christians confess their sins and that they receive the absolution (i.e., the announcement of the forgiveness of their sins). They are:
1. Corporate Confession and Absolution
2. Individual Confession and Absolution
3. Private/Personal Confession and Absolution
If you are participating in New Beginnings after gathering with St. Paul Lutheran Church - Annapolis, MD, then you've already seen corporate confession, since this is a part of the liturgy every week. If you've been a Christian for some time, you probably also know about the last one (i.e., private/personal confession and absolution). But precious few Protestant (i.e., non-Roman Catholic) Christians know about the second kind of confession and absolution.
In the next three posts, I want to briefly review these three types of confession and talk though "how they work"... so unless you have a lingering question about confession and absolution more generally, hold your questions for another day or so.
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Why Do YOU Forgive Me?
Perhaps the last post begs a question: "1 John 1:8-9 says that GOD will forgive sins and cleanse from all unrighteousness. Why does the PASTOR forgive sins?" It's a good question.
First of all, recognize that God is always the one who forgives sins. And He always (and only) does it for Jesus' sake.
But, second, recognize that our God often prefers to work through created people and things to accomplish His purposes. In John 20:22-23, Jesus appears to His disciples after His resurrection and "breathed on His disciples and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.'"
Now these words are directed to the disciples as Jesus' followers - that is, the church. As the Reformers wrote it in the Catechism, we Lutheran Christians believe that "the Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent."
"But I'm asking why do YOU forgive me. If God gave the keys to the whole church, why can't I come to anyone in the church for confession and absolution?"
I'm going to give you two answers to this, and the first one might get me in trouble with some of my fellow pastors.
The first answer is this: You can. God gave the Office of the Keys to the church, and every member of the church is gifted with the Holy Spirit to carry out the Gospel ministry of the church. BUT BUT BUT...
The second answer is also true: The exercise of the Office of the Keys is not a "power" exercised by an "individual." It is given to the whole church. Just imagine the chaos that could result if every member of the congregation heard a person's confession and then, for any number of reasons, half of them absolved that persons' sins and the other half refused to do so. And so it is the case that God, through the church, calls men into the pastoral office to speak His Word to His people, including this word of forgiveness in absolution.
For this reason, you as an individual Christian may (and should) forgive sins committed against you. And you may (and should) announce the good news of the Gospel to the people around you. But you should NOT take it on yourself to speak for the Church to announce absolution, since God has seen fit to call a pastor to do this in His stead within the congregation already.
Why Do You FORGIVE Me?
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God Who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9)
Basically, we Lutheran Christians believe that "confession" is given us for the sake of the forgiveness that follows. Without the announcement of God's mercy on you for Jesus' sake, confession is either a one-way ticket to despair as we admit our failure to keep God's Law OR it's a self-indulgent enumeration of our brokenness for personal cathartic purposes. Unless the announcement of forgiveness follows the spoken confession, nothing good can ultimately come of it.
Once again, "being forgiven" is always about God's mercy on us for Jesus' sake. We are forgiven because we trust that what God said is true. We trust that He will do what He says He will do: He says He will forgive us for Jesus' sake.
So when we confess our sins, we aren't "hoping against hope" that God will forgive us. We confess our sins KNOWING God will forgive us for Jesus' sake.
In the Catechism, the Reformers put it this way. The question is "What is Confession?" The answer is: "Confess has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven."
Friday, February 14, 2020
What Sins Should I Confess?
"Pastor, what sins should I confess? Are there some that I should keep quietly between me and God and others that I need to tell you directly and out loud? And what about the sins that I've forgotten? Or never knew about? How does confession and absolution 'work'?"
I'm actually going to talk about the "how" of confession and absolution in later posts. But the Catechism gives a good answer to this basic question: "Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord's Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts."
In other words, because we know that we're sinners even after our sins have been forgiven, we always need forgiveness for that. And then there are the sins we're not aware of and for which we have never asked for forgiveness: We need forgiveness for those, too. So we approach God to confess sins we know, sins we don't and the fact that we are still sinners.
