THE LIGHTNING

AND THE SIGN OF THE FIG TREE

Read Matthew 24:27, 32-33

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be … Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”

Jesus compares His return on the Last Day to a flash of lightning coming out of the east and shining to the west. Our Lord Jesus will return quickly and suddenly – “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:52). There will be no time for repentance when we see Christ coming in the clouds of glory with all His holy angels! When that time comes, the Judgment will take place. Those who have believed the Gospel and trust in Christ as their Savior will be taken to heaven to enjoy the eternal blessings of the LORD, but those who have not turned from their sins to Christ their Savior will be condemned to eternal torment in the fires of hell! Cf. Mark 16:16; John 3:18,36; 2 Thess. 1:6-10.

While we do not know the day or hour of Christ’s return, we do not need to be caught off guard. We can tell from a fig tree (or from other deciduous trees), when they sprout and put forth new leaves, that summer is near. So also, we should know that with the fulfillment of the signs spoken of in Matthew, chapter 24, the Day of Christ’s return is imminent, “even at the doors.” Since all these things have happened and the Gospel has been “preached in all the world” (v. 14), we can soon expect to see “the powers of the heavens . . shaken” (v.29) and the return of Jesus Christ to judge the living and the dead!

If you wanted to take a still photograph of a flash of lightning, you would never catch it on film if you waited until you saw the lightning streak across the sky and then lifted your camera to shoot. You would always be too late! In order to catch a streak of lightning with a still camera, you must point the camera in the direction of the threatening clouds, open the shutter, and wait until the lightning strikes. In the same way, if we want to be found in the faith at Christ’s return, we cannot wait until we see Him coming in glory! Instead we should take note of the imminent return of Christ, turn from our sins to Him for salvation, and look for His coming to take us and all other believers to be with Him in heaven.

Great God, what do I see and hear? the end of things created; the Judge of mankind doth appear on clouds of glory seated. The trumpet sounds; the graves restore the dead which they contained before: prepare, my soul, to meet Him. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #604, Verse 1)

“Jesus, the Light of the World”

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

Have you ever tried to walk some place in total darkness? Perhaps in a cave, or on a moonless light? What happened? Without any light, we lose our way and begin to trip and stumble over everything. But what if a friend has a bright flashlight? If we walk with him, we can see and find our way. But if we do not follow closely, we again begin to stumble and grope in the darkness.

We live in a world of darkness when it comes to a knowledge of the truth. People don’t know or understand who they are, how they got here, why they are here or how to live. People do not know God their Maker or how to walk in fellowship with Him. Instead, people deny the existence of God, believe they are freak accidents of evolution, and have no idea of their purpose here in this world or what will happen to them after they die.

To the people of this dark and sinful world who are groping about in spiritual darkness, trying this and that to find happiness and fulfillment, Jesus says, “I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Jesus truly is the light of the world. He spoke the truth about our utter sinfulness before God and the judgment we deserve, and He spoke the truth when He called upon lost sinners to repent and trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and life everlasting (cf. John 8:23-24; 8:44; 8:34-36; 8:51; 3:3-6, 14-21).

Jesus, the very Son of God, took on human flesh and blood and came into this world to save sinners like you and me. He lived a holy life under God’s law and then suffered and died upon the cross to bear the punishment for our sins. And Jesus’ resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrifice for sin and we are justified before God (Rom. 4:25). Jesus is “the Light of Life.” In Him alone can we sinners have life in fellowship with God our Maker, both now and forever!

What shall we do? Shall we continue to grope around in darkness, trying to find our own way? Or, shall we follow Jesus, the Light of the world? Like the person walking next to one with a flashlight, if we walk with Jesus by trusting in Him as our Savior and being led and guided continually by His Word, we will “not walk in darkness,” but “have the light of life.” We will be comforted with the knowledge and assurance of forgiveness of sins and life everlasting through faith in His name! And, we will be led and guided in the right way through this life.

On the other hand, if we wander off and do not follow closely after the Lord Jesus, we will quickly find ourselves groping and stumbling through the darkness of sin and death, not knowing the way to God or how to live for Him.

O Dearest Jesus, “in Thy light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9). Graciously shine upon our hearts, revealing our sin, but comforting us with Thy forgiveness; and lead us safely through this life to Thyself in heaven. Amen.

The Augsburg Confession

Article IV: Of Justification.

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

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings for Sunday are Psalm 138; Acts 8:26-40; Colossians 2:6-19; Luke 11:1-13. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John at chapter 7:37ff. What did Jesus say on the last day of the Jewish feast of tabernacles? What does this mean? How does it apply yet today? What did the people say of Jesus? Who is the Prophet? Cf. Deuteronomy 18:15-19. Why did some people doubt Jesus was the Christ (Messiah)? Cf. Micah 5:2. How did God fulfill this passage in Jesus’ birth? Cf. Luke 2:1ff. Did the officers arrest Jesus for His claims? Why? What did they tell the chief priests and Pharisees? How did the chief priests and Pharisees respond? What did Nicodemus say? How did they respond? What argument did the chief priests and scribes use to justify their rejection of Jesus as the Messiah and Savior? How were they mistaken? What excuses do people make yet today?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Dick Stueland, who is recovering from knee surgery; for Sam Rusch, who has had repeated stays in the hospital; and for the mother of Dick Rusch – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Events and Announcements

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

THE GOOD MAN OF THE HOUSE AND THE WISE AND UNWISE SERVANTS

Read Matthew 24:42-51

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Jesus Christ could return to judge the living and the dead at any time. He could come today, next week, next year or in the next century. We do not know the day or the hour of Jesus’ return, but we are to be watching and ready for that Day! Jesus told two parables to warn against being unwatchful and unprepared.

If a man knew at what time a thief was coming, he would have been ready and watching; he would not have allowed his home to be broken into. So also, a Christian who knows that his Lord could return at any time will not permit that Day to come upon him like an unexpected thief. He will be ready and watching, having faith in Christ Jesus his Savior and, as a fruit of that faith, living his life for his Lord. Those trusting in Christ for salvation will not be condemned at His return; they will inherit the eternal blessings of His heavenly kingdom.

As servants of Christ – especially those placed over God’s household to feed and nourish their fellow-believers with the Word of God – we are to be faithful in our service to the Lord Jesus Christ. If, as a fruit of saving faith in Jesus Christ, we are found faithfully serving our Lord when He returns on the Last Day, we shall be graciously rewarded. But if we are like the evil servant who says in his heart, “My lord delayeth his coming,” and if we continue in sin, our Lord will return in a day and hour when we are not expecting Him. Then we will have our “portion with the hypocrites” where “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” for one cannot have true faith in Christ and also continue to live willfully in sin.

O Christ, who diedst and yet dost live, to me impart Thy merit; my pardon seal, my sins forgive, and cleanse me by Thy Spirit. Beneath Thy cross I view the day when heav’n and earth shall pass away, and thus prepare to meet Thee. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #604, Verse 4)

“Comforted by an Adulteress”

John 8:1-11

1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

First of all, we have to acknowledge that some modern Bible translations, following the more liberal textual critics, omit this text (along with verse 53 of the previous chapter) altogether or include it with a note saying that the “best Greek manuscripts” omit it or place it in a different location in the Gospel. Yet, there is strong evidence that it truly is God’s inspired Word in spite of the fact that a number of ancient Greek manuscripts do not include it here or leave a blank space where it belongs.

This passage, often called the Pericope De Adultera (the Adultery Reading), is included in numerous Greek uncials such as D, G, H, K, M, U and Gamma. Among the minuscule or cursive manuscripts it is in 28, 700, 892, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1079, 1195, 1216, 1344, 1365, 1546, 1646, 2148 and 2174. Many Greek manuscripts contain the passage. It also is in early translations such as the Bohairic Coptic Version, the Syriac Palestinian Version and the Ethiopic Version, all of which date from the second to the sixth centuries. It is clearly the reading of the majority of the Old Latin manuscripts and Jerome’s Latin Vulgate. The passage has patristic support: Didascalia (third century), Ambrosiaster (fourth century), Ambrose (fourth century), the Apostolic Constitutions (which are the largest liturgical collections of writings from Antioch Syria in about 380 AD), Jerome (420 AD), and Augustine (430 AD).

The question then arises as to why this passage was ever omitted from a number of ancient manuscripts. A likely answer is found in church history. Augustine makes an astounding statement concerning the authenticity of the passage. After citing the forgiving phrase of Christ, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more,” he wrote:

“This proceeding, however, shocks the minds of some weak believers, or rather unbelievers and enemies of the Christian faith: inasmuch that, after (I suppose) of its giving their wives impunity of sinning, they struck out from their copies of the Gospel this that our Lord did in pardoning the woman taken in adultery: as if He granted leave of sinning, Who said, Go and sin no more!”

Augustine implied that some fearful scribes who thought the inclusion of this passage might lead to adultery omitted this passage. This could also explain why some manuscripts which omit this section leave a space where it belongs and why some attach it to the end of the Gospel.

Most certainly it could also be argued that these verses – included in Bibles for centuries and read and preached in churches around the world – have been used by the Holy Spirit to convict sinners and to comfort them with the grace and forgiveness offered us for the sake of the shed blood of Christ Jesus. I myself draw comfort from the fact that Jesus does not condemn me but forgives me and accepts me. He doesn’t offer a license to sin, but tells me that I, in response to His forgiveness, should go and sin no more.

Fully convinced that these verses are the inspired and unerring Word of God and belong here in the Gospel (the attempt of the Pharisees to trap Jesus fit with the surrounding context), I offer the following insights for your consideration.

When Jesus returned to the temple early in the morning (after spending the night on the Mount of Olives), the people gathered around Him and He was teaching them. To discredit Jesus’ teaching and to trap Him, the Jewish scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus and set her before Him, saying they had caught her in the very act of committing adultery. Why the man was not brought, or how they knew just where to find her, we are not told.

Their challenge to Jesus came in the words: “Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?” The Bible also tells us: “This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.”

It was, of course, a trap. If Jesus said to release her, he would have been contradicting the Law of Moses – the Scriptures and God Himself (Leviticus 20:10). If He commanded her to be stoned to death, He could be accused before the Roman governor because the Jews were not permitted to carry out capital punishments (cf. John 18:31).

Jesus’ response was most remarkable: “But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”

What Jesus wrote on the ground, the Bible doesn’t say. Some have speculated that He wrote the commandments in the dirt. Others suggest that he may have revealed the private sins of the woman’s accusers. The point is that the only one left with the woman, who had the just right to condemn her, was Jesus. He alone had kept all of God’s commandments, and He alone was perfect and without sin.

Certainly, we as sinful people can relate to this woman’s accusers. We are so often quick to judge and condemn others for their disobedience and sin. But when we hear the Law of God, we realize, too, that we are just as guilty. We deserve to be judged and condemned by the almighty and holy God who created us.

“If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand?” (Psalm 130:3).

When I was a sheriff’s deputy and had to help care for prisoners in the jail who were there because of numerous crimes, I realized that in God’s court I was no better. God judges not only our outward acts but our words and the thoughts and intents of our hearts. The Bible plainly tells us that “the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). It says that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Had I been standing there before this sinful woman, I could not have picked up a stone to throw at her. I too am a sinner and guilty before God. The older I have gotten, the more apparent this truth has become to me. My conscience convicts me. When I see another judged and condemned for some sin, I have to admit, “There go I but for the grace of God.”

The real comfort of this pericope – this cut-out from Scripture – is what happened next. “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

Was the woman guilty of sinning against God’s commandments? Yes, without a doubt! She was caught in the very act. Could Jesus have justly condemned her and picked up the stones? Yes, without a doubt! He was and is the holy and sinless Son of God and the Judge of all the earth. Did Jesus condemn this sinful woman caught in the very act of committing a grave sin, a capital crime in Old testament Israel? No, He did not! Instead, Jesus forgave her, pardoned her and released her. He said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

How could He do it? How could the holy and just Son of God pardon and forgive this sinful woman? God’s Word tells us: “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” … because … “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:9; 2:2). Jesus suffered and died on the cross and paid in full the just punishment for this woman’s sins. God’s justice was satisfied and Jesus showed to this woman mercy and forgiveness!

