28. THE FINAL YEARS OF LUTHER’S LIFE
Although dear Luther increasingly felt the burdens of age, he still continued to teach the divine word untiringly. Among other things, he expounded Psalm 110 in detail and showed in it the state of Christ’s kingdom, namely, that Christ is our eternal King and High Priest and that all Christians through faith in their Lord have overcome all their enemies and are spiritual priests. He did this with a great fullness of the Spirit. In the same year (1539) the extremely instructive work, On the Councils and the Churches, appeared. From a thorough reading of Church history, Luther showed in it that the universal councils never established new articles of faith but merely defended the old faith against new errors.
In the fall of 1540, Melanchton, together with several theologians, traveled to Worms to a religious dialogue with the papists. Luther, however, did not go with them saying, “God has given many good, learned people who understand His word and are equal to the opposition.” When they left, he blessed and spoke many comforting words to them, including, the following: “Go forth in the Name of God as ambassadors of Jesus Christ and hold fast to the simple word and surrender nothing of our Lord Jesus Christ that you do not have authority to do.” At the dialogue the opponents could bring nothing against Melanchton’s arguments, so they postponed its continuation until the forthcoming assembly in Regensburg in 1541. There the papists presented a document, usually called the Regensburg Interim. It was to serve as the basis of their discussions together and for a possible unification. When he was asked for advice, Luther clearly proved that what the opponents’ said, especially on the article of justification, was nothing else but a new cloth sewed on an old garment, which only makes the tear worse (Matthew 9.16). But in the hope that Luther could still perhaps be moved to an agreement, several foreign princes, with the prior knowledge of the emperor, decided to send an imposing delegation to Luther. The envoys said that when they had carried out their task, Luther immediately gave an oral, and then a written answer: if the first four articles, especially the one on justification, are preached absolutely purely and clearly and are regarded as Christian, they would remove the poison from the other ten articles; thus by the means of correct preaching they could come to an agreement on the last ten. In his unequalled History of Lutheranism, Baron of Seckendorf praises Luther’s answer in this act of the Reformation, saying that it is one of the most important, both because of his modest way of writing and because of the steadfastness Luther showed. Just as all the earlier threats of Cajetan in Augsburg and of the emperor in Worms were unable to frighten Luther, so also here the flattery of such an imposing delegation was unable to move Luther to a sinful yielding. The opposing party did not want to consider Luther’s answer and once again postponed everything until a general council. If the princes and theologians who were involved in the discussion of the Interim that came about soon after Luther’s death, and which had been cobbled together from that Interim of Regensburg, had used Luther’s answer as their model, it would not have so devastated the Lutheran Church.
At this time, God visited dear Luther with various bodily weaknesses and pains. As a result, Luther was always occupied with thoughts of death and called upon God for a blessed end. This also greatly hindered his work and several times he was forced to leave the pulpit before the end of the sermon. Often he could not read a letter, or, in fact, even two or three lines without stopping. Nevertheless he wrote many glorious works. Besides the beautiful exposition of Psalms 120-135, he published sermons from Matthew 3 on Christ’s and the Christians’ baptism. He issued the earnest admonition to the pastors to preach strongly against usury. He said that usury had already spread so mightily that he knew of no hope for improvement.
In 1542 Luther consecrated Nicholas von Amsdorf, whom the elector had chosen to be Lutheran bishop of Naumburg and Zeitz, into his holy office with a festive installation. Following the example from The Consecration of a True Christian Bishop, he preached a sermon, which he then expanded in a writing that soon appeared under the same title.
In that year the Bohemian Brethren, as their Bishop Comenius explains, sent two delegates for the fourth and final time to Luther to find out what could be expected from the Lutherans in regard to Church discipline. After they had a friendly conversation with him and the other theologians, and after they had finished he then invited them to be his guests, extended them his hand in the presence of the professors and said, “You are apostles to the Bohemians; I and those with me will be apostles to the Germans. Carry on the work of Christ among you, as the opportunities present themselves to you; and as we are able, will also carry it out among us.”