Sometimes you will want to speak your sins aloud to the pastor and hear the words of absolution spoken (more on why and how later). In those cases, you don't necessarily confess your general sinfulness (though you can) or the sins you don't know (though you can). In those cases, you focus on the sins that are weighing down on you and that have caused you to seek out the word of absolution privately.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Why Do We Confess Our Sins Every Week?
It's interesting to consider this question: "If we don't RE-baptize since we believe God 'got it right the first time,' then why do we confess our sins every week? Didn't God get the forgiveness thing right the first time, too?"
When it comes to forgiveness, Jesus got it right 2000 years ago when He won the forgiveness of sins for us on the cross. Now our forgiveness is a guarantee. Every time we turn to God seeking His mercy for Jesus' sake, we receive it.
In fact, THAT is the faith we are baptized into! When we are baptized, God sets us aside for a life lived according to THAT story, a story where we: 1) strive to walk according to his way; 2) fall into sin because we are born sinful and cannot save ourselves; 3) hear the call of the Holy Spirit through the Law's accusation and the Gospel's promise of forgiveness; and 4) trusting those promises, we ask for forgiveness and begin to walk in God's ways again (i.e., we repent). That is the shape of a Christian life.
A person who feels that they have "fallen from the faith" and needs to be RE-baptized has missed the fact that they are living their life in EXACTLY the shape that they were baptized into. They fell away for one reason or another, but God faithfully called them back to Himself, and now they are responding to that call. That is the faith of their FIRST baptism at work, whether they realize it or not!
And that is also why we confess our sins in our services every week: We are sinners and we need to hear the good news that we are forgiven for Christ's sake! "Absolution" is nothing more (and definitely nothing less) than the Holy Spirit doing His work of calling, gathering, enlightening, sanctifying and keeping us in the Christian faith.
But don't think that confessing your sins once a week is "enough"! We don't "store up" our sins for a once a week absolution. You can confess your sins to God anytime you realize that you've fallen into sin. (And if you come to see me to confess privately, you will also hear the words of absolution (i.e., forgiveness) spoken to you. Some people need to hear the absolution spoken in the middle of the week, and that's one of the reasons God gave us pastors. More on this later.)
Every individual Christian's life will vary in its details, but many Christians come to services on Sunday and their consciences aren't burdened at that moment by any particular sin. So what are they confessing? Most are simply confessing that they are still sinners (generally speaking) and are constantly in need of forgiveness. When I speak the words of absolution (e.g., "In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins..."), that forgiveness covers the sins you are aware of, the ones you aren't, and even your general sinfulness. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was "once, for all," we just need to hear about it more than once!
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Baptism: What If I Was Baptized Before?
Since we have recognized that baptism is an initiation rite, but that it is more than just an initiation rite, you might be wondering, "What if I was baptized before?" And what you are probably asking is this: "Should I be baptized again?" "Should I be re-baptized?"
The answer is "no!" And there's a very comforting reason for that "no": Your first baptism is "still good"! Remember: Baptism is God's work, and He doesn't make mistakes. To get be re-baptized would express doubt that God did it right the first time!
But even if you still feel the need to publicly express your "recommitment" to the faith of your baptism, there are ways to do this without being re-baptized. Just ask your pastor!
The answer is "no!" And there's a very comforting reason for that "no": Your first baptism is "still good"! Remember: Baptism is God's work, and He doesn't make mistakes. To get be re-baptized would express doubt that God did it right the first time!
But even if you still feel the need to publicly express your "recommitment" to the faith of your baptism, there are ways to do this without being re-baptized. Just ask your pastor!
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Why Should I Be Baptized?
If - after all that I've written - you are still wondering "Why Should I Be Baptized?", then the best I can do is give you the chance to clarify your real question or concern in the comments below. Add your questions as a comment here and I'll take another stab at it!
However, if your question is "Do I have to be baptized?" Then look to Christ's command to His church in Matthew 28 and Peter's instructions to the crowd in Acts 2. If your question is "What's in it for me?", then look to the promises in Mark 16:16 and 1 Peter 3:21.
The better question is this: "Why NOT be baptized?" And when you figure out your answer to that question, compare it to Christ's command and promise.