The same is true for you and me. Though guilty of wickedness and sin, Jesus satisfied God’s just wrath against us. He has every right to condemn us but He, instead, reaches out to us with mercy and forgiveness. Though the devil and all the world might accuse us, Jesus tells us – no matter how great our sins have been – “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

“If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalm 130:3,4).

Jesus does not condemn us. He died on the cross for all our sins – even the sins of all the world – and rose again that He might acquit us, forgive us and give us a place in His everlasting kingdom.

But why did Jesus say to this woman: “Go, and sin no more”? Was He adding terms and conditions? If this woman sinned again, would her forgiveness and salvation be lost?

And what about you and me? We confess our sins and receive God’s absolution in Word and Sacrament every Sunday. We are assured of God’s mercy and pardon. If we fall again, is all lost?

Jesus’ pardon and forgiveness to this woman was not conditional. He did not say, “I won’t condemn you if you go and sin no more.” He fully and freely forgave her all her sin. But He urged her, as a response to His mercy, to go and refrain from sin and disobedience to God. He gave her no license to keep on committing adultery or to live in an adulterous relationship. He called upon her, as a fruit of His mercy and pardon, to amend her sinful ways and live for Him in obedience to God’s Word. If she stumbled, if she fell, Jesus’ mercy was not gone. It was still there for her to cling to and depend upon. Jesus was still her Savior!

If we sin again, if we fall – and we all do – Jesus is still there for us too, with His mercy and grace. He doesn’t pardon us so that we can live as we please and indulge in our sinful desires, for the wages of sin is still death (Romans 6:23). But He continues to call us to faith in Him and His mercy. For the sake of His innocent sufferings and death in our stead, He continues to offer us His pardon and forgiveness. He continues to offer us life in His name.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness … My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:8-9; 2:1-2).

How comforting this account of the adulterous woman is to us sinners! It assures us that though we too are guilty and worthy of death and hell, Jesus does not condemn us. He forgives us and accepts us and gives us life. Jesus says to us sinners who are accused by our own consciences, the devil and the world: “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

May God’s Spirit grant you comfort in Jesus’ words. Amen.

The Augsburg Confession

Article III: Of the Son of God.

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

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

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

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings for Sunday are Psalm 27; Acts 8:1-25; Luke 10:38-42. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John at chapter 7:19ff. Who was seeking to kill Jesus? Cf. John 5:18. Why? What law were they breaking by seeking to kill Jesus? Did the Jews regard it a sin if one was circumcised on the Sabbath? What had Jesus done on the Sabbath (cf. Chapter 5)? Was this right or wrong? Why? Do people today ever get so focused on one commandment that they neglect other weightier commandments? How? Do the words of Hosea 6:6-7 have application here? Did the people think they knew Jesus’ origins? What did they believe about Christ? How were they mistaken in their understanding? What did Jesus say of His origins? Did the Jews recognize Jesus for who He is? Did they know the Father who sent Him? Cf. John 14:6. Can one know God if he doesn’t know Jesus? Why did many of the people believe on Jesus? What did they say? Why were the Jews unable to arrest Jesus at this time? What did Jesus say to His enemies? What did He mean? Of what was He warning His hearers? What did Jesus say on the last day of the Jewish feast of tabernacles? What does this mean? How does it apply yet today?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Dick Stueland, who is recovering from knee surgery; for Sam Rusch, who is back in the hospital; and for the mother of Dick Rusch – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Events and Announcements

The Congregational Evening Bible Study is set for tonight at 7 p.m. Some will be meeting earlier – about 6:20 – for a sandwich and all are invited to join in that as well.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.” Luke 10:25-37

We are to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev. 19:18), but who is our neighbor? With this parable, Jesus teaches us that our neighbor is not only the man next door, our friends or even those whom we might consider worthy of our love and respect. Our neighbor includes anyone with whom we in some way have contact or the ability to help and serve. Our neighbor includes all men.

Like the good Samaritan, we should care for the stranger in need even if he is our enemy! We should not be as the priest or the Levite in this parable who, probably out of fear for their own safety, passed by the man who was in need and failed to be a good neighbor to this man who had fallen among thieves. If we truly love our neighbor as we love ourselves, we will use every opportunity and do all that we can to help those in need.

Jesus told this parable to a certain Jewish lawyer who was testing Jesus with the question: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” When Jesus asked him, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?,” he answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Jesus then told him, “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” If a person were able to do this perfectly, he could earn his way into heaven; but “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and “there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (EccI. 7:20). No one has such perfect love for God! And while men may think they love their neighbor, this parable reveals our failures here too!

But all who have come short of the demands of God’s perfect Law are also “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). We cannot justify ourselves with God’s commandments as this Jewish lawyer sought to do; but through faith in Christ Jesus we stand forgiven and justified in God’s sight (Rom. 3:28). As a fruit of our faith, we seek to love our Lord and Savior above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves (I John 4:19ff.).

Oh, teach me, Lord, to love Thee truly with soul and body, head and heart, and grant me grace that I may duly practice fore’er love’s sacred art. Grant that my every thought may be directed e’er to Thee. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #399, Verse 5)

“Confused about Jesus”

John 7:25-53

25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? 26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? 27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. 28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. 29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. 30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? 32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. 33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. 34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come. 35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? 36 What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? 37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) 40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? 43 So there was a division among the people because of him. 44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. 45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. 50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 53 And every man went unto his own house.

There was much confusion about Jesus during His days on earth. Some thought He was the promised Messiah and others thought He was just a deceiver of the people. Some believed Jesus when He said He had come down from God the Father in heaven, and others argued that they knew Jesus’ origins in Nazareth of Galilee and no prophet was to come from Galilee. The Jewish rulers sought to arrest Jesus and have Him put to death, but others argued in His defense, citing the many miracles He had done as proof that Jesus’ claims must be true.

Not much has changed in 2,000 years. People are still confused about Jesus. Some believe He is the Christ, Son of God in human flesh and the Savior. Others think He was just a prophet or significant religious figure. Some see His miracles as proof of His claims, and others doubt His miracles altogether. Some would seek to silence Jesus and have any reference to Him or His teaching removed from public view. Others still proclaim Him as one who should be heard in our day.

Jesus warned His hearers that their time was running out. “Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.”

Of course, our time, too, is short. We live in this world only a little while and then must stand before our Maker and Judge (cf. Hebrews 9:27). If we continue to put off the invitation of Christ Jesus in the gospel and refuse to believe and trust in Him, time will run out and we will never find Him and know Him as our Savior. We will not go to be with Him in the mansions of His Father’s house. Where He is we will not be able to come!

We read that “in the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

Do we hunger and thirst for the living God? Do we desire to be right with Him and walk in fellowship with our Maker and Redeemer? Jesus offers and gives life-giving water to quench our thirsty souls. He offers and gives the Holy Spirit who, through the Word of God, creates faith in Christ Jesus and raises us up from spiritual darkness and death to life in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit assures us that Jesus is indeed God’s Son in the flesh, the Messiah and Savior, and that in Him and for the sake of His blood shed upon the cross all our sins are cleansed away and forgiven.

Jesus pours out upon us His Holy Spirit and saves us, “by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed[s] on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour” (Titus 3:5,6).

As God says in Isaiah 55:1-3: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”

Jesus, David’s Son and David’s Lord, has won for us mercy and peace with God our Father. For His sake, God accepts and receives us as his own dear children. He calls us to believe on Him and come to Him and drink.

1 John 1:1 – 2:2

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

The Augsburg Confession

Article II: Of Original Sin

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

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

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings for Sunday are Psalm 41; Acts 6:8 – 7:60; Luke 10:25-37. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John at chapter 7:19ff. Who was seeking to kill Jesus? Cf. John 5:18. Why? What law were they breaking by seeking to kill Jesus? Did the Jews regard it a sin if one was circumcised on the Sabbath? What had Jesus done on the Sabbath (cf. Chapter 5)? Was this right or wrong? Why? Do people today ever get so focused on one commandment that they neglect other weightier commandments? How? Do the words of Hosea 6:6-7 have application here? Did the people think they knew Jesus’ origins? What did they believe about Christ? How were they mistaken in their understanding? What did Jesus say of His origins? Did the Jews recognize Jesus for who He is? Did they know the Father who sent Him? Cf. John 14:6. Can one know God if he doesn’t know Jesus? Why did many of the people believe on Jesus? What did they say? Why were the Jews unable to arrest Jesus at this time? What did Jesus say to His enemies? What did He mean? Of what was He warning His hearers? What did Jesus say on the last day of the Jewish feast of tabernacles? What does this mean? How does it apply yet today?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Dick Stueland, who is recovering from knee surgery; for Sam Rusch, who is back in the hospital; and for the mother of Dick Rusch – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Events and Announcements

The Congregational Evening Bible Study for July is set at 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 14.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

Hebrews 9:27-28: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD

Read Matthew 20:1-16

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

The disciples of Jesus saw the rich young man go away sadly because he was unwilling to give up his riches and follow Jesus, and they had heard Jesus’ words about how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Peter then asked Jesus what he and the other disciples would receive since they had left all to follow Him. The last verses of Matthew, chapter 19, record Jesus’ answer. Here, Jesus describes the gracious reward which will be given to all who deny themselves and follow Him; but He also adds the words: “Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard illustrates these words of Jesus and warns against the assumption that those who work harder, longer, or give up more for Christ deserve a greater reward. In this parable, even those who were hired and began working in the vineyard at the eleventh hour received the same wages as those who had toiled for the full day. The householder graciously paid them for a full day’s work.

God also rewards those who deny themselves and labor in His kingdom; but God’s rewards are rewards of His grace and are not earned or deserved. As sinners, we do not even deserve to be in His kingdom. It is only by God’s grace in Jesus Christ–because Christ died for our sins and rose again–that we are forgiven and brought into God’s kingdom. The rewards given for labor and sacrifice in God’s kingdom are also God’s gracious gifts for Christ’s sake. If we assume that we have earned a greater reward because of our hard work in the kingdom, we are in grave danger of losing, not only God’s gracious reward for our labor but also our place in God’s kingdom as well; for all of this is ours by grace alone! If one becomes a Christian late in life, works only a short time in God’s kingdom and receives a great reward, we should rejoice and praise God for His grace rather than grumble because we did not receive more.

O Father, God of Love, hear Thou my supplication; O Savior, Son of God, grant me Thy full salvation; and Thou, O Holy Ghost, be Thou my faithful Guide that I may serve Thee here and there with Thee abide. Amen. (TLH, Hymn #417, Verse 7)

“Jesus, the Bread from Heaven”

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. John 6:52-59

How can one eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood? The Jews did not grasp Jesus’ meaning, nor do many in our day.

Jesus is not indicating that Christianity is some kind of cult in which the faithful literally eat human flesh and drink human blood. Even in the Lord’s Supper, participants do not chew Jesus’ flesh and drink and digest His blood. Rather, as they partake of the bread and wine, they partake of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the sins of all the world – His body given into death for our sins and His blood shed for the remission of our sins.

Though certainly related to the Lord’s Supper, Jesus’ words in John 6:52-59 are not a specific reference to the supper Jesus later commanded His followers to observe in remembrance of Him and His innocent sufferings and death on their behalf. If He were referring specifically to partaking of the Lord’s Table, then those not able to partake of Christ’s Supper, regardless of the reason, could not be saved and have life in them.

Rather, Jesus refers to partaking of His body and blood by faith. The children of Israel ate of the manna from heaven and yet died. Those who partake of Jesus’ body and blood – of His sacrifice for the sins of the world – by faith in Him have eternal life and Jesus will raise them up on the Last Day!

Jesus says in no uncertain words, “For my flesh truly is food, and my blood truly is drink” (John 6:55 literally translated from the Greek).