At the end of 1542, Luther was encouraged by a long letter from several brothers in Italy who had come to the knowledge of the truth by his writings. That letter shone forth with an inexpressible joy in the treasure of the pure doctrine, a vibrant zeal to preserve it, a resolute rejection of all errors, especially in the dispute over the Sacrament, a great steadfastness under every persecution, a deep respect toward the chosen instrument, Luther, and a great esteem of his writings which flowed from their own experience.
In 1543 the Lutheran Church was again surrounded with many kinds of external dangers. But also here Luther demonstrated a strong reliance upon his God and foretold with utmost certainty that during his lifetime there would be no war.
Casper Schwenkfeld tried to dress up the old errors of the Sacramentarians in a new way and by this he led many people in Silesia astray. He then sent some of his tracts to Luther, who responded with well-deserved strong words: “He, with his little books which the devil spit out of him, should be left on a short leash.” In a similar case at that time, Luther showed the same zeal toward false doctrine. When a publisher sent him a Swiss translation of the Bible, he wrote him that he should keep his gift because it is a work of his preachers with whom he can have no fellowship because they do not want to be rid of their error.
In several writings Luther also refuted the enemies outside of Christendom. He published in German an earlier refutation of the Koran, the religious book of the Turks. In the introduction he faithfully warned against such devilish doctrine. In 1543 he wrote several writings against the Jews in which he cleansed many beautiful Bible texts from the distortion and lies of the Jews and showed in them the Jews’ blasphemous and devilish malice against Christ and His Christians. At that time he also no longer believed, as earlier, in a universal, future conversion of the Jews. Finally, the important work, The Last Words of David (2 Samuel 23. 1-7), also came out in this year. With great spirit and with utmost earnestness he gives in it strong evidence of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity and of the two natures in the one undivided Person of the Lord Christ. This evidence can strengthen each Christian in his faith and keep him from all kinds of error.
Although as Luther got older and experienced ever-new burdens to his mortal body, he still, untiringly, continued to take part in the whole work of the Reformation. As a faithful watchman on the pinnacle of Zion, his eyes were looking everywhere. Thus his burning zeal for the preservation of pure doctrine still compelled him to compose several important works, especially against the Sacramentarians. In spite of Luther’s sharp answer mentioned above, Schwenkfeld, in unbelievable impudence, pretended that he and Luther were united. This gave rise, in 1544, to the writing, A Brief Confession of Dr. Martin Luther Concerning the Sacrament, of which he himself says, “When I go to the grave, I want to bring along this evidence and this honor to the judgment throne of my dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—that I, with all earnestness, condemned and avoided the fanatics and enemies of the Sacrament: Carlstadt, Zwingli, Oecolompadus, “Stinking field” [for Schwenkfeld] and their disciples in Zurich and wherever they are, and that all our preaching still daily goes out against their blasphemous and deceitful heresy, which they certainly know.”
In 1545 Melanchton, as a model for the Assembly at Worms, composed the so-called Wittenberg Reflection on the Reformation. Luther also subscribed to it and testified at such a time it is impossible to remain with God’s Word and a good conscience and at the same time to preserve the favor of the world and the glory of ease.
Even shortly before his death, Luther had to have many bitter experiences because, especially of the godlessness in Wittenberg, one offense after another came tormenting his soul and finally bringing him to the point of hurrying out of this city and going to his friends in Merseburg and Zeitz. Only a very gracious writing of his elector to whom the university had turned with urgent petitions, and in which he promised him that he would most powerfully repress all offenses, moved him to return to Wittenberg once again. There he finished the sixth and final edition of his German Bible, on which he and his learned friends worked continually and with great diligence to improve it. He made many beautiful annotations, known as “marginal glosses.” He also finished one of his greatest masterpieces, the extensive exposition of Genesis, on which he had lectured for ten years, although with many interruptions. Finally, he issued the powerful and serious writing, Against the Papacy at Rome, Founded by the Devil, which was his final book.
At the beginning of 1546, at the command of the emperor, a religious dialogue between the disputing parties was once again to be held. Dr. Major from Wittenberg was sent to it. When he went to bid Luther farewell, he found at the entrance of the study the following words written in Luther’s handwriting: Our professors should be examined concerning the Lord’s Supper.
So far Professor Krauss