However, if your question is "Do I have to be baptized?" Then look to Christ's command to His church in Matthew 28 and Peter's instructions to the crowd in Acts 2. If your question is "What's in it for me?", then look to the promises in Mark 16:16 and 1 Peter 3:21.
The better question is this: "Why NOT be baptized?" And when you figure out your answer to that question, compare it to Christ's command and promise.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Baptism: Who Does the Baptizing? - Part III
But notice that even though we say that Church "goes and makes disciples by baptizing and teaching," we still say that God does the baptizing. Why? Because He's the One who sends the church to do it. It's His command and the power in baptism is rooted in His promises. In the end, we can do a lot of things, but only the ones that have His command and promise hold out any hope for us and inspire our faith.
When it comes to conversion and baptism, I like the analogy of God as a chess grandmaster. Do you need to hear the Gospel to believe? Yes. But do you need to hear it all at one time in a crisis conversation with a friend who happens to be a deep Christian? Well, it might happen like that and I've heard some pretty incredible conversion stories.
But here's another one! Eric was raised in a "secularized home" with two athiests for parents. And I don't mean the run-of-the-mill athiests. I mean militant atheists. Atheists who were angry every time "those Christians" were on the TV or newspaper. Atheists who resented that kids got out of school for a Christmas break, because they knew the holiday had its origins in Christianity, even if it has lost much of its meaning in today's culture. Atheists who were diligent to lift up every logical flaw in the arguments of any Christians they happened to hear. And they were never wrong about these things!
Which had the effect of keeping Christianity in front of Eric all his life. Many of his friends growing up were probably Christians, but Eric would never have known it. They were quiet about their Christianity the same way he was quiet about being an atheist. He just never gave it much thought. They seemed like normal people; same as him.
The "rebellious teenage years" saw Eric exploring religion. He'd tell his parents that it made him better able to argue when he needed to fend them off - words his parents appreciated - but in truth he was curious.
High school and college were a mishmash of religious experiences, but they always includes a handful of Christian friends, who became increasingly vocal about their Christianity. ("Not militant, but not quiet, either.") Eric didn't know how he felt about that, but they were all less aggressive than his parents and willing to talk to him. They would talk about their lives and life choices, and Eric was struck by two things: 1) they owned up to mistakes they made and were willing to say they were sorry; 2) they were willing forgive Eric and others when they said THEY were sorry. Over time, Eric found that this reliable pattern of apology and forgiveness made him more comfortable in his friendships. He didn't have to justify himself when he was wrong, as though he'd lose his friends if they found out he'd made a mistake (even one that hurt them).
As a young man after college, he was dating a woman name Cara who was - surprise, surprise - a Christian. During one of their weekend trips, he shared his reflections about the way some of his high school and college friends would apologize and forgive each other. Cara said, "They sound like Christians to me... were they?"
Eric's conversation (and conversion) continued from there. Cara connected a deep impression Eric had formed of Christians with the life Jesus Christ lived for us, so that we might receive forgiveness from God Himself. This sounds very "bland" to you and me - especially those of us who have been "in the church" a long time - but with Eric, God used Cara to strike exactly the right chord. The twenty-plus years prior were just the warmup.
So I ask you? When Eric was baptized three years later in the church he and Cara now go to, who did the baptizing? Was it Eric who figured it all out himself and brought himself forward? Or was it God who used the constant mention of Christian's in Eric's militantly anti-Christian home, followed by Eric's teenage rebellion and subsequent seeking, followed by Christians who lived out a critical feature of Christian living (i.e., asking for and receiving forgiveness), followed by an intimate conversation in the context of a trusted relationship?
I assure you: Eric had the experience of making a choice to be baptized, and we should never try to take that away from him. But Eric now recognizes the hand of God leading him to that moment from a very early age.
When it comes to conversion and baptism, I like the analogy of God as a chess grandmaster. Do you need to hear the Gospel to believe? Yes. But do you need to hear it all at one time in a crisis conversation with a friend who happens to be a deep Christian? Well, it might happen like that and I've heard some pretty incredible conversion stories.