The one who partakes of Jesus, the Bread of Life, by faith – trusting in Christ Jesus who gave His body into death for our sins and shed His blood upon the cross to make atonement for all our iniquities – has the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. As Jesus said, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”

People look to Jesus for earthly bread. They come to Him in hopes that He will provide them with all their earthly wants and desires. But few recognize that Jesus came into this world to provide us with heavenly food – with food which nourishes our souls unto life eternal.

Jesus came into this world to fulfill the righteous demands of God’s law for us. And He came to be our sacrifice for sin – to offer up Himself on the cross as the Passover Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He gave His body into death upon the cross in full payment for your sins and my sins. He shed His blood upon the cross as our sacrifice for sin and made atonement for us and all the world before the very throne of God.

The question is this: Do you partake of Him? Do you trust in His holy life and His innocent sufferings and death for the forgiveness of all your sins? If you do not partake of Jesus, you can have no life in you; you are eternally lost and condemned. If you do, through faith, partake of His flesh and blood, you have the forgiveness Jesus won for you when He gave His body into death and shed His holy and precious blood to make atonement for your sins and redeem you.

When we, in this way, eat His flesh and drink His blood, Jesus dwells in us – not in the sense that He enters our mouth and passes through our digestive system, but in the sense that He comes into us and gives us life in fellowship with the Father.

It’s really as simple as this: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). If we partake of Jesus’ holy life and His bitter sufferings and death for all sin by placing our trust and confidence in Him, we have life. Jesus Himself comes to us, dwells in us by His Spirit and gives us spiritual and eternal life in fellowship with the Father. If we do not partake of Jesus and His sacrifice – if we go it alone and on our own, so to speak – we remain dead in our sins and under the wrath and condemnation of God.

In John, chapter three, Jesus says it this way: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (15-18).

Those who believe and trust in Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of God made flesh, are saved and have life because Christ gave His body and shed His blood for the remission of all sins. They partake of His body and blood and of the benefits Jesus won for them through faith.

On the other hand, those who do not trust in Christ’s body and blood given and shed for all mankind are condemned. Why? Because they reject the only way of salvation God has provided for them – in His Son!

Even in the Lord’s Supper, those who partake of the bread and of the cup unworthily – without godly sorrow over sin and faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice – are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord because they have rejected and taken lightly Jesus’ giving of His body into death and shedding of His blood for the remission of our sins. They do not consider what He offers and gives them in the Supper when He says, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you” and “Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (1 Corinthians 11:23ff.; Matthew 26:26-28) They, in the words of Hebrews 10, have trodden under foot the Son of God, and have counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing, and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace.

Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

Jesus gave His life for you. His body was nailed to the cross to suffer for your sins and mine. He shed His blood for you when He made atonement for the sins of the whole world. His flesh is food indeed and His blood is drink indeed to nourish our souls and to give to all who partake of Him through faith everlasting life!

God grant you to partake of Jesus, the Bread of Life, and to drink of His blood shed for the remission of your sins through faith in Him! Then, you will have life!

O merciful Father, grant us faith in Messiah Jesus, the Son. Grant that we eat His flesh and drink His blood through faith, trusting in His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. Amen.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The Brief Statement

of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932

(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)

Of Open Questions

44. Those questions in the domain of Christian doctrine may be termed open questions which Scripture answers either not at all or not clearly. Since neither an individual nor the Church as a whole is permitted to develop or augment the Christian doctrine, but are rather ordered and commanded by God to continue in the doctrine of the apostles, 2 Thess. 2:15; Acts 2:42, open questions must remain open questions. Not to be included in the number of open questions are the following: the doctrine of the Church and the Ministry, of Sunday, of Chiliasm, and of Antichrist, these doctrines being clearly defined in Scripture.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings for Sunday are Psalm 3; Acts 4:32 – 5:16; Galatians 3:23 – 4:7; Luke 8:26-39. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday. Marty will preach on Galatians 3:23ff.

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John at chapter 6:60ff. Did the people understand Jesus’ words about eating His flesh and drinking His blood? What about Jesus’ own disciples? What about us? How did Jesus answer His disciples? Who is it who gives life? What does Jesus say of His words? How is this true yet today? Can anyone come to faith in Jesus or believe in Jesus’ name of his own will or decision? Can anyone understand the truths of Scripture by his own reason or understanding? Whose gift and working is it when one come to believe in Jesus? Why did a number of Jesus’ disciples turn back? Does this happen yet today? How? What did Jesus ask the twelve? How did Simon Peter answer Jesus? Is there any other that we can turn to for eternal life? What did Peter confess for all the disciples? Who had chosen Jesus’ disciples? What does Jesus say about one of them? Why?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Dick Stueland who was scheduled to undergo knee surgery today, for Sam Rusch who was hospitalized, and for the mother of Dick Rusch – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Events and Announcements

A Baby Shower will be held at the church at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, for Sarah Hardigan, the daughter of Jim and Betty Mayer. The congregation is invited to attend.

A Pot-Luck Dinner is being planned following the service on Sunday, June 20, in honor of Father’s Day.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

Psalm 3:8: “Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: Thy blessing is upon Thy people.”

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

THE LOST SHEEP AND THE LOST COIN

Read Luke 15:1-10

“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

How important are lost souls to you? When publicans, those who collected taxes for the Roman government and overcharged to make their living, and other sinners came to Jesus to hear Him and learn of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life which He offered to all, the Pharisees and scribes were critical of Jesus for associating with such sinners.

Jesus told the two parables in our Scripture reading to point out that it is perfectly normal for anyone who loses something to seek it until he finds it. A shepherd with one hundred sheep who loses one does not say, “I still have ninety-nine,” and then forget about the one that is lost. Even the scribes and Pharisees would not do such a thing! Nor would a woman with ten silver coins who lost one of them just forget about the one lost coin and be content with the nine. Both the shepherd and the woman in these two parables would seek out and find that which was lost. Then they would rejoice because they had found that lost sheep or that lost coin. Wouldn’t we also act the same way if we were to lose something of ours?

So also every lost soul is extremely important to the Lord Jesus. Our God created man to live for Him and serve Him in eternal righteousness. Because man fell into sin and was lost, God sent His only begotten Son into this world a true man, that He might fulfill the righteous demands of God’s Law and suffer and die for the sins of all. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. During His earthly ministry, He sought out all sinners and turned away no one who came to hear His saving Gospel. Since He had come into this world to redeem fallen mankind by His innocent sufferings and death, it gave our Savior great joy, along with the angels of God in heaven, when a lost sinner repented and turned to Him for forgiveness and life everlasting. Our Lord Jesus was not afraid to associate with sinners; He shed His blood to redeem them!

Since Christ died to redeem us, should not we also live in daily repentance, being truly sorry for our sins and trusting in our Savior for forgiveness and eternal salvation? It gives our risen Savior, as well as the angels in heaven, great joy when we hear His Word and live in daily repentance. We certainly should not, as did the scribes and the Pharisees, consider ourselves righteous and in no need of repentance (cf. I John 1:8-9; 2:1-2; Prov. 28:13).

Like our Savior, we also should seek out lost souls and rejoice when they are brought to repentance. We should not be satisfied if ninety-nine percent of our members are continuing in the truth and only one is gone astray; we should seek that one until he is found and returns to the fold. The same is true of the lost souls who are not under the care of our congregation. We should, in the love of our Savior, seek out the lost and seek to bring them to the Good Shepherd by sharing with them the saving truths of God’s Word. Christ Jesus shed His holy, precious blood to redeem them. We also ought to care enough for their souls to share with them the good news of forgiveness and life everlasting through faith in the Savior. Never should we be ashamed to be seen sharing the Gospel with lost sinners, no matter how bad their past reputation!

Knowing Thee and Thy salvation, grateful love dare never cease to proclaim Thy tender mercies, Gracious Lord, Thy heav’nly peace. Sound we forth the Gospel tidings to the earth’s remotest bound that the sinner has been pardoned and forgiveness can be found. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #498, Verse 4)

Pastor Randy Moll

When others gave up, Jesus in faith gave thanks

Scripture Reading – John 6:1-14

1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. 4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

How many of us stop and give thanks when the cupboards are bare or the bank account is down to the last dollar or two? Or, how many of us would take on a huge task – whether it be some charitable work or a mission endeavor – when we have insufficient means to accomplish it? Would we give thanks for what we’ve been given and step out in faith? Or, would we give up and say there’s no way we can do it?

Jesus and His disciples were faced with just such a situation. Jesus and His disciples crossed the sea of Galilee to a deserted place to have time away from the crowds of people who followed Jesus everywhere He went. But, as we read, the people followed Him there because they saw His miracles – His healing of the sick and diseased.

Jesus didn’t send them away. He was moved with compassion for the people and taught them of the kingdom of God and healed the sick and diseased among them (cf. Matthew 14, Luke 9 and Mark 6).

The Scriptures say that “when Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.”

The other Gospel accounts tell us that when it was late in the day, Jesus’ disciples urged Him to send the people away so that they could walk to neighboring villages and towns and buy food to eat since they were in a deserted place. But Jesus told His disciples, “Give ye them to eat.”

How did Philip answer Jesus when Jesus tested him? What was the response of Jesus’ disciples? Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

Basically, the answer of Phillip and Andrew was, “We can’t do it. We don’t have the money or the resources to begin to feed this big crowd of more than 5,000.”

Two hundred pennyworth is not a mere $2 worth of bread, for the penny in old usage was a coin containing between one and two grams of silver and of similar use and value to the Roman denarius – the coins to which Philip referred in the Greek text. Elsewhere, Jesus refers to the denarius, or penny, being a day’s wage (Matthew 20). Thus, we are talking about 200 day’s wages here – thousands-of-dollars-worth of bread in today’s currency values.

The task Jesus wanted His disciples to perform was staggering and beyond their reach. All they could round up was a boy’s lunch, consisting of five small barley loaves and two small fish. That really wasn’t even worth counting, considering the number of people there to feed.

But this was what they had – insufficient in man’s eyes but not so with God.

“Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”

If we were faced with such an impossible task – like feeding more than 5,000 people with only a boy’s lunch – would we give thanks to God for what He had provided? I expect not, and that in itself is a part of the problem!

Jesus looked to His Father in heaven, gave thanks and blessed the loaves and the fish. He then distributed them to His disciples, who in turn distributed them to the people. And they all ate until they were filled, and there was more left over – 12 baskets full – than what they had in the beginning. Amazing, isn’t it!

Why is this miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 recorded for us in all four of the Gospels? Is there a point here which God certainly doesn’t want us to miss?

Yes, it proves that Jesus is the Son of God and Messiah He claimed to be. His divine power is clearly revealed in His feeding of more than 5,000 with just five barley loaves and two small fish.

His miracle is also a lesson to us about trusting in our heavenly Father to provide when the cupboards are bare and the bank accounts empty. We can and should give thanks for what He has provided even if it seems inadequate for the present needs. And, like Jesus’ first disciples, we so often are of “little faith.”

For our lack of thankfulness and our lack of trust, we have need to repent, turning to our Father in heaven to have mercy upon us and forgive us for the sake of Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead. In Jesus, we find mercy and forgiveness for our failures to fear, love and trust in God above all things.

We might also learn that God tests and proves us through the difficulties and apparent shortages in our lives – He does so to teach us to rest in Him and give Him thanks always.

But there is one daunting task laid out before each of us as followers of Christ Jesus – that of teaching or discipling the nations.

After His sufferings and death for the sins of the world and His glorious resurrection, Jesus commanded His disciples: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16). Before He ascended into heaven, He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Until the very end of the world, we have the task of preaching the Gospel to every creature and discipling all nations by going out, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and teaching them all things that Jesus has commanded us.

Is this task daunting? Does it seem impossible? How can we preach the saving Gospel to every creature? How can we go to all the nations and teach them of the Lord Jesus?

We could and often do sit back and say it’s hopeless – that we just don’t have the ability or resources. We might say: “I don’t know how to evangelize, so how can I preach the Gospel to every creature?” “I can’t afford the gas to drive across town, so how can I take the Gospel around the world?” “Our congregation is so little – a mission congregation itself – and we have our own expenses, so how can we send missionaries to others?”