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here we are in another new year. Each year seems to go by way too fast.
I want to thank everyone for your help and food on the Epiphany dinner. The food was great and the fellowship was even better. A special thank you to Karen for the meat and the dinner rolls.
We have started back to doing quilts, we will be doing them for the flood victims until the middle of March. If any of you find you have a few minutes on a Monday morning we would be happy to have you help.
Our next meeting is Feb. 19th after church hope to see many of you there.
I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2012. God bless and have a happy month.
Carol, LWML Pres.

02 FEBRUARY IS 40 DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS—THE DAY THE CHURCH REMEMBERS THE PURIFICATION OF MARY AND THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS—from Luke 2. 22-38

“Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel.” Luke 2.34
Thus there are two images of the little Child Jesus—an offensive picture and a beautiful, comforting picture. To some He is a falling, like a branch in the path which they fall over. To others He is a rising; like a boulder on the path upon which one may rest and sit upon. The proud, arrogant and wise saints run into Him with their heads, bounce back, blaspheme and curse Him; but the fools and poor sinners rise in Him and believe on Him. What is laid low rises in Him; what stands falls over Him; what is lost and corrupt will be saved through Him; what is foolish becomes wise; what is sinful becomes righteous and holy. Whoever, then, wants to give counsel in this matter according to human wisdom will do nothing but not only fall never to rise again but they will also be doomed on account of it because they want to make Christ other than how God the Father had intended and established Him. [Luther]

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING OUR VOTERS’ MEETINGS:
Because the congregation has published an updated version of our constitution in October 2010 to reflect by-law changes made to the original constitution, and because we are seeking to have an accurate count as to the actual number of voting members to be reflected in the number required for a quorum, we are asking all members of the congregation who are interested in being a voting member of the congregation to sign the updated constitution. Even if you signed the original constitution years ago, we are asking you to do so again if you wish to vote. Opportunity will be provided over the next several Voters’ Meetings to do so.

Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting- January 15, 2012
Meeting called to order at 12:25pm following prayer by acting President Mike Harris.

This month we have a sermon by Dr. Aegidius Hunnius. He was born 21 December 1550 at Winnenden, Wuerttemberg. He studied at the University of Tuebingen and became a professor at Marburg and Wittenberg. He died 04 April 1603. He was responsible for writing the Saxon Articles of Visitation which served as a standard of what the Lutheran clergy were to teach. He was one of the foremost champions of Lutheran orthodoxy, which was fighting for its survival against Calvinism (in Marburg), Crypto- Calvinism, Flacius, Huber, and Romanism.

The following is a sermon he preached on 01 January, the day the Church remembers Jesus’ circumcision and naming. The text is Luke 2.21: And when the eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

SERMON ON THE GOSPEL FOR THE FESTIVAL OF CHRIST’S CIRCUMCISION

Having spoken about the salvific birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will now speak about His circumcision, which according to divine command He received in His childhood as an eight day old boy. With very few words the Evangelist refers to the account. We, though, will consider it with due diligence and so speak first of His circumcision and then of the Name which was given to Him at that time.
1.
Luke mentions the account of the Lord’s circumcision with brief words when he tells that the Boy was circumcised in the flesh on the eighth day after His birth, precisely according to the same custom and manner as the other male children were circumcised under the Old Testament according to God’s command that was given to Abraham and his descendants in the following words:
This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant. [Genesis 17. 10-14]
This was the institution of circumcision that Christ too would keep so that He might fulfill all righteousness and every pleasure of the Father.