But here's another one! Eric was raised in a "secularized home" with two athiests for parents. And I don't mean the run-of-the-mill athiests. I mean militant atheists. Atheists who were angry every time "those Christians" were on the TV or newspaper. Atheists who resented that kids got out of school for a Christmas break, because they knew the holiday had its origins in Christianity, even if it has lost much of its meaning in today's culture. Atheists who were diligent to lift up every logical flaw in the arguments of any Christians they happened to hear. And they were never wrong about these things!
Which had the effect of keeping Christianity in front of Eric all his life. Many of his friends growing up were probably Christians, but Eric would never have known it. They were quiet about their Christianity the same way he was quiet about being an atheist. He just never gave it much thought. They seemed like normal people; same as him.
The "rebellious teenage years" saw Eric exploring religion. He'd tell his parents that it made him better able to argue when he needed to fend them off - words his parents appreciated - but in truth he was curious.
High school and college were a mishmash of religious experiences, but they always includes a handful of Christian friends, who became increasingly vocal about their Christianity. ("Not militant, but not quiet, either.") Eric didn't know how he felt about that, but they were all less aggressive than his parents and willing to talk to him. They would talk about their lives and life choices, and Eric was struck by two things: 1) they owned up to mistakes they made and were willing to say they were sorry; 2) they were willing forgive Eric and others when they said THEY were sorry. Over time, Eric found that this reliable pattern of apology and forgiveness made him more comfortable in his friendships. He didn't have to justify himself when he was wrong, as though he'd lose his friends if they found out he'd made a mistake (even one that hurt them).
As a young man after college, he was dating a woman name Cara who was - surprise, surprise - a Christian. During one of their weekend trips, he shared his reflections about the way some of his high school and college friends would apologize and forgive each other. Cara said, "They sound like Christians to me... were they?"
Eric's conversation (and conversion) continued from there. Cara connected a deep impression Eric had formed of Christians with the life Jesus Christ lived for us, so that we might receive forgiveness from God Himself. This sounds very "bland" to you and me - especially those of us who have been "in the church" a long time - but with Eric, God used Cara to strike exactly the right chord. The twenty-plus years prior were just the warmup.
So I ask you? When Eric was baptized three years later in the church he and Cara now go to, who did the baptizing? Was it Eric who figured it all out himself and brought himself forward? Or was it God who used the constant mention of Christian's in Eric's militantly anti-Christian home, followed by Eric's teenage rebellion and subsequent seeking, followed by Christians who lived out a critical feature of Christian living (i.e., asking for and receiving forgiveness), followed by an intimate conversation in the context of a trusted relationship?
I assure you: Eric had the experience of making a choice to be baptized, and we should never try to take that away from him. But Eric now recognizes the hand of God leading him to that moment from a very early age.
Baptism: Who Does the Baptizing? - Part II
"Okay, then," you might ask, "why does the CHURCH do the baptizing? Why doesn't God do it directly, like He baptized the disciples in the Holy Spirit on Pentecost?" (You can read this story in Acts 2, by the way.)
Again: These are good questions, so I hope you will find the answers equally good. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gave his disciples (i.e., the earliest Christian Church) this commission: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you to the end of the age."
When Jesus said this, He didn't rule out God accomplishing baptism in other ways, but He did tell the Christians what He wanted them to do. Go baptize! Now if you search the scriptures, you will not find any other command telling the church to baptize in any other way, nor will you find a command to individual Christians to seek baptism in any other way. So although God COULD do it some other way, that's not the way He's given to Christians and the Christian church to do it!
Again: These are good questions, so I hope you will find the answers equally good. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gave his disciples (i.e., the earliest Christian Church) this commission: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you to the end of the age."
When Jesus said this, He didn't rule out God accomplishing baptism in other ways, but He did tell the Christians what He wanted them to do. Go baptize! Now if you search the scriptures, you will not find any other command telling the church to baptize in any other way, nor will you find a command to individual Christians to seek baptism in any other way. So although God COULD do it some other way, that's not the way He's given to Christians and the Christian church to do it!
Baptism: Who Does the Baptizing?- Part I
I've already "telegraphed the punch" on this one, but all of the power and promise of baptism depends on the answer to this question: "Who does the baptizing?"