“But when [Jesus] saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:36-38).

Jesus had and still has compassion on the multitudes. Nothing has changed. People around us and around the world are like sheep without a shepherd, wandering here and there in search of life and true happiness but not knowing where to find it. The harvest remains plenteous. Everywhere we turn – whether at school, in our work or at play – there are people who do not know Christ Jesus and the salvation He has provided for all. They wander aimlessly through life toward death and everlasting punishment.

Those who know and profess the saving Gospel of forgiveness of sins and life everlasting through faith in Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross are few in comparison to the task – and many of them seem uninterested in the work Jesus has put before us.

What should we do? Throw up our hands and say, “It can’t be done?” Should we send people away, so to speak, to fend for themselves and find their own way?

What does Jesus say? “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest”

Don’t give up; pray! Pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would send more laborers out into his harvest.

And what did Jesus do? He sent out the 12 disciples, inept as they initially were (Matthew 10:1ff.). And Jesus sent them again after His death and resurrection, and He sends you and me to preach “repentance and remission of sins” in His name among all the nations (cf. Luke 24:46-47).

Like the feeding of the 5,000 where the resources at hand were insufficient for the task, so you and I and our abilities and resources are insufficient for the task before us. “What are we among so many? Who are we, that we should carry the Gospel into all the world?”

But our insufficiency is before the Lord Jesus adds His blessing. It doesn’t take into account the mighty working of His Holy Spirit, whom He has poured out upon us and also sends forth into the world to convict hearts through the preaching of God’s law and to comfort them through the preaching of the Gospel of forgiveness and life in Jesus’ name.

You and I are in so many ways like that lad’s sack lunch – barely enough for a single meal. We struggle in our own walk with Jesus, continually failing and falling and continually being picked up, forgiven and carried by our Savior. How can we evangelize the world?

The answer is really quite simple. We see it in the words and actions of Jesus on that desert mountain by the sea of Galilee. He saw the need of the multitudes and had compassion on them. Though supplies were indeed short, He gave thanks to the Father for what they did have and blessed it. He distributed it to His disciples and His disciples, to the people. Jesus worked a mighty miracle, using what little He had to nourish a multitude.

Instead of focusing our eyes on our insufficiencies to carry out this great task of teaching the nations, we too ought give thanks for what God has given us, pray God’s blessing and begin sharing it with the world. Jesus has given us the task of preaching the Gospel in all the world – of proclaiming repentance and remission of sins in His name. That begins here where we live and extends out to all places the Lord enables us to carry His life-giving message.

Though we are commanded to preach and teach and baptize, it is God Himself who convicts hearts of sin and comforts them with the assurance of forgiveness and life for the sake of the shed blood of Jesus. God has commanded us to spread His Word, but it the Holy Spirit who teaches us God’s Word, guides us as we proclaim it, and uses it to bring others to faith in Christ Jesus. The work is the Lord’s. We are but His instruments and spokesmen.

And when we quit saying we can’t and trust the Lord God to do with what He’s given us, we might be thoroughly surprised by the result. Remember, the leftovers from the five barley loaves filled 12 baskets! Considering that God chooses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the weak things of this world to confound the mighty (cf. 1 Corinthians 1) that He might receive the glory due His name, God may indeed use you and me, insufficient as we are, to carry the preaching of Christ crucified around the world.

We may think we don’t have much, but we have the Bible and – by the grace of God – know the mercy and forgiveness of God for the sake of our crucified and risen Savior. We have His Spirit dwelling in us and leading and guiding us into all truth through His Word. And we have Jesus’ command, not to send them away empty, but to feed the multitudes by sharing with them the Bread of Life He has so freely given us!

Give thanks for the blessings He’s given us, and feed the multitudes with the good news of forgiveness and life in Christ Jesus our Savior!

O dearest Jesus, thank You for shedding Your holy and precious blood to redeem me, forgive me and make me your own. Use me to reach out to others here and around the world with the teaching of Your Word that they too might repent and look unto You for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting Your won for them. Grant me Your Holy Spirit and bless the sharing of Your Word. Amen.

Pastor Randy Moll

The Brief Statement

of the Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932

(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)

Of the Election of Grace

35. By election of grace we mean this truth, that all those who by the grace of God alone, for Christ’s sake, through the means of grace, are brought to faith, are justified, sanctified, and preserved in faith here in time, that all these have already from eternity been endowed by God with faith, justification, sanctification, and preservation in faith, and this for the same reason, namely, by grace alone, for Christ’s sake, and by way of the means of grace. That this is the doctrine of Holy Scripture is evident from Eph. 1:3-7; 2 Thess. 2:13,14; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Tim. 1:9; Matt. 24:22-24 (cp. Form. of Conc. Triglot, p. 1065, @ 5, 8, 23; M., p. 705).

36. Accordingly we reject as an anti-Scriptural error the doctrine that not alone the grace of God and the merit of Christ are the cause of the election of grace, but that God has, in addition, found or regarded something good in us which prompted or caused Him to elect us, this being variously designated as “good works right conduct,” “proper self-determination refraining from willful resistance,” etc. Nor does Holy Scripture know of an election “by foreseen faith in view of faith,” as though the faith of the elect were to be placed before their election; but according to Scripture the faith which the elect have in time belongs to the spiritual blessings with which God has endowed them by His eternal election. For Scripture teaches, Acts 13:48: “And as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed.” Our Lutheran Confession also testifies (Triglot, p. 1065, @_ 8; M., p. 705): “The internal election of God however, not only foresees and foreknows the salvation of the elect, but is also, from the gracious will and pleasure of God in Christ Jesus, a cause which procures, works, helps, and promotes our salvation and what pertains thereto; and upon this our salvation is so founded that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it, Matt. 16:18, as is written John 10: 28: ‘Neither shall any man pluck My sheep out of My hand’; and again, Acts 13:48: ‘And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.’”

37. But as earnestly as we maintain that there is an election of grace, or a predestination to salvation, so decidedly do we teach, on the other hand, that there is no election of wrath, or predestination to damnation. Scripture plainly reveals the truth that the love of God for the world of lost sinners is universal, that is, that it embraces all men without exception, that Christ has fully reconciled all men unto God, and that God earnestly desires to bring all men to faith, to preserve them therein, and thus to save them, as Scripture testifies, 1 Tim. 2:4: “God will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” No man is lost because God has predestinated him to eternal damnation.-Eternal election is a cause why the elect are brought to faith in time, Acts 13:48; but election is not a cause why men remain unbelievers when they hear the Word of God. The reason assigned by Scripture for this sad fact is that these men judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life, putting the Word of God from them and obstinately resisting the Holy Ghost, whose earnest will it is to bring also them to repentance and faith by means of the Word, Acts 13:46; 7:51; Matt 23:37.

38. To be sure, it is necessary to observe the Scriptural distinction between the election of grace and the universal will of grace. This universal gracious will of God embraces all men; the election of grace, however, does not embrace all, but only a definite number, whom “God hath from the beginning chosen to salvation,” 2 Thess. 2:13, the “remnant,” the “seed” which “the Lord left,” Rom. 9:27-29, the “election,” Rom. 11: 7; and while the universal will of grace is frustrated in the case of most men, Matt 22:14; Luke 7:30, the election of grace attains its end with all whom it embraces, Rom. 8:28-30. Scripture, however, while distinguishing between the universal will of grace and the election of grace, does not place the two in opposition to each other. On the contrary, it teaches that the grace dealing with those who are lost is altogether earnest and fully efficacious for conversion. Blind reason indeed declares these two truths to be contradictory; but we impose silence on our reason. The seeming disharmony will disappear in the light of heaven, 1 Cor. 13:12.

39. Furthermore, by election of grace, Scripture does not mean that one part of God’s counsel of salvation according to which He will receive into heaven those who persevere in faith unto the end, but, on the contrary, Scripture means this, that God, before the foundation of the world, from Pure grace, because of the redemption of Christ, has chosen for His own a definite number of persons Out of the corrupt mass and has determined to bring them, through Word and Sacrament. to faith and salvation.

40. Christians can and should be assured of their eternal election. This is evident from the fact that Scripture addresses them as the chosen ones and comforts them with their election, Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13. This assurance of one’s personal election, however, springs only from faith in the Gospel, from the assurance that God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; on the contrary, through the life, suffering, and death of His Son He fully reconciled the whole world of sinners unto Himself. Faith in this truth leaves no room for the fear that God might still harbor thoughts of wrath and damnation concerning us. Scripture inculcates that in Rom. 8:32, 33: “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” Luther’s pastoral advice is therefore in accord with Scripture: “Gaze upon the wounds of Christ and the blood shed for you; there predestination will shine forth.” (St. Louis Ed., II, 181; on Gen. 26:9.) That the Christian obtains the personal assurance of his eternal election in this way is taught also by our Lutheran Confessions (Formula of Concord. Triglot, p. 1071, @_ 26; M., p. 709): “Of this we should not judge according to our reason nor according to the Law or from any external appearance. Neither should we attempt to investigate the secret, concealed abyss of divine predestination, but should give heed to the revealed will of God. For He has made known unto us the mystery of His will and made it manifest through Christ that it might be preached, Eph. 1:9 ff.; 2 Tim. 1:9f.” In order to insure the proper method of viewing eternal election and the Christian’s assurance of it, the Lutheran Confessions set forth at length the principle that election is not to be considered “in a bare manner (nude), as though God only held a muster, thus: ‘This one shall be saved, that one shall be damned’” (Formula of Concord. Triglot, p. 1065, @_ 9; M., p. 706); but “the Scriptures teach this doctrine in no other way than to direct us thereby to the Word, Eph. 1:13; 1 Cor. 1: 7; exhort to repentance, 2 Tim. 3:16; urge to godliness, Eph. 1: 14; John 15: 3; strengthen faith and assure us of our salvation, Eph. 1: 13; John 10: 27 f.; 2 Thess. 2:13 f.” (Formula of Concord. Triglot, p. 1067, @12; M., p. 707 ). To sum up, just as God in time draws the Christians unto Himself through the Gospel, so He has already in His eternal election endowed them with “sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth,” 2 Thess. 2:13. Therefore: If, by the grace of God, you believe in the Gospel of the forgiveness of your sins for Christ’s sake, you are to be certain that you also belong to the number of God’s elect, even as Scripture, 2 Thess. 2:13, addresses the believing Thessalonians as the chosen of God and gives thanks to God for their election.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings for Sunday are Psalm 143; Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21; John 14:23-31. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Pentecost Sunday. How do all the Scripture readings relate to the event we celebrate this Sunday? What does Psalm 143 teach of the Holy Spirit and our need for His indwelling presence in us? Why did God confuse the languages in Genesis 11? Why did Jesus pour out the Holy Spirit on His disciples and move them to speak in other tongues or languages? Of what was this a sign? What Old Testament Scripture did this fulfill? What did Jesus say of the Holy Spirit before His death?

The Adult Bible Class will continue in the Gospel of John in chapter 6.

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us; for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Events and Announcements

The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.

Congregational Evening Bible studies will continue again at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 9.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:1-5

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT

Read Matthew 18:21-35

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

How often should we forgive a brother who sins against us? This is the question Peter asked of Jesus. Note Jesus’ answer: “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Jesus did not mean only 490 times, but all the time! Like our Lord, we are always to be ready to forgive. “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” (Psalm 86:5).

The parable of the unforgiving servant illustrates Jesus’ point to Peter. A certain servant owed the king such a great amount that he would never be able to work off and repay his debt. When the king justly would have sold him and all that he had to recover at least a part of this debt, the servant pleaded for mercy. The king was moved to compassion and forgave the entire debt. But then this servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him only a very small and insignificant amount in comparison with the huge debt which had been forgiven him. Rather than showing mercy to this servant, as he had been shown mercy by his lord, he refused to forgive this small debt and “cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.” When the king saw that his compassion and forgiveness had no effect on this unforgiving servant, he was angry and “delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.”