But it can be rightly asked here: why would Christ have to be circumcised? It certainly did not seem in the least to have been necessary for Him to observe this holy ordinance. That is because this sacrament was instituted so that those conceived and born in sins and children not sharing in the divine grace might, through circumcision, be received into God’s covenant and grace. But Christ did not need to be received into God’s grace because He is God’s beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased, who also according to His most holy humanity was conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit and was born from a virgin, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners [Heb. 7.26], in whose mouth no deceit was found, as Isaiah 53 and Hebrews 7, God’s Word testifies.
Why, then did He also receive the mark of circumcision? Here we must call to mind the angel’s sermon: “For there is born for you this day…a Savior” [Luke 2.11]. We must again remember the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given” [9.6]. Since according to this, He was born not for Himself but for us, given to us, granted to us, so in most tender childhood on the eighth day He suffered circumcision and the wounding of His most holy flesh not for His sake but for ours. Here, with obvious proof, He begins to subject Himself to that divine Law that He became Man in order to fulfill, as He assures us in Matthew 5 [.17]: “Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” His circumcision was a public and solemn testimony of that. By it He, so to speak, became the surety and made it as clear as day that for us He would subject Himself to obey the entire Law, because as Galatians 5 [.3] states: “every man who becomes circumcised…is a debtor to keep the whole Law.” Therefore, although in and of Himself He was not subject to the Law of God since He was the Lawgiver and the Lord, nevertheless He still voluntarily subjected Himself to the Law so that He might free us from the curse of the Law. We have the testimony of the holy Apostle Paul for this. Precisely in this same sense he writes to the Galatians in the fourth chapter [verses four and five]: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.” We were obligated to do the Law completely, bound to perfect obedience, or, if it was not carried out then to incur temporal and eternal punishment. But by the flesh the Law was weakened in us, as the Apostle says, so that it was impossible to satisfy the Law because by nature we were children of wrath, Ephesians 2, and thus so greatly corrupted that from childhood on all thoughts of the human heart is only evil. We were all consigned under sin that when God looked from heaven upon all children of men, when He tested their deeds and secret thoughts and weighed them according to the measure of His divine Law, He could not even find one who was righteous. We have all turned away and have become an abomination, guilty of the curse that is written in Deuteronomy 27 [.26]: “Cursed is the one who does not [fulfill] all the words of this Law.”
So that we do not now have to be and remain under this anathema, this most sweet Boy Jesus stepped into our place and by His circumcision voluntarily obligated Himself to take upon Himself the keeping of the Law for our sakes; and He perfectly fulfilled it so that by His perfect obedience He might justify us before God the Father, as it is written in Romans 5 [.19]: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous;” and again, Romans 10 [.4]: “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Christ left us an example here for us to follow in His footsteps—but it’s not as if we have to be circumcised in the flesh. Christ’s circumcision belonged to the Old Testament and at the same time it has abolished circumcision. After Christ was exalted, the false apostles still maintained circumcision was something necessary. Against them the Apostle Paul expressly writes to the Galatians in the fifth chapter that Christ is of no use to those who maintain that circumcision is necessary for salvation, because in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails. In the same way the Jews err when they think that circumcision must remain also now. Therefore there is no reason for us to receive the circumcision of the flesh from Christ’s example.
There is, though, another circumcision. It is not of the flesh but of the heart; it is not a natural one but a spiritual one that does not take place by hands. It is the hidden man of the heart. Man does not praise it, but God does. It is a circumcision that Colossians 2 [.11] describes as taking place without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, when we were buried with Him by baptism. This is the sense of the prophet Isaiah’s prophesy (ch. 52) that there will be nothing unclean or uncircumcised in the kingdom of Christ in the New Testament. This circumcision of the heart is always necessary for us precisely because the human heart overflows with impurity, and thus I say that it has a true foreskin because as Christ testifies, out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, Matthew 15 [.19], and more of the same type of sins that fight against the Law of God. This foreskin should be removed by the Spirit of the living God, that is, the sin should be opposed, the old self killed, Romans 6, and the flesh crucified together with its lusts and desires, Gal. 5 [.24]. As it is written in the Epistle to the Colossians in the third chapter [verse five]: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness.”
Christ insists on this spiritual circumcision of the heart and, in fact, of the whole person and all its members, in Matthew the eighteenth chapter: And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire [v.9]. Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched [Mark 9:44]. If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire [v.8]. So let us then pluck out and cut off our members, the eyes, feet and hands, not by the bodily but rather by the spiritual circumcision of our members by hindering our sinful lust so that sin does not rule in our mortal body and that we do not walk according to the flesh, but rather kill the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit, Romans 6 and 8.