Many Christians think of baptism as something that YOU do. It's your repentance, your commitment, your vows, your agreement to live as a Christian. So even though a pastor or another Christian may sprinkle, pour or dunk, it's the Christian being baptized who does the baptism.
Unfortunately, that way of viewing baptism limits it to self-expression, and misses much of what we've considered in the last few posts. Forgiveness, life and salvation are gifts that GOD gives. So if baptism gives these gifts, then your commitment can't be the main thing.
After all, when was the last time you committed yourself to never sinning and followed through on your commitment? Never, right?
Remember what we learned about the work of the Holy Spirit! We can't believe in Jesus on our own and we can't come to Him on our own. We need God to draw us. If baptism is just an initiation rite, then it should come after the Holy Spirit's calling and coming. But if it's just an initiation rite, it doesn't have the power of the promises that Christ has attached to it.
No. We need to turn it around. Although we do "get baptized," we don't "baptize ourselves." Baptism is something that God does to us! And that's a good thing!
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Baptism: More Than Just an Initiation
"Okay," you might say. "We baptize (and receive baptism) because Christ commanded it. But that doesn't make it more than just a symbolic act of initiation!"
You would be quite right... given what we've said so far. But there's more. And the "more" is what makes Holy Baptism more than just an initiation.
In Mark 16:16, Christ our Lord says, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Peter wrote in his first letter, "This water [of Noah's flood] symbolizes baptism that now saves you also... It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." And earlier, in the earliest days of the church, Peter said to a crowd on Pentecost: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins."
Because of verses like these, the Reformers concluded that baptism conveys great gifts: "It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare."
When was the last time a Junior High Honor Society initiation or citizenship ceremony did all of that!?! Clearly Holy Baptism is more than just an initiation.
Baptism: More Than "Just a Good Idea"
We need to take a step back and ask a really basic question: "What is baptism?"
After a thorough examination of the Bible, the Reformer's gave this answer: "Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in and combined with God's word."
You see, there were baptisms before Holy Baptism. "Baptism" means "to wash" and human beings didn't just start washing themselves 2000 years ago. And it was inevitable that some humans would make a ritual or rite out of something that humans have been doing from the beginning. In the Bible itself, we read about John the Baptist baptizing people in the river Jordan with a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." And there are indications that there were other "washing rituals" inside and outside Judaism. Judaism and Christianity do not have a corner on the "baptism" market.
But that's why we need to mark a difference between just any baptism and Holy Baptism. Holy Baptism is the baptism instituted by God in His Word. Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19)
In other words, Holy Baptism is God's invention, not ours. We don't do it because "it seems good to us." It's more than just a good idea. We baptize (and receive baptism) because Christ commanded it!
Friday, February 7, 2020
Baptism: What Does This Mean?
Like any initiation, baptism changes our lives. However, unlike your initiation into the National Junior High Honor Society (which didn't change my life for more than an hour or two), this initiation says something about your whole life from this point on. It says something about how you see yourself and how you relate to God.
In the catechism, the Reformers pose this question about Holy Baptism: "What does such baptizing with water indicate?"
And to that question they give this answer: "It indicates that the Old Adam in us should, by daily contrition and repentance, be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever."
We can pick apart some of the words in this answer in the comments below if you want, but let me highlight one thing: From the moment of baptism on, your life is a life shaped by dying and rising. As a sinner, you deserve to die. And as a baptized believer, you will die every day. You will turn aside from your sinful self, leaving it to die.
Using baptismal language, you don't just leave that sinful person, (s)he is DROWNED. It is the point when you were brought into a new life. So you always take the part of yourself that is associated with the old life and "drown" it in the font. When you "rise up" from the font, you rise up to live the life that Jesus calls you to live. You leave behind the life of sin.
St. Paul used this kind of language to describe a life shaped by baptism in Romans chapter six: "We were therefore buried with Him [Jesus] through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:4)
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Baptism: The Christian Initiation Rite
The next thing we need to look at is Holy Baptism. And if you are not baptized, now is the time.
If you believe what you have read so far - that God made the world and everything in it; that God's law is His will for His creation; that human beings have rebelled against God's will and fallen into sin; that you, too, are a sinner and will die unless you are saved from your separation from God; that the Father sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for your sins and to draw you back to Himself so that you can live forever; that Jesus will return on the last day to usher in eternity - if you believe these things, then it is time for you to be baptized.