We, like the first servant in this parable, owe to God a greater debt than we can ever repay. Our sins against the LORD God are so great that we deserve only to be cast into the eternal fires of hell! But God, in His grace and mercy, has forgiven our great debt of sin. Because Jesus Christ took our great burden of sins upon Himself and bore on the cross the just punishment for them, God has canceled out our debt of sin and has given to us complete pardon and forgiveness!

In our earthly lives, others sin against us many times; but this debt of sin, though it may seem great to us, is small and insignificant in comparison with the great debt of sin that the LORD God has forgiven to us. As a fruit of our faith in Christ Jesus, and as a result of God’s great mercy to us in Christ, we ought also to forgive those who sin against us, even “until seventy times seven.” If we refuse to forgive from our hearts those who sin against us, neither will our heavenly Father forgive us; instead, He will cast us into the fires of hell!

Forgive our sins, Lord, we implore, remove from us their burden sore, as we their trespasses forgive who by offenses us do grieve. Thus let us dwell in charity and serve our brother willingly. Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #458, Verse 6)

Pastor Randy Moll

Christ’s Ship on the Sea of Galilee,

a Picture of the Church of Our Times

Matthew 8:23-27

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

By C. F. W. Walther

(Translated by Rev. Donald E. Heck)

(Editor’s Note: C.F.W. Walther was one of the founding fathers of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, then the Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. He was the first professor and president of Concordia Seminary in Altenberg, Mo., and later in St. Louis. He was also the first president of the Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States. He vigorously fought for the true doctrine of God’s Word and opposed those who compromised any part of God’s truth.)

Grace be with you, mercy and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Amen.

Dear friends in Christ Jesus.

Reading the history of the Christian Church, we find that men think the Church is always in great danger of being annihilated; yet it has always regained its strength.

How small Christ’s Church was when he left the world after his work of redemption! It consisted of no more than a few hundred souls, and most were poor simple folk. Even the twelve apostles were uneducated, timid men; through the preaching of the Gospel they of all people were to spread the Christian Church throughout the whole world. This appeared to be wholly impossible.

But what happened? Miraculously equipped on the first Pentecost with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, they went out into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature; after no more than about thirty years, Paul, who himself became a Christian after being a persecutor, could report to the Colossians that the Gospel was “preached to every creature which is under heaven.” (Col 1:23). A few years later he could write to Timothy, “God was manifest in the flesh … preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world,” I Timothy 3:16. When all the apostles had died, the Christian Church had already spread over the whole world; there were Christian congregations in all the lands of the world.

If the Christian Church was founded during the bloody persecutions by the Jews and heathen, these persecutions really first began after it had been founded – the more numerous Christians became, the more the worldly rulers feared that the Christians could become dangerous. Hence, they and particularly the Roman emperor decided to wipe out the Christian Church. The Roman emperors and their officials used every imaginable device to torture the Christians, in order to cause them to deny Christ and thus exterminate the Christian Church.

They did not only behead, drown, strangle, and burn Christians but also dreamed up every possible way to make their death especially frightful and painful. Christians became food for wild animals; they were roasted slowly over a fire; smothered in sewers; crucified head down and ravening animals were allowed to gnaw at them; killed by thirst; the heathen tore off little by little every piece of flesh from their bones with shells or white hot tongs; they poured boiling oil and pitch into their mouths; they tied their naked bodies to corpses, threw both into dark and stinking pits, and let them die of hunger and rot with the corpses. In the first three centuries many hundreds of thousands of Christians were killed. When the persecution of Emperor Diocletian and his coregents ended in the year 310, they issued as a remembrance of their victory over the Christians edicts with the superscription, “After wiping out the name Christians who wanted to overthrow the kingdom,” or, “After the complete extermination of the Christian heresy everywhere.”

But was this proud superscription really true? No! Just before a Church father had written, “The more you cut us down the more we increase. The blood of the Christian is a seed.” Yes, the church historian Eusebius writes, “The very swords at last became dull and broke in pieces as though worn out; the hangmen became tired and had to relieve one another; but the Christians began to sing songs of praise and thanks until their last breath to the honor of almighty God.”

All the persecutors died a frightful death. The last such, Emperor Galerius, his body rotting with inexpressible pains, feeling God’s wrath, published in the year 311 another edict. He declared that his intention of bringing the Christians back to the religion of their fathers was not attained, and they themselves were only hindered in the worship of their own gods. They should therefore be tolerated and now pray to their God for the welfare of the kingdom and their emperor.

When this fanatic had died and Emperor Constantine became a Christian himself in the year 323, the Christians with but brief interruptions enjoyed complete rest from persecution. But now even more dangerous enemies, false teachers, arose in their own midst; they did not seek the temporal life of the Church but the truth on which it was founded and thus slay it spiritually. But see! No matter how many heretics arose, God always awakened men who exposed the heresy and defended the truth. The Church faced even greater danger through the rise of the papacy. It seemed to have become a worldly kingdom of priests, Christ pushed from his throne, the saving Gospel done away with, and thus the Church surely wrecked. Even the earlier bloody persecutions arose again, and now in the midst of the Church herself. But lo! Just when all help seemed to be gone, it was at the door. God awakened Dr. Martin Luther who carried out the work of a complete reformation of the Church.

Alas, today the Christian Church again lies in the dust. It is true that hundreds of millions of men still are Christian in name, but they are either unbelievers who laugh at the mysteries of the Christian religion, or they are the sects who cling to comfortless human doctrines. The true Christians who stand in the true faith are only a very small flock. The enemy of the Church again triumphs and predicts in a thousand writings that the Christian Church will soon be completely wiped out.

What now? Do we have reason to fear that the Church will at last perish? No, no! My friends! According to God’s Word this is absolutely impossible. Today’s Gospel guarantees that no matter how severely the storms may rage now, Christ’s little ship will not be wrecked. Let us now hear and consider this Gospel for the purpose of strengthening us in this belief.

Scripture text: Matthew 8:23-27. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves; but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

On the basis of this text let the subject of today’s consideration be: Christ’s ship on the Sea of Galilee, A picture of the church of our times: A Picture of the dangers in which it hovers, A Picture of the members it has, and A Picture of the protection under which it stands.

1. A picture of the dangers in which it hovers

The day on which the event related in our text took place was the same day in which Christ had miraculously healed the leper and the servant of the centurion at Capernaum. That we heard in the Gospel of last Sunday. This had been a day of especially hard work. Matthew tells us that Christ that same day healed not only Peter’s mother-in-law, but in addition whole crowds of possessed and sick. Evening finally came and many people still crowded around him; perhaps they merely wished to see still more miracles; he therefore commanded his disciples to prepare ship for a trip to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Whereupon we read in our text, “And when he entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.” (v. 23).

In any case, the ship was no palatial merchantman, but one of Peter’s small simple fishing boats. No vessel had ever carried a more precious cargo than this little boat. It carried something more precious than all the gold, pearls, and precious stones in the world. It bore the Savior of the world and the twelve apostles who were to carry the message of salvation into all the world. It carried the Lord of the Church himself and its twelve pillars. One can indeed say that had this ship sunk the Church would have gone down and the whole world would have been lost.

Now one would have supposed that if any ship would have had smooth sailing then this would have been the one. But what do we hear? We read in our text, “And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves.” (v. 24).

“And, behold,” the evangelist writes. With this little word he shows that something which no one expected suddenly arose. When the ship had thrust from land, the evening sky was clear and bright. Wind and sea were calm, but behold, scarcely had they reached the high seas than suddenly, as we read in our text, “a great tempest” arose “in the sea.” As we see from the original text, this “storm” was a swell which came from the lake bottom as would arise from an earthquake. The sea suddenly swelled and created waves which, rising and falling rapidly, lifted the ship like a ball, now to giddy heights, now hurling it down into the trough. Mark adds that also a “great storm of wind” or a hurricane was added to the “swell” from the depths of the sea. It seized the little ship and spun it like a top. Sky, wind, and sea seemed to have rebelled.

The result was that the waves not only smote the ship but, as our text says, “the ship was covered with the waves.” Covered by the sea, it appeared to be about to sink. All human help, strength and wisdom was helpless. Even those in the ship, fishermen familiar with the sea, who certainly had passed through many a dangerous storm, now feared for their lives.

And what was the most frightening, we read that Christ the Lord, in whose presence the disciples otherwise feared nothing, “was asleep.” He seemed neither to know of nor care about the danger in which his disciples were. Yes, Mark informs us that he lay on a pillow near the helmsman. Christ seemed to be the reason why the ship was in this danger. Only one push – and ship and crew would sink into the depths of the sea.

What does our text vividly picture to us? Nothing else than the great danger in which the ship of the Christian Church is at all times, especially in our day! Like a ship the Church sails from country to country on the sea of time. Christ is the captain. The preachers of the Gospel are the helmsmen. Faith with baptism is the ship’s gangplank, hope its anchor, the cross its mast. The word is the sails; the wind which swells these sails is the Holy Ghost, its flag the creed, the Christians compose the crew, and the harbor toward which the ship sails is heaven.

What happened to this ship of the Church? It had no sooner quietly weighed anchor at the time of the apostles and sailed upon the world, when behold there arose a swell from beneath and a hurricane from above. Hell, world and heaven itself seemed to have conspired against the ship of the Church and resolved to destroy it. Then, the swell of bloody persecution raged; now, the hurricane of false doctrine.

If the ship of the Church always was in danger of running aground, shattering, and sinking, it is really the case today. It is true we today do not groan under the cruel rod of persecution. Yes, God be eternally praised we here in America enjoy a degree of religious freedom which God has scarcely granted any other land. Nevertheless, here the ship of the Church hovers in greater danger. Our America is not only the land of the sects who preach their false faith everywhere with great show of being the only true saving faith, but also the very enemies of Christ and his Church are here in great power. Unless God prevents it they can, after they are in power, take our freedom from us. In many newspapers and other periodicals they rail at everything holy. They organize secret societies into which they draw the unsuspecting, but from whom they hide their plans. They beguile more and more with their sweet talk of light, enlightenment, progress and freedom.

Truly, the ship of the church is again in great trouble. The spirit of the times like a hurricane sometimes lifts it up to giddy heights and sometimes pulls it down into frightful depths. Countless baptized Christians have already fallen away and daily more follow. And what is most frightening, Christ seems again to sleep and watch peacefully how the storm tears the sail of the Word and the flag of the creed into tatters, snaps the mast of the cross, and covers the ship of the Church with the waves of sin and unbelief.

2. A picture of the members it has

Christ’s ship in the storm on the Sea of Galilee pictures not only the dangers in which the Church now hovers, but secondly the members it has.

We read in our text, “And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish.” (v. 25). This tells us two facts about the disciples. First, that they truly believed, but secondly, that their faith was extremely weak. They had forsaken the whole world and its enticing splendor to follow Christ even into the ship on the sea. And when great trouble and danger befell them and human aid was of no avail, they did not doubt but turned to Christ, awakened him, and offered this ardent prayer to him, “Lord, save us!” Had they not believed that Christ was the almighty Son of God, they would not have turned to Him, when only an experienced seaman would know what to do.

Nevertheless their faith was weak. Had it been a strong faith, they would have thought of Christ’s many miracles which they had witnessed. In the middle of the storm they would have, after their prayer for help, certain of an answer, joined in a song of praise and thanksgiving. There would be no room in their hearts for the faintest suggestion of the thought that their ship would sink. With David they would have thought, “Yea, though I walk through the dark valley of mountain high waves, I will fear no evil, for the Lord is with me.”

But what did they do? It is true they pray in faith, “Lord, save us!” But full of anxiety and fear they immediately add, “We perish!” Yes, Mark tells us that several even cried out, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (4:38). We see from this that their faith was very weak and no doubt bordered on unbelief. It was no more than a smoking flax and a bruised reed. Hence, Christ did not reject them but rebuked them saying, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” (v. 26a).

