Announcements for the Week of November 27, 2016

“In our individualistic society, where everyone wants to do things his own way, one of the worst things we can do in our liturgies is cater to all these individual tastes. Variety does not solve problems but creates them. Such a view suggests that God is not really present, a view that we encourage with our vapid liturgies that seek to adapt the liturgy to the culture.” (Lutheran Worship: History and Practice, p39, ft.6 (Just))

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Announcements for the Week of November 6, 2016

Luther’s LARGE CATECHISM, the 3RD ARTICLE

51 This is the sum and substance of this phrase: I believe that there is on earth a little holy flock or community of pure saints under one head, Christ. It is called together by the Holy Spirit in one faith, mind, and understanding. It possesses a variety of gifts, yet is united in love without sect or schism. 52 Of this community I also am a part and member, a participant and co-partner in all the blessings it possesses. I was brought to it by the Holy Spirit and incorporated into it through the fact that I have heard and still hear God’s Word, which is the first step in entering it. Before we had advanced this far, we were entirely of the devil, knowing nothing of God and of Christ. 53 Until the last day the Holy Spirit remains with the holy community or Christian people. Through it he gathers us, using it to teach and preach the Word. By it he creates and increases sanctification, causing it daily to grow and become strong in the faith and in the fruits of the Spirit.

54 Further we believe that in this Christian church we have the forgiveness of sins, which is granted through the holy sacraments and absolution as well as through all the comforting words of the entire Gospel. Toward forgiveness is directed everything that is to be preached concerning the sacraments and, in short, the entire Gospel and all the duties of Christianity. Forgiveness is needed constantly, for although God’s grace has been won by Christ, and holiness has been wrought by the Holy Spirit through God’s Word in the unity of the Christian church, yet because we are encumbered with our flesh we are never without sin. (51-54) [The Book of Concord]

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Announcements for the Week of October 30

THE APOLOGY OF THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION ARTICLE IV. JUSTIFICATION

“The service and worship of the Gospel is to receive good things from God, while the worship of the law is to offer and present our goods to God. We cannot offer anything to God unless we have first been reconciled and reborn. The greatest possible comfort comes from this doctrine that the highest worship in the Gospel is the desire to receive forgiveness of sins, grace, and righteousness. About this worship Christ speaks in Christ 6:40 , “ This is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.”And the Father says ( Matt. 17:5 ), “ This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”(¶310)

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Announcements for the week of February 22, 2015

“…all Christians are to read the Scriptures (and) are to believe on the basis of Scripture and to judge truth and error on the same basis.” (F. Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, Vol 1, 320)

15-02-22, Lent 1, BA-2015B

Announcements for the Week of December 29, 2013

 

“Luther warns in the preface to the Old Testament: ‘I beg and faithfully warn every pious Christian not to stumble at the simplicity of the language and the stories that will often meet him here.  He should not doubt that however simple they may seem these are the very words, judgments, and deeds of the high majesty, power, and wisdom of God.  For this is Scripture, and it makes fools of all the wise and prudent and is an open book to the small and foolish, as Christ says Matt. 11:25.  Therefore dismiss your own thoughts and feelings, and think of the Scriptures as the loftiest and noblest of holy things, as the richest of mines, which can never be exhausted, so that you may find the wisdom of God that HE lays before you in such foolish and simple guise, in order that He may quench all pride.’” (F. Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, Vol I, 217)

13-12-29, Circumcision & Name of our Lord, LSB.Sunday1, 3, 5, DS4WithCommunion, 2013A, readings

13-12-29, CIrcumcision & Name of our Lord, BA-2013A

Announcements for the Week of November 24, 2013

 

“What we know of Christ and His doctrine we know solely from Christ’s Word, which we possess in the written Word of His Apostles and prophets and to which Christ so emphatically directs us as to the sole medium of knowing the truth (John 8).” (F. Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, Vol. 2, 211)

 

13-11-24, Thanksgiving, BA-2013C

 

 

Announcements for the week of October 6, 2013

 

13-10-06, Pentecost 20, BA-2013C

 

“The Word of God shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel.” (From the Smalcald Articles, II. The Mass, ¶15 in fn. 13; F. Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, Vol I, 204)