Basically, believing these things is a miracle of the Holy Spirit. He has "called you by the Gospel" and "enlightened and sanctified you." And now He would give you an amazing gift: Holy Baptism.
On the surface, baptism looks like an initiation rite. Before you are baptized, Christians think you should be baptized. After baptism, they clearly recognize you as one of their own. That sure looks like an initiation rite!
And it is! There's no sense denying it! When foreign nationals desire American citizenship, they learn facts about America, as well as the duties and obligations, rights and privileges citizens enjoy. But they are not citizens yet. They cannot claim those rights and privileges, nor must they exercise the duties and obligations of citizenship. Only after they are "sworn in" can they claim these things! They can claim to be an American before then, but only after the ceremony will America recognize them as a citizen.
Baptism is a lot like that. God has made great promises for those who trust Him and all He has done for us in Jesus. But Jesus has also called us to be baptized. Until you actually do what Jesus (the one you would claim as your Lord and Savior) says, what "right" do you have to call yourself His disciple.
However, as we will see in the next seven posts, baptism is so much more than JUST an initiation rite!
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Trinity: One God
So there appear to be three persons involved in the work of salvation; however, there is still only one God. This is also the clear testimony of the Bible.
First of all, that is how God is described in the Old Testament: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." (Deut. 6:4; cited in a helpful way in Mark 12:28-34)
Second of all, that is how Jesus describes His relationship to the Father: "I do not ask or these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one..." (John 17:20-23)
And, finally, remember that the Spirit was described in the same way: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-15)
These three persons are one God. They are united: they never disagree; they never work at cross purposes. They do different work, but the work of all three is necessary.
Together they are the only true God: The triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
First of all, that is how God is described in the Old Testament: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." (Deut. 6:4; cited in a helpful way in Mark 12:28-34)
Second of all, that is how Jesus describes His relationship to the Father: "I do not ask or these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one..." (John 17:20-23)
And, finally, remember that the Spirit was described in the same way: "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-15)
These three persons are one God. They are united: they never disagree; they never work at cross purposes. They do different work, but the work of all three is necessary.
Together they are the only true God: The triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Trinity: Three Persons
As you read through the Apostles' Creed and the Small Catechism's explanations, it becomes clear that there is more than one person carrying out the "plan of salvation." In fact, it seems clear that there are three: one in each article. The first "person" is called the "Father"; the second is called "Son" and "Jesus Christ"; the third is the "Holy Spirit".
At first, you might be inclined to lump the third person (i.e., the Holy Spirit) with one of the other two (either the Father or the Son), since we tend to think of a spirit as part of a person. But when you read what the Holy Spirit does, He clearly does different work than the other two persons.
And that is the way the Bible talks about the Holy Spirit, too. Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as a third person in John 14:16-17: "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."
Later in verses 25-26, Jesus goes on: "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Also very strong is John 17:7ff: "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ... He will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
So there appear to be three persons involved in the work of salvation.
At first, you might be inclined to lump the third person (i.e., the Holy Spirit) with one of the other two (either the Father or the Son), since we tend to think of a spirit as part of a person. But when you read what the Holy Spirit does, He clearly does different work than the other two persons.
And that is the way the Bible talks about the Holy Spirit, too. Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as a third person in John 14:16-17: "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."
Later in verses 25-26, Jesus goes on: "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Also very strong is John 17:7ff: "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ... He will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you."
So there appear to be three persons involved in the work of salvation.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
"On the Last Day"
There are two things that need to be highlighted in this post: resurrection on the last day and the day we receive eternal life.
Let's start with the day of resurrection. Most talk in the Christian church these days is about "heaven." And most people have clouds, angels and harps in mind when they talk about "heaven." In the popular Christian imagination, "heaven" is "where you go when you die." And facile interpretations of John's Apocalypse (aka the book of Revelation) have contributed to this understanding.
However, the images of the beasts, elders, angels and martyrs "in heaven" are all situated during the time between the victory of Christ and the last day. If you want to know what's coming "in the end," you need to read from Revelation 21 on: It'll be a new heaven and a new earth.