This is the picture of the membership of the Church. There still are, praise God! people who have left the enticing world, cling to Christ, confess that he is God’s Son, and, in their troubles in true faith call on him, “Lord, save us!” even when man is helpless. Alas, the age of the strong in faith, the heroes of faith, as we repeatedly meet them by name in the first 300 years and in the time of the Reformation, is past. The believers of our times are almost without exception weak and small of faith. Very much smaller storms than the storm on the Sea of Galilee, much weaker attacks and temptations now cause Christians to waver and totter. If a bloody persecution would break out today and Christians were no firmer in their faith than they are now, most would deny the faith and fall away.

Now, my very dear friends, does not this present a sad, hopeless prospect? Must we not fear that the Church will go under after all? Must we not expect that in the last times of the Church increasingly greater troubles, attacks, and temptations are near? Yes, we must expect the latter; but we do not have to fear that for this reason the Church will perish. Christ does not reject even the weak in faith, put out the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed. For the ship of Christ upon the Sea of Galilee is not only a picture of the dangers in which it hovers, and the weakness of its members, but also the protection under which it stands. And it is of this which I speak to you now.

3. A Picture of the Protection Under Which it Stands

It is true that Christ slept while the disciples were in the greatest danger. It seemed as if Christ neither knew of the danger to his disciples nor cared. Yet it only seemed so. Christ did actually sleep but only as a true man. Even then He was and remained the Keeper of Israel who does not slumber and sleep, for according to His divinity He watched; He saw everything which took place, and took care that in spite of the storm and waves the ship did not become wrecked while He slept. To the disciples He seemed to sleep, only to tempt and test them, to strengthen their faith through temptation, and to make them pray. When Christ was therefore awakened by the disciples’ cry for help, he fearlessly let the storm rage on for a while and first of all stilled the storm in the hearts of the disciples. “Then,” we read, “he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.” (v. 26b.) This was an incomprehensible miracle. At times it happens in a natural manner that a hurricane on the sea suddenly stilled. But then the waves would rise for a longer time and only gradually diminish after the wind had been calm for a long time. But Mark tells us, as soon as Christ had said to the wind and sea, “Peace, be still!” both were immediately and absolutely quiet. The howling winds and the raging sea quieted. It became a glassy surface in which the evening sky quietly reflected the glittering stars; those in the ship cried out in amazement, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” (v. 27).

Here we have the last picture of the Church of our times. It is an inexpressibly comforting one. We see that though the Church may be like Christ’s ship on the Sea of Galilee, though the whole world with all its mighty and wise may surprise the Church like a sea whipped by the wind, though its sinking may seem to be inevitable, though it may seem as if Christ is asleep again at the helm and his (unspoken) Word the hindrance to the only possible deliverance of the Church, though the very members of the Church seem to be ever so faint-hearted today and in despair cry out, “Lord, save us; we perish! Yes, though many today desperately jump out of the ship into the sea of the world, we nevertheless have no reason to fear and despair. Christ is in our ship, and He does not sleep according to His divine omniscience, omnipotence, and care. When His hour is come, he will arise, chide our faint-heartedness, and say to the world, “Peace, be still.” It will then become absolutely quiet and in triumph the ship of the Church will sail into the harbor of heaven. Christ has promised, “On this rock (he means himself) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18). “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20).

Oh, therefore, do not despair, even in these last troublesome times. Do not leave the ship of the Church, because you think it will soon go down. Otherwise you will regret it eternally, because outside this ship is no salvation, as once outside Noah’s ark there was no deliverance. And as Noah’s ark sailed successfully over the waves of the flood and finally, safe and sound, landed on the mountains of Ararat, so will also the ship of the Church sail safely over the stormy sea of the world and land on the eternal mountains of divine grace. There if you have remained in the faith, you will also in amazement cry out, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” and will eternally rejoice. For …

The Word they still shall let remain

Nor any thanks have for it;

He’s by our side upon the plain

With his good gifts and Spirit.

And take they our life,

Goods, fame, child, and wife,

Let these all be gone,

They yet have nothing won;

The kingdom ours remaineth. Amen.

(TLH 262, st. 4)

The Brief Statement

of the

Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932

(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)

Of the Church

24. We believe that there is one holy Christian Church on earth, the Head of which is Christ and which is gathered, preserved, and governed by Christ through the Gospel.

The members of the Christian Church are the Christians, that is, all those who have despaired of their own righteousness before God and believe that God forgives their sins for Christ’s sake. The Christian Church, in the proper sense of the term, is composed of believers only, Acts 5:14; 26:18; which means that no person in whom the Holy Ghost has wrought faith in the Gospel, or – which is the same thing – in the doctrine of justification, can be divested of his membership in the Christian Church; and, on the other hand, that no person in whose heart this faith does not dwell can be invested with such membership. All unbelievers, though they be in external communion with the Church and even hold the office of teacher or any other office in the Church, are not members of the Church, but, on the contrary, dwelling-places and instruments of Satan, Eph. 2:2. This is also the teaching of our Lutheran Confessions: “It is certain, however, that the wicked are in the power of the devil and members of the kingdom of the devil, as Paul teaches, Eph. 2:2, when he says that ‘the devil now worketh in the children of disobedience,”‘ etc. (Apology. Triglot, p. 231, @_ 16; M., p. 154.)

25. Since it is by faith in the Gospel alone that men become members of the Christian Church, and since this faith cannot be seen by men, but is known to God alone, 1 Kings 8:39; Acts 1: 24; 2 Tim. 2:19, therefore the Christian Church on earth is invisible, Luke 17:20, and will remain invisible till Judgment Day, Col. 3:3, 4. In our day some Lutherans speak of two sides of the Church, taking the means of grace to be its “visible side.” It is true, the means of grace are necessarily related to the Church, seeing that the Church is created and preserved through them. But the means of grace are not for that reason a part of the Church; for the Church, in the proper sense of the word, consists only of believers, Eph. 2:19,20; Acts 5:14. Lest we abet the notion that the Christian Church in the proper sense of the term is an external institution, we shall continue to call the means of grace the “marks” of the Church. Just as wheat is to be found only where it has been sown, so the Church can be found only where the Word of God is in use.

26. We teach that this Church, which is the invisible communion of all believers, is to be found not only in those external church communions which teach the Word of God purely in every part, but also where, along with error, so much of the Word of God still remains that men may be brought to the knowledge of their sins and to faith in the forgiveness of sins, which Christ has gained for all men, Mark 16:16; Samaritans: Luke 17:16; John 4:25.

27. Local Churches or Local Congregations. – Holy Scripture, however, does not speak merely of the one Church, which embraces the believers of all places, as in Matt. 16:18; John 10: 16, but also of churches in the plural, that is, of local churches, as in 1 Cor. 16: 19; 1: 2; Acts 8: 1: the churches of Asia, the church of God in Corinth, the church in Jerusalem. But this does not mean that there are two kinds of churches, for the local churches also, in as far as they are churches, consist solely of believers, as we see clearly from the addresses of the epistles to local churches; for example, “unto the church which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified, in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,” 1 Cor. 1: 2; Rom. 1: 7, etc. The visible society, containing hypocrites as well as believers, is called a church only in an improper sense, Matt. 13:47-50, 24-30, 38-43.

28. On Church-Fellowship – Since God ordained that His Word only, without the admixture of human doctrine, be taught and believed in the Christian Church, 1 Pet. 4: 11; John 8:31,32; 1 Tim. 6:3,4, all Christians are required by God to discriminate between orthodox and heterodox church-bodies, Matt. 7:15, to have church-fellowship only with orthodox church-bodies, and, in case they have strayed into heterodox church-bodies, to leave them, Rom. 16:17. We repudiate unionism, that is, church-fellowship with the adherents of false doctrine, as disobedience to God’s command, as causing divisions in the Church, Rom. 16:17; 2 John 9,10, and as involving the constant danger of losing the Word of God entirely, 2 Tim. 2:17-21.

29. The orthodox character of a church is established not by its mere name nor by its outward acceptance of, and subscription to, an orthodox creed, but by the doctrine which is actually taught in its pulpits, in its theological seminaries, and in its Publications. On the other hand, a church does not forfeit its orthodox character through the casual intrusion of errors, provided these are combated and eventually removed by means of doctrinal discipline, Acts 20:30; 1 Tim. 1: 3.

30. The Original and True Possessors of All Christian Rights and Privileges. - Since the Christians are the Church, it is self-evident that they alone originally possess the spiritual gifts and rights which Christ has gained for, and given to, I-!is Church. Thus St. Paul reminds all believers: “All things are yours,” 1 Cor. 3: 21, 22, and Christ Himself commits to all believers the keys of the kingdom of heaven, Matt. 16:13-19; 18:17-20; John 20:22, 23, and commissions all believers to preach the Gospel and to administer the Sacraments, Matt. 28:19,20; 1 Cor. 11:23-25. Accordingly, we reject all doctrines by which this spiritual power or any part thereof is adjudged as originally vested in certain individuals or bodies, such as the Pope, or the bishops, or the order of the ministry, or the secular lords, or councils, or synods, etc. The officers of the Church publicly administer their offices only by virtue of delegated powers, conferred on them by the original possessors of such powers, and such administration remains under the supervision of the latter, Col. 4:17. Naturally all Christians have also the right and the duty to judge and decide matters of doctrine, not according to their own notions, of course, but according to the Word of God, 1 John 4: 1; I Pet. 4:11.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

The Adult Bible Class will continue its study of the Gospel of John in chapter five. To prepare, read John 5:17-30. Why did Jesus say He worked on the Sabbath? Who was He claiming to be? Did the Jews recognize this? What work, does Jesus say, which the Father does is also a work which is done by the Son? Who does the Son raise to life? To whom is the judgment of all people committed? Cf. Acts 10:42; 17:31; Matthew 11:27. How will the Son judge? Cf. John 3:18-21, 35-36; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10. Can one know and honor God the Father if he does not know and honor the Son? Cf. 1 John 2:23. What of those groups and organizations which claim to serve God but do not acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and Savior? Cf. John 14:6. What does Jesus mean in v. 24? What comfort may we draw from this truth? What does Jesus mean in verse 25? Which dead does He speak of here? How are they raised up from spiritual death to spiritual life? How did this happened to you? What is meant by v. 26? Why should we not be amazed or marvel at this truth? What will happen on the Last Day? How will they be judged? Cf. 2 Cor. 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46; Rev. 20:11-15. Whose will does Jesus carry out in the judgment?

The Catechism Class continues studying the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.

The Appointed Sunday Readings are Psalm 146; Acts 11:1-18; Revelation 21:1-8; and John 16:12-22. Please take the time to read them in their context in preparation for Sunday. The sermon text for Sunday is the reading from John 16. Psalm 146 – Who are we called to praise? When? Why is it foolish to trust in human leaders? Who should be our refuge? Why can we be happy and rejoice? What does this psalm say of the work of the LORD? Acts 11:1-18 – What is the setting of this portion of Scripture? Why did the Jewish believers contend with Peter? How did Peter explain his actions? What was the result? How might we apply this Scripture truth yet today? Revelation 21:1-8 – What did John see? What happened to the first heaven and earth? What was not present? Cf. Isaiah 65:17ff. What did John see coming down from God out of heaven? What is this? Who is a part of it? Cf. Ephesians 2:11-22; 5:22ff.; Hebrews 11:10; 2 Cor. 11:2. What did the voice out of heaven say? What is significant about this? What will not be there in heaven? What does God say? What does this mean? (Verse 8 was omitted from the appointed readings but we include it.) Who will be have their part in the lake of fire? What is this called? John 16:12-22 – Who does Jesus say would come? What would He do? How would He guide them into all truth? What would He show Jesus’ disciples? Who would He glorify? How? What things would He reveal? Is this true yet today? How? Cf. 1 John 2:19-29. What did Jesus mean when He said in a little while His disciples would not see Him, but then in a little while they would see Him again? Why was it necessary for Jesus to go to the Father? cf. John 16:7ff. Why would Jesus’ followers weep and lament? How is it that their sorrow would be turned to joy? To what did Jesus compare this? Why could no one take this joy from Jesus’ disciples? How does this yet apply to us as believers in Christ Jesus?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Sam Rusch, who is again hospitalized – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Events and Announcements

The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.