2.
Now that we have heard about Christ’s circumcision and how it is beneficial for us, let us also now hear what kind of name was given Him. In the past it was customary to give the baby boy a name on the day of circumcision, just as now this happens among us at the time of baptism according to the praiseworthy custom. What then was the name of Christ? Luke writes that His name was called Jesus and, in fact, this was not by human opinion or will; instead it was completely by divine counsel and according to God’s preceding decree. This Name was not first conferred upon Him by the heavenly messenger (that is, by the angel) when He was born in the world, but rather, as Luke reports, before He was conceived in His mother’s womb. At that time the angel Gabriel preaches of this name when he announced to Mary the incarnation of the Son of God [Lk. 1.31]: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” The reason above all why Christ would be called this name is explained first by Matthew: When Joseph found Mary to be with child, he was minded to put her away secretly. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him he should not put her away because that which was conceived in her was from the Holy Spirit. Therefore she would bear a Son whose name would be called Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. “Jesus” means as much as Savior and Deliverer. Yes, there are a few found in the Old Testament who also had this name—especially that well known prince of the Israelite people, Joshua. He led the people into the land of Canaan after driving out the Canaanite tribes, but this was still only a temporal freeing and a picture and foreshadowing of the eternal redemption Christ completed. In its proper sense, however, this exalted name belongs to Christ alone because He did not bring a temporal but an eternal deliverance to His believers and elect.
By the way, a reply must be given here to the wicked Jews who want to prove beyond a doubt from the name “Jesus” that this Son of Mary is not the true Messiah. They say that the fact regarding the name is not accurate since our Messiah is called “Jesus” but the prophet Isaiah actually gave the Messiah the name ‘Immanuel.” But with these lies the Jews betray their coarse lack of sense and their clumsiness in explaining Scripture because the prophet did not want to say that all people had to name Him exactly with these syllables and letters. It would then follow that everyone would always have to call Him with the names that the prophets had given Him elsewhere. For example the prophet Isaiah prophesied that He would be called Wonderful, Counsel, Mighty, Hero, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace; furthermore, because Jeremiah writes [23.6]: “Now this is His name by which He will be called: The Lord our Righteousness, and because in in Zechariah 6 [.12] He is called “Zemah” [Branch]. Therefore one must know what the prophets’ intent and purpose were in giving Christ these names—namely that they wanted to describe His Person, His office and His blessing. Certainly all these individual names most gloriously fit our Lord Jesus Christ and flow together into the one name “Jesus.” Precisely because of this He is and is called “Jesus”, that is, Savior, who frees us from sins. He truly is our Immanuel, Wonderful, Eternal Father, Counsel, Power, Hero, Prince of Peace and Lord who is our righteousness and precisely for that reason the Holy Spirit has united all His blessing into this one name, “Jesus.”
It is certainly clear from this what a great and saving Protector we have from God Himself, who was sent and appointed to free us from eternal destruction. Yes, this Jesus, armed with divine might and girded with the sword of His power fought a life and death struggle with our enemies; crushed the head of the old snake; destroyed the works of the devil; as the One who was much stronger bound the strongman Satan and distributed his plunder and destroyed his dominion over us. He atoned for sin, sealed up transgression [Job 14.17] and by it brought eternal righteousness; He swallowed up death in victory and made it a mockery so that now the believers who rely upon this their Jesus and Savior, are so bold as to ridicule death, so to speak, by being able to point at it with their fingers and saying, “Death, where is your sting? Hell, where is your victory?” for Christ has indeed become a poison to death and a plague to hell, as it is written in Hosea 13 [.14]. As that One prophesied by Micah [2.13] to break through, He has broken through the prison and destroyed it for His believers and has marched off the principalities and powers and made a public spectacle of them and by it has made a triumph out of them. Yes, in fact, He has taken captivity itself captive and by the blood of His testament led His people out of the pit in which there was no water. Moreover He not only led them out of captivity to the devil but also as the true Joshua, or Jesus, He led them into the eternal fatherland.
So let us then recognize God’s miraculous and eternally memorable kindness and praise Him not only for sending but also for giving and granting us such a glorious and incomparable Prince of our salvation. Whenever we hear the most sweet and lovely name of Jesus let us, with a joyous heart, remember His blessing and most glorious deliverance and firmly believe that both our salvation and our righteousness stand firm and secure for us nowhere else but in this Jesus. For there is salvation in none other, and there is no other name given among men by which we must be saved than the name of Jesus Christ. In fact, all prophets testify that by His name all who believe shall receive forgiveness of sins. To this Jesus and Savior, the Shepherd of our souls and the Prince of our salvation be praise and glory into all eternity. Amen.