And where do you think creatures like humans belong? That's right! The new earth. But the REALLY cool thing is that God makes His eternal dwelling with man. (Revelation 21:3) Thus, heaven comes to earth on the last day! No more separation between God and man!
Now remember: Separation from God is death. So what do you think it means if God is no longer separated from man? That's right! Eternal life! Just like it was supposed to be in the beginning before man turned away from God in the fall!
So what happens to your believing family members and friends when they die? Their spirits and their bodies are separated. (And that is NOT a good thing.) Their spirits rest in the presence of Christ, waiting for the events of the last day and eternity. Their bodies rest in the ground, waiting for the life-giving presence of God to cross the divide from heaven to earth on the last day, an action which will raise them from the dead.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
"He daily and richly forgives"
Blessed redundancies abound in the Christian faith and life! Why say that God daily and richly forgives "in this Christian church"? Especially if God's forgiveness is the good news that He already announced through the Gospel that called us into the Church in the first place?
Because we need to hear it again! And again after that! The Holy Spirit works through the proclamation of the Gospel in the Church to "call, gather, enlighten and sanctify the whole Christian church on earth, and keep it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith"!
In other words, the Church keeps preaching the Gospel (daily; 24x7) and through that Gospel forgives sinners who believe it.
Because we need to hear it again! And again after that! The Holy Spirit works through the proclamation of the Gospel in the Church to "call, gather, enlighten and sanctify the whole Christian church on earth, and keep it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith"!
In other words, the Church keeps preaching the Gospel (daily; 24x7) and through that Gospel forgives sinners who believe it.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
"called, enlightened, sanctified, and kept"
This post really just builds off the last as far as the Holy Spirit's work is concerned. We've already acknowledged that God had a hand in calling us (i.e., we couldn't come "by our own reason and strength" alone) and convincing us and keeping us. This phrase only adds one thing we didn't mention before: "sanctifying" us. The Holy Spirit does this for each and every Christian.
"Sanctifying" is simply leading us to live in a God-pleasing or "holy" way consistent with our calling. In fact, a better non-word to replace "sanctify" would be "holi-fy" or "make us holy." But this is widely misunderstood. You don't "live a certain way" to BECOME holy; you are made holy and that's why you live a certain way. In the end, "sanctifying" us has more to do with keeping us alive in the faith we've ALREADY BEEN GIVEN than anything else. By calling us into the faith, the Holy Spirit has already made us "holy." Now He leads us to live life in a manner consistent with our call to be "holy." That is "sanctification."
"But the meaning also says, 'In the same way, He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth.' Why the redundancy? Why say the same thing twice?"
Because it's not the same thing! The Holy Spirit calls individuals, and as He calls individuals, He builds up the church as well. But the Church is more than just a "collection of like-minded individuals," right? There are relationships involved in the church! And mutual understanding!
"Sanctifying" is simply leading us to live in a God-pleasing or "holy" way consistent with our calling. In fact, a better non-word to replace "sanctify" would be "holi-fy" or "make us holy." But this is widely misunderstood. You don't "live a certain way" to BECOME holy; you are made holy and that's why you live a certain way. In the end, "sanctifying" us has more to do with keeping us alive in the faith we've ALREADY BEEN GIVEN than anything else. By calling us into the faith, the Holy Spirit has already made us "holy." Now He leads us to live life in a manner consistent with our call to be "holy." That is "sanctification."
"But the meaning also says, 'In the same way, He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth.' Why the redundancy? Why say the same thing twice?"
Because it's not the same thing! The Holy Spirit calls individuals, and as He calls individuals, He builds up the church as well. But the Church is more than just a "collection of like-minded individuals," right? There are relationships involved in the church! And mutual understanding!
For example: As a Christian in society, you are called to forgive those who sin against you. And that is what the Church does, as well. But apart from the Church, society doesn't do that. (Or if it does, it certainly isn't the "norm.") Society is governed by the Law; the foundation of the Church is the Gospel. And there is nothing "natural" about the Gospel. So the Church must be formed by the Spirit's power, too; not just the individuals in it.
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