Congregational Evening Bible studies will resume on the second Wednesday in May, at 7 p.m.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.” Psalm 67:1-2

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

THE PATCH, WINE SKINS AND OLD WINE

Read Luke 5:36-39

“And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.”

This parable of the Lord Jesus makes use of three illustrations to point out the foolishness and error of the scribes and Pharisees who asked why Jesus’ disciples did not fast like those of John the Baptist. No one with any sense would cut up and ruin a new garment in order to patch an old one. Not only would the new garment be ruined; the patch would not match the old garment; and if the patch is of new, unshrunk cloth, it would make a worse tear in the old garment when it shrunk and pulled away. One also would not put new wine into old wine skins; for the pressure of the fermenting new wine would burst the dry and rigid old wine skins, causing the loss of both the wine and the skins.

Jesus’ point with these two illustrations is the incompatibility of the Pharisees’ dependence upon their own works of the Law for salvation and the Gospel of forgiveness and full salvation through faith alone in Christ and His redemptive work. The old garment of works righteousness, or salvation by the works of the Law, cannot be mended with pieces of the new garment of salvation by God’s grace alone for Jesus’ sake. Rather than trying to patch up the tears and sins in the life of one who hopes to be saved by his own works, he should take off and discard the filthy and spotted garment of the flesh and be clothed with the garment of forgiveness of sins and imputed righteousness in Jesus Christ. If one tries to pour the Gospel, which tells of and offers forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation by God’s grace alone for Christ’s sake, and which can be received only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, into the old skins of works righteousness, both will be lost; for the Gospel excludes salvation by human works. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Finally, Jesus illustrated man’s reluctance to believe the Gospel and trust in Christ alone for salvation. In the same way that one who has drunk old wine assumes that the old is better and does not desire the new, so also those who have imbibed the old religious belief that man must merit his own salvation by his works and life do not desire the new wine of salvation as a gracious gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Those who trust in their own works for salvation must be shown the inadequacy and bitter end of such drink before they will desire the sweet Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thy righteousness, O Christ, alone can cover me; no righteousness avails save that which is of Thee. To whom save Thee, who canst alone for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee? Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #380, Verse 5)

Pastor Randy Moll

Devotions from Isaiah 53

“Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12

Because Jesus Christ suffered and died upon the cross, shedding His holy and precious blood for our sins and rising again in victory, He spoils the dominion of darkness and executes judgment upon this earth.

The Apostle Paul writes of Jesus’ victory in this way: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:14-15).

Jesus paid in full the just punishment for our sins and the sins of the whole world when He was numbered with the transgressors and nailed to the cross to suffer and die in our stead. He there poured out His soul unto death that He might redeem us and bring us back to God.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan used the commandment of God to bring sin and eternal damnation upon all mankind (Genesis 3). “The handwriting of ordinances…was against us,” for mankind through Adam broke God’s holy commandment. On the cross, Jesus Christ the righteous made atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world and satisfied God’s just wrath against us (1 John 2:1, 2). Thus Satan’s work and power over us was defeated and cast off, and a door was opened unto us to receive pardon, forgiveness and everlasting life (cf. Hebrews 2:14-17).

As a result of Jesus’ work when He suffered and died upon the cross and then rose again from the dead to intercede for us before the Father with His shed blood, those who by God’s grace and mercy are brought to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus are delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the eternal kingdom of Jesus, the Son of His love (cf. Colossians 1:12-14). Thus, Christ Jesus spoils Satan’s kingdom and delivers those who place their trust in Him and His shed blood.

But those who spurn God’s gift of salvation and continue on in disobedience and rebellion shall be judged and condemned on the Last Day when the crucified and risen Christ returns to judge this world in righteousness and equity (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; Hebrews 2:3). Why? Because they have not believed on the name of Christ Jesus, God’s only begotten Son and their Savior (cf. John 3:18)!

O crucified and risen Savior, grant that I not continue on in my disobedience and rebellion but truly repent of my evil ways and trust in You and Your redeeming work for my salvation. Amen.

Pastor Randy Moll

Letters to My Children

[Editor's Note: The letter below is the first in a series of letters written to my children urging them to continue in the true faith. The letters may also prove helpful to others who wish to read and consider their message.]

My Dear Children,

The first and most important thing I can encourage you to do is to read your Bibles. I know that there are so many other things to keep you busy that finding time to read and study the Scriptures is difficult; but this is so essential to your well-being, both here in this world, and hereafter in eternity! In fact, if you do this one thing and continue in it, you will learn the rest of what I intend to say to you without my letters and instruction.

St. Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:14-17): “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

You see, the Bible tells us that, when we study its pages, we will learn of the salvation which is ours through faith in Christ Jesus. We also learn that the Scriptures are useful and beneficial to us—indeed necessary—to teach us, reprove us, correct us, and instruct us in righteous living. When we diligently read and study our Bibles, we will learn of our salvation in Christ Jesus and be thoroughly equipped to follow Christ and live for Him. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Now, the Bible is no ordinary book. While we are flooded every day with books and articles to read, coming from all sorts of different human authors and groups, the Bible is different. It is the Word of God to man! It is the revealed word and message of the Almighty God, the Creator of heaven, earth and all things; and it is written and recorded for you and for me.

Why do I say this? Because the Bible itself tells us that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16)! Peter also writes: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20-21).

The Bible is God’s Word because God moved men to write and guided and directed them in their choice of words. St. Paul wrote: “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13). And, so we see that all of the Bible, and each and every word of the Bible, is inspired by God, or God-breathed!

David, the human author of many of the psalms, also spoke of this when he said: “Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:1,2).

Since the Bible is not man’s writing but God’s Word, it is not surprising that the Bible, which is made up of 66 books and was recorded over a period of about 1600 years by over 30 human authors, says and teaches the same things throughout. Nor is it surprising that even the minutest points in the Bible are accurate and true. In fact, since God cannot lie and is always faithful (cf. Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:13), we could simply conclude that everything in the Bible is true and accurate and without mistake. But the Scriptures themselves also clearly teach that they are in all points true and without error. Jesus said, in His high priestly prayer, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). In another place, Jesus stated, “the scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Therefore, we hold not only to the inspiration of the Scriptures, but also to the truthfulness and accuracy of every word of Scripture; for it is not man’s word, but God’s!

Furthermore, the Scriptures say: “Every word of God is pure” (Proverbs 30:5); and, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Psalm 119:160).

Now there are many who say that the Word of God has been lost and corrupted down through the centuries and that what we have in our Bibles may not actually be the very Word of God. This too is false, for there are more copies, translations and quotations supporting the authenticity of our Bible than for any other ancient historical book or writing.

But we also have the word and promise of God to faithfully preserve His Word as a witness to all the nations down to the end of time. Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14); and, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). The Scriptures also say: “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89); “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8); and, “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:25).

It is true that we only have copies of the original Hebrew and Greek writings, but these copies were made with the greatest of care and precision to ensure that nothing be changed or lost. The vast numbers of manuscripts which still remain and their remarkable unity and agreement testify to this care and to God’s hand in preserving the Scriptures for us today. The Old Testament books were copied and preserved through the work of Hebrew scribes. Their work was preserved through the work of the Masoretes. Thus, the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures have been preserved for us in what is known as the Masoretic Text. Thousands of manuscripts of the Greek New Testament remain, along with ancient translations, lectionaries and citations. The vast majority of these manuscripts agree throughout. They have come to be known as the Majority or Received Text.

Since all of the Bible and each and every word of the Bible has been given to us by inspiration of God, and since God has faithfully preserved His Word for us down through the centuries, it is both beneficial and important for us to use great care in choosing a Bible translation which accurately translates both the thoughts and words of the original languages. In fact, God Himself warns against adding to or taking away from the Word of God in any way. The Bible says: “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2). Jesus Himself said: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot [smallest Hebrew letter] or one tittle [smallest part of a Hebrew letter] shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:18-19). The Bible closes with the warning: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19).

This is why I continue to use, teach from and recommend the King James Version of the Bible (or the New King James Version for those who need a more modern translation), for this English translation is not only beautiful to read and easy to memorize; it very accurately and faithfully translates the Word of God from the Hebrew Masoretic and Greek Received Texts – in my opinion, it is far more accurate than any other. In contrast, many of the other modern English translations are poorer translations, rely upon only a few less reliable texts, or both.

I hope this helps you to see the importance of reading and studying your Bibles. Remember, the Bible is the Word of God, your Maker, your Redeemer and your Judge. He has given it to you to teach you of Him and to show you the way of life through faith in Him. Please, I plead with you, take the time to read and study its pages! Read a few verses or a chapter a day. Pray about it, apply it to yourself and meditate upon it.

I close this letter for now, praying that our God will give you the desire and willingness to read and study His life-giving Word. God bless and keep you all!

Until next time, with all my love,

Dad

Pastor Randy Moll

The Brief Statement

of the

Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932

(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)

Of Justification

17. Holy Scripture sums up all its teachings regarding the love of God to the world of sinners, regarding the salvation wrought by Christ, and regarding faith in Christ as the only way to obtain salvation, in the article of justification. Scripture teaches that God has already declared the whole world to be righteous in Christ, Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 4:25; that therefore not for the sake of their good works, but without the works of the Law, by grace, for Christ’s sake, He justifies, that is, accounts as righteous, all those who believe in Christ, that is, believe, accept, and rely on, the fact that for Christ’s sake their sins are forgiven. Thus the Holy Ghost testifies through St. Paul: “There is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” Rom. 3: 23,24. And again: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law,” Rom. 3:28.

18. Through this doctrine alone Christ is given the honor due Him, namely, that through His holy life and innocent suffering and death He is our Savior. And through this doctrine alone can poor sinners have the abiding comfort that God is assuredly gracious to them. We reject as apostasy from the Christian religion all doctrines whereby man’s own works and merit are mingled into the article of justification before God. For the Christian religion is the faith that we have forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, Acts 10:43.

19. We reject as apostasy from the Christian religion not only the doctrine of the Unitarians, who promise the grace of God to men on the basis of their moral efforts; not only the gross work-doctrine of the papists, who expressly teach that good works are necessary to obtain justification; but also the doctrine of the synergists, who indeed use the terminology of the Christian Church and say that man is justified “by faith,” “by faith alone,” but again mix human works into the article of justification by ascribing to man a co-operation with God in the kindling of faith and thus stray into papistic territory.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

The Adult Bible Class will continue its study of the resurrection accounts in the four Gospels and in 1 Corinthians 15:1ff. To prepare, read the resurrection accounts and consider the chronology and the significance of what took place. What does Jesus’ resurrection prove? What assurances can you draw from the fact that Jesus did rise on the third day?

The Catechism Class continues studying the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.

The Sunday Readings are Psalm 148; Acts 5:12-32; Revelation 1:4-18; and John 20:19-31. Please take the time to read them in their context in preparation for Sunday. Psalm 148 – Who and what are called upon to praise the LORD in this psalm? Why? Acts 5:12-32 – What were the apostles of Jesus doing in Jerusalem after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension? What was the reaction of the Jewish leaders? Why? What did they do? Who opened the prison doors for the apostles? What were they directed to do? What are we to be doing, regardless of the earthly consequences? Who are we to obey first and foremost? How might this have application in specific instances today for us? Revelation 1:4-18 – How does verse 5 describe Jesus? What has He done for us? What has He made us? How will He return? What will be the result? How does Jesus describe Himself? What does this mean? Why was John in exile? Where was he? How did Jesus appear to John? What does verse 18 mean? What implication does it have for you and for me? John 20:19-31 – Where were Jesus’ disciples on the night of Jesus’ resurrection? Who appeared to them? What did He say to them? What did Jesus mean in verses 21-23? How do these words have application to us today? Who was not present at this resurrection appearance of Jesus? Was he willing to believe based on the word of the other disciples? What did he say? What happened a week later? What did Jesus say? How did Thomas respond? What does this teach us about Jesus and His concern for every soul? What does John say of his gospel account? Why did John write the Gospel?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us, for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering.