LWML NEWS
It is that time of the month again, or maybe I should say year. I'm still getting used to writing 2011 and here it is almost 2012.
Thank all you lovely ladies for the cookies. We made up 19 trays of cookies and I'm sure they were enjoyed by all. I know we enjoyed them.
We have the Epiphany dinner coming up January 8th, the meat will be turkey. The dinner is right after church so please plan on joining us then. There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex, so please sign up for what you would like to bring; and thank you in advance.
Our Angel Tree project went very well. Thanks to Susan for coordinating this. I hope all the children enjoyed their gift.
I pray everyone has a blessed and healthy 2012. Thanks to everyone for your help this past year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Carol, Faith's LWML president

A NOTE FROM SUSAN ABOUT OUR “ANGEL TREE” PROJECT THIS ADVENT SEASON: Thank you to everyone who participated in Angel Tree. As I mentioned previously, Angel Tree is a Prison Fellowship established by Chuck Colson. It was something that he came to discover as being so necessary after being in Prison himself and encountering parents who were incarcerated and did not have the means to provide gifts for their children.
It is the children who can be the forgotten victims in this circumstance.
With your kindness and generosity we were able to reach out to 18 children in Elmira. Their ages ranged from 1 to 16 years. Although I did not get to meet all of the children when we delivered gifts, I did meet several and they were very excited to have gifts from Mom or Dad to put under the tree. In one case, both parents are incarcerated. Part of the program is to write to the parent to tell them about the child's reaction and just to let them know you fulfilled their wish to have the child remembered which I will be doing. They were also given a small Gospel of John.
It is my hope we will continue to do this, I am humbled by all you have done. Having not participated in this ministry previously, I know my family will continue to be involved. We may never know the impact of our ministry to these children.

NEW YEAR’S DAY DEVOTION
But they urged him strongly, “Say with us.” (Luke 24.49)
Entering a new year as you are today, you are not unlike a person setting out on a long and arduous journey, full of hope for its successful completion, yet aware of the fact that all sorts of things can happen that would make that impossible. We assume that you are looking forward to entering another year after this one. Yet we trust that you are aware that there will be difficulties cropping up, possibly even dangers threatening your temporal and eternal welfare. Yes, indeed, there is ample reason to cast all such cares on the Lord.
You certainly do not wish to enter the New Year on a chance. That would be foolish. Our advice to you is that you turn in faith to your Savior who is your very best friend and beg Him to stay with you throughout this year and always. Just as was the case in the old year, so too in this New Year there will be daily brushes with sin. Unfortunately, that is the way it will be. We are not implying that you are minded to go your own way, even if it be sinful. After all, you are a Christian and a child of God. Yet, at the same time you are and remain a poor sinful being. That is why we said that every day there will be brushes with sin. It may even occur that because of the weakness of your flesh and the temptation of the devil you will suddenly find yourself involved in some grievous sin. Who can say that can’t happen to him? Then the question soon arises whether you want to persist in that sin. You certainly don’t imagine that you will be able to extricate yourself by your own powers. Nor would you want the guilt and burden of your daily sins, which will multiply from day to day, to separate you from the love of God. —That’s where Christ Jesus, your sin-bearer, comes in, and for that reason we urge you to turn to him, especially on this first day of a new year, and indeed every day, and beg him to stay with you. Then He will do so in answer to your prayer. He will forgive those many daily sins and graciously strengthen you in the faith so that you can be better on your guard against sinning and against the devil’s snares and assaults. He will keep watch over you as your Good Shepherd because He loves His sheep.
You know that the road through life is a dangerous one even as is the passing through a new year. Besides, you have no notion how many dangers are menacing your way, and if you are minded to go that way alone, your passage won’t be attended with blessing. Simply because you are a Christian and a child of God, the devil is your hardened enemy. This is all the more reason for you to ask Jesus to stay at your side, in your heart. Then, no matter what happens, it will all work out for your good. That hand that was nailed to the cross for you will turn even woes and adversities into blessings. Even if it were your lot to walk through the dark valley of the shadow of death this year, you need fear no evil for your Good Shepherd is with you. If times of weeping and sighing come, he will comfort you with His Word, help you bear your cross, lightening the load, and gladly remove it as soon as it is beneficial for you.
And finally, Christian, there is the possibility that you may die in this year. And after death there’s the Judgment. And what will be your fate if your Savior and Advocate is not at your side then?—Oh, with all your might pray fervently and often, ‘Dear Jesus, stay with me!” Then neither death nor Judgment can harm any, and your dear Lord will see to it that you safely enter the Father’s home above.
“Stay with me, Lord Jesus!”—May this plea ever be on your lips and in your heart; then you will surely have a good new year.
O Lord Christ, our Savior dear,
Be Thou ever near us.
Grant us now a glad new year,
Amen, Jesus, hear us! (TLH 97:4)
From: Manna, by Carl Manthey Zorn.

Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting was held 11 December 2011
Meeting opened at 12:12pm following prayer by President Sutton.

27. THE WORKS OF THE REFORMER
After he returned to Wittenberg, Luther had to do an extraordinary amount of work in spite of his bodily weakness. At that time he dealt with the question of whether the Lutheran princes and estates should enter into a religious alliance in case trouble would break out. Luther, however, advised against it because with such an alliance one usually places his reliance on men. This was the reason that even the Old Testament prophets had preached so strongly against such alliances.
In 1531 Luther issued a warning for his dear Germans not to aid in opposing and suppressing the pure doctrine of the Gospel. This writing even made such an impression on the emperor himself that in 1532 a general public peace was concluded. Pious Elector John in particular contributed to this. Soon after this, the Lutheran Church was again brought into deep sorrow by the death of this prince. He fell asleep in Luther’s presence in the confession of Christ that he had given two years earlier in Augsburg. In both funeral sermons he preached, Luther gave many remarkable evidences of this, as well as of the prince’s many other virtues.
Luther continued, undeterred, to proclaim the Word of the Lord. In that year he produced many beautiful works. Among other writings, he wrote his extremely useful summaries of the psalms—and, in fact, with unbelievable speed, needing no more than 16 hours total to do so. His sermon on Ephesians 6, On the Christian’s Armor and Weapons, shows what sort of good soldier of Christ he was. His writing on 1 John 4 bears witness as to how he also extols love with great eloquence.
When Luther found out that the preachers in Frankfurt (on the Main River) taught the Sacrament in a Zwinglian manner (under the pretense that there was no difference between this and Luther’s teaching) and that they also rejected confession, he wrote in 1533 the powerful and convincing, A Letter of Warning To Those In Frankfurt To Keep Themselves From Zwingli and Zwinglian Doctrine. He says in the conclusion, where he gives instruction on confession: “Even if thousands upon thousands of worlds were mine, I would rather lose everything than let one of the smallest parts of this confession leave the Church.”
At this time, Dr. Luther sent several powerful and comforting works to the Lutherans who had been severely oppressed and banished by Duke George. When this prince condemned Luther as a perjurer and rebel, Luther replied strongly with the righteous zeal of an Elijah.
In 1534, under God’s special help, Dr. Luther completed the great work of the translation of the entire Bible into the German language. He began in 1517 with the translation of the Seven Penitential Psalms and during the 17 years that passed he spent a lot of time working diligently. The difficulties that he had to overcome in this work exceeded all imagination. In particular in the Old Testament, he often thought about and inquired about a single word for four weeks as to how he should translate it from Hebrew into German. Mathesius is absolutely correct in calling this Bible translation one of the greatest works that God accomplished through Dr. Luther, because to an attentive reader of the Bible it does not seem otherwise but that the Holy Spirit had spoken by the mouth of the prophets and apostles in our German language. Not only did this Bible translation surpass earlier ones, which were still extremely rare and often completely inscrutable, but also all later translations even into the present time so that also in this Luther will forevermore remain the master and his work will continue to be praised. God also adorned this work with much blessing because with many copies of this translation, the Word of God was spread not only in Germany but also into many other countries by its translation into foreign languages. The rich vocabulary formed by this Bible translation soon brought about a unique and powerful ecclesiastical language. This is especially seen in Luther’s writings. This translation even laid the general foundation for the perfection of the German language.
In 1535 the Anabaptists caused new harm and led many people astray. They rejected the written word of God and the holy preaching office; they maintained, in a blasphemous manner, that in the Lord’s Supper nothing but bread and wine is distributed; they dishonored government and led a wild, disorderly life. Especially in the city of Muenster they carried on their mischief until, finally, their rebellions were checked by force. Against these enemies of the Christian Church, Luther mightily wielded the Sword of the Spirit, that is, the Word of God, in several writings and faithfully warned against their errors. He also warned against preachers who sneak in and “preach in the corner,” that is, he warns against those who set themselves up as teachers without being called by men.
At the end of the year, a papal envoy, named Paul Vergerius, came to Germany to announce a free and long-promised Church council. He also came to Wittenberg with his large entourage and demanded to see Luther. When the conversation came to the council, Luther declared that the opposing party was not serious about it, and even if it did come about, they would, as was their custom, only deal with unnecessary things and not about faith, justification and the true concord in spirit and faith. At this Vergerius turned to his companions and said, “He truly touches up the main purpose in the whole matter.” Luther then added, “We are by the Holy Spirit certain of all things and do not need any council; however, others do— poor people whom you crush with your tyranny. You do not know what you believe. Now then! If you want to, have an assembly. If God also wills it, I want to come, even if I knew that you would burn me up.” Ten years later, this Vergerius became a zealous Lutheran. When he had hoped to become a cardinal, he read Luther’s writings with great diligence so that he could refute them. But, he became so convinced of the truth that he then did not write against Lutheranism but against the papacy instead.
Among the many writings that Luther composed in this year, his A Simple Way To Pray, Written for a Good Friend is especially noteworthy. It is a short but excellent instruction on how one should use the first three chief parts of the catechism for prayer.
The Wittenberg Concord shows how willing Luther was for a union with the Reformed—but without harming the pure doctrine. Shortly before Pentecost 1536, several Reformed theologians, among them Bucer, were sent to Wittenberg to discuss, once again, with Luther and the other theologians the article of Holy Communion. In his introductory speech Luther showed why he had doubts about the honest intention of the opposing party and declared, especially against Bucer, that if his intention was not honest, it would be better to give up thoughts of concord, lest the evil become worse and their descendants would have to lament such a delusion. Bucer, somewhat dismayed, assured him that he had an honest intention and tried to defend his work. Luther then demanded that they publicly disavow their doctrine of the Lord’s Supper, which they had been teaching, as being unchristian and promise that they accept and proclaim the true doctrine with the Lutheran Church. From then on they were to say, without any addition, that Christ’s body and blood are truly present in the bread and wine in the Sacrament, even if the one distributing or receiving it would be unworthy. Melanchton would compile these and other points and all Reformed and Lutheran theologians would subscribe to them. They would also be publicly read from the pulpit.
Some of the Reformed told of their joy over this concord. The Swiss, however, did not want to accept it and even published a new refutation of them. Soon though, Bucer began to waver, and even Melanchton and others secretly resolved to do much that encouraged the deviation from correct doctrine. This brought about great damage and brought great grief to Luther even in his final years of life.
In 1537 the Lutheran princes held an assembly in Smalcald at which the articles Luther was asked to write were subscribed to and became a definite model for the universal council that had been announced. The Lutheran Church accepted the Smalcald Articles into the number of its public confession. Luther also went to Smalcald and there preached several very important sermons on the three articles of the Christian faith and on Matthew 4.1 ff., in which he gives a short survey of all of Church history, and shows what Christ’s Church suffers from the devil, just as Christ its head did and as does every individual Christian. In particular, he showed that the devil, as a black devil tried to use outward tyranny in the first three centuries to get people to fall away from Christ. When this was not successful, he, as a white devil, attacked the Church by having all sorts of heresies, in particular the Arian heresy, erroneously appeal to Holy Scripture. Then he showed that the devil was finally worshipped as a divine devil in the papacy by self-chosen works and worship. But God’s Word stripped off the divine mask at the time of the Reformation and the devil was stripped of the power over all those who believe this word.
While he was still in Smalcald, Luther was overtaken by painful stones so that he and others thought his death was imminent. All the lords and princes who were present visited him. When his godly elector approached Luther’s sickbed, Luther said to him in the prophetic spirit that after his death a schism will