Events and Announcements

The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.

A Special Informational Congregational Meeting has been set for 7 p.m., tonight, at the church to update members on a number of issues related to the church property and finances.

The April Church Council meeting is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 14.

Congregational Evening Bible studies will resume on the second Wednesday in May, at 7 p.m.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way….” All of us are, by nature, like lost and wandering sheep who have turned away from our true Shepherd and Maker. We have each turned aside to go our own way.

What an accurate description! Instead of following the LORD God and living in accord with His perfect will and design for us, we follow our own will and desire, go our own way and direction, and rebel against God and His Word. Instead of loving God and living for Him, we love ourselves and do as we please. Instead of listening to God’s commandments and obeying them, we shut our ears, justify our sins and seek to establish our own compromising values in the place of His absolute truth.

Lost, wandering and scattered sheep, each one going in a different direction, is a picture of our world, with people wandering here and there and looking for life, happiness and fulfillment in everything but the LORD God who created them.

“….And the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” God took all our sin and all our guilt and punished it in the innocent sufferings and death of His own beloved Son, Jesus Christ! Our sins and iniquities were placed upon Jesus, and He was punished in our stead.

That is why darkness covered the earth as Jesus hung there upon the cross; and that is why Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which is to say, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Though Jesus died an agonizing and horrible death upon the cross because of our turning away from God and sinning against Him, the beauty in this is that all of our sins and all of our guilt has been punished in Christ Jesus. “It is finished,” Jesus cried — the debt of our sins has been paid in full (cf. John 19:30)!

Therefore, through faith in Jesus, our Messiah and Savior, we have forgiveness and life everlasting! Instead of being judged and condemned for our own sins, God judged and condemned His own holy and innocent Son and offers and gives to us pardon and peace with Him. What could be more beautiful to the lost and condemned sinner!

Because Jesus suffered our just punishment and paid in full for our sins and the sins of the whole world, the gates of heaven have been opened to us. Through faith in Jesus, we have the assurance that on the day we die, we shall go to be with Him in paradise (cf. Luke 23:43).

O dearest Jesus, we have, like lost sheep, turned and gone our own way. We have sinned against You. Thank You for bearing upon the cross the just punishment for our sins and iniquities. Grant us forgiveness and life with You in Your eternal kingdom. Amen.

[Scripture Quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

Why did Christ Jesus come into the world and suffer and die on the cross for our sins? Why did He give us His Holy Spirit and bring us to know and trust in Him? Why has He “apprehended” and saved you and me?

We are not saved by our own righteousness under the law, for even our best righteousness does not measure up. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; cf. Isaiah 64:6).

That is why the apostle Paul, even though he more than anybody could boast of his righteousness under the law, ceased trying to be counted righteous by his own works and placed his confidence in the perfect righteousness of Christ and in Christ’s atoning sacrifice upon the cross for the sins of the entire world of sinners.

Paul wrote: “If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:4-9).

Yet, though Paul placed no confidence in his own works for salvation, he knew that Christ had apprehended and saved him that he might live for Christ. Christ “died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5;15; cf. Ephesians 2:8-10). And so, Paul, knowing that Christ died for him and redeemed him that He might live for Christ in accord with God’s perfect will, sought to live for Christ – to attain the holy and sinless life for which Christ redeemed him and which he will have in the resurrection (cf. v. 20f.).

Neither the apostle Paul nor any believers today have attained perfection already in this world. We continue to come short. That is why we do not trust in our own works but continue to trust in Christ as our Savior, that we might be clothed in His perfect righteousness (cf. 1 John 1:5 – 2:2).

The apostle writes: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

Paul had a goal in mind. Christ died for his sins that He might walk in fellowship with God and do that which is pleasing in God’s sight. Paul knew his failures and shortcomings and trusted in Christ Jesus, his perfect Savior. But Paul also sought to live for Christ and walk in righteousness and holiness already now in this world. Why? Because that is the reason for which Christ apprehended him and saved him from sin and the eternal torments of hell.

Rather than dwell on his sins and failures, Paul left them at the cross of Jesus and moved forward in living for his Savior. He pressed on toward his goal of being like Christ.

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

And Paul urges us to think in the same way. “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded” (v. 15).

You and I are redeemed by Christ. Being sinners, we trust in Christ alone for our salvation. We seek to be found clothed, not in our own works and righteousness, but in the perfect righteousness of Christ. But at the same time, we know that Christ redeemed us that we might live for Him. We long for the day when we are changed and become like our Savior, but even now we press toward that goal and seek to live for Him, leaving our sins and failures at the cross and pressing on toward the goal – “for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

O Lord Jesus Christ, let us be found clothed in Your perfect righteousness, but also move us to live for You and seek to apprehend that for which You have apprehended us. Amen.

[Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible]

THE NET CAST INTO THE SEA

Read Matthew 13:47-50

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

In this parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a fishing net which is cast into the sea and catches fish of every kind. When the net is drawn to shore, the fishermen must sort the fish, keeping the good but throwing away the bad.

The visible Church, or the kingdom of heaven in this world, is like this. In those churches where God’s Word is proclaimed, there are not only true believers in Jesus Christ, but also those who have associated themselves outwardly with the visible Church of God for some other reason. Only those who trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life are truly members of the Holy Christian Church and Christ’s kingdom, even though many others hold membership in the visible Christian churches of this world.

As the fishermen must sort out and separate the good fish from the bad, saving the good and throwing the bad away, so also the angels of God will separate the true members of God’s kingdom from the false on the Last Day. Then those who are only outwardly connected with the Church but do not have saving faith in Jesus Christ will be separated from among God’s people and cast into hell! ”There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” But those who, for their salvation, rely alone upon Jesus Christ and His innocent sufferings and death on the cross will take part in God’s eternal kingdom of glory!

This parable should move all of us to examine ourselves to make sure we are and remain a part of the Holy Christian Church through true faith in the Redeemer. Those who are only outwardly connected to Christ’s Church in this world but continue in their sin and unbelief are warned to repent and place their faith in Christ Jesus before it is too late!

Grant, then, O God, where’er men roam, that, when the church bells are ringing, many in saving faith may come where Christ His message is bringing: “I know Mine own, Mine own know Me; Ye, not the world, My face shall see. My peace I leave with you.” Amen. (The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn #467, Verse 7)

Pastor Randy Moll

Lenten Devotions from Isaiah 53

“He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

Why is it that Jesus permitted the Jewish soldiers to take Him? Why did he permit them to hit Him and make fun of Him? Why did He permit Pontius Pilate to judge and condemn Him? Why did He permit the Roman soldiers to beat and scourge Him and finally nail Him to the cross and crucify Him? Could He not have walked away through the middle of them all as He had earlier done at Nazareth? Could He not have caused them all to fall to the ground before Him as happened in the Garden of Gethsemane? Could He not have called upon His heavenly Father and been provided with more than twelve legions of angels? He was and is the very Son of God; could He not have come down from the cross?

The Scriptures make it quite clear that Jesus could have walked away from His accusers and the cross. He could have judged and condemned them on the spot. But He didn’t. He willingly permitted His enemies to arrest, abuse and crucify Him. He didn’t even speak out in His defense.

As Isaiah prophesied centuries before, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

Why did Jesus willingly suffer and give up His life upon the cross? Why did He go silently, without ever opening His mouth in protest? He did it that He might redeem us from sin and the eternal punishment we deserve. This is why Jesus Christ, God’s own dear Son, came into this world: that He might suffer and die for our sins and rise again on the third day! He came to give His life a ransom for many – to make atonement for the sins of all people. Jesus willingly and quietly went to the cross for you and for me that He might pay the just penalty for our sins and win for us God’s pardon and forgiveness!

Considering what He has done, it is also time for us to turn to Him in silence – not proclaiming our own goodness or speaking of all that we have done for Him or our fellowman – but rather to silently lament o’er all our sins and failures to keep God’s law, o’er all those things for which He willingly suffered and died in our stead. It’s time to turn to Him in silence and trust not in ourselves, but in Him alone. He has done it all! He has paid in full! Let us come to Him in silent awe of His love and mercy toward us and boast of nothing but His blood and righteousness!

Dear Lord Jesus, I have sinned and done amiss. You are all my righteousness. I deserved God’s wrath and woe. You took my place, You loved me so. I stand in awe below Your cross, silently, for words at loss. Amen.

Pastor Randy Moll

The Brief Statement

of the

Doctrinal Position of the Missouri Synod as adopted in 1932

(Editor’s Note: This remains the official position of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod yet today, though in practice, many have departed from it.)

Of Redemption

8. We teach that in the fullness of time the eternal Son of God was made man by assuming, from the Virgin Mary through the operation of the Holy Ghost, a human nature like unto ours, yet without sin, and receiving it unto His divine person. Jesus Christ is therefore “true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary,” true God and true man in one undivided and indivisible person The purpose of this miraculous incarnation of the Son of God was that He might become the Mediator between God and men, both fulfilling the divine Law and suffering and dying in the place of mankind. In this manner God has reconciled the whole sinful world unto Himself, Gal. 4:4,5; 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:18,19.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

The Adult Bible Class continues its study of the Gospel of John. To prepare, read John 5:1-16. Why did Jesus go to Jerusalem? Why did people suffering from various infirmities wait by the Pool of Bethesda? What does this pool’s name mean? Who did Jesus find there? How long had this man been suffering from an infirmity? What did Jesus ask him? How did this man answer Jesus? What did Jesus say to him? What was the result? On what day of the week did this miracle occur? With what accusation did the Jews confront this man who was made whole? How did this man answer them? Did this man know who had healed him? Why? What did Jesus tell this man when He found him? What does this mean? Cf. John 8:11. What did the Jews seek to do when the man told them who had made him well? How does this type of thing happen yet today? How do the words of Hosea 6:6 have application? Do people today ever let their religious traditions and practices keep them from trusting in Jesus? (Would this section of Scripture make sense if verse 4 is omitted as is done in a few old manuscripts and some modern translations rather than being included as it is in the great majority of texts and manuscripts and most older translations?)

The Catechism Class continues studying the Lord’s Prayer and the Sacraments and learning of Jesus and what He has done to redeem all mankind.

The Sunday Readings are Psalm 126; Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:4-14; and Luke 20:9-20. Please take the time to read them in their context in preparation for Sunday. Why did the people of Israel rejoice, according to Psalm 126? What did God do for them? What was their prayer? What application does this psalm have to us? What did God promise to do in the Isaiah 43 prophecy? Who did God form for Himself? What would these people do? Cf. Luke 1:74-75; 1 Peter 2:5-10. How does this apply to you and to me? Did the Apostle Paul (according to Philippians 3) trust in his own works and righteousness? What does he lay aside? What does he take hold of and possess? In what righteousness does Paul seek to be found? Why? To what does the apostle then seek to attain? What does this mean? For what was Paul apprehended of Christ? What does Paul seek to apprehend? What does this mean and how does it relate to us today? Did Paul attain perfection? What did he do about his shortcomings and how did he live? What is the meaning of Jesus’ parable in Luke 20? What was He illustrating to His hearers? How did they react? Could this parable have application yet today? Do the builders today ever reject the chief cornerstone? What will happen to those who fall upon this stone? Upon whom it shall fall? What does this mean and how does it apply to us?

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – especially for Sam Rusch, who has suffered from chronic illness; the brother of Bonnie Hawes, who has been ill; and for Lillian Pingel, who is recovering from heart issues – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families, for Christians who are alone and have no congregation, and for our adopted soldiers. Pray for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. Continue to pray for the Lutheran Churches in the Philippines, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering.

Events and Announcements

The Choir is practicing for upcoming services. More voices are always welcome.

Wednesday Evening Lenten Worship continues tonight. Worship will be at 7 p.m. A light supper will precede the service at 6:20 p.m.

Holy Week Services will be held on Maundy Thursday (April 1) and Good Friday (April 2), with services beginning at 7 p.m. Holy Communion will be held on Maundy Thursday.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Psalm 121:5-8

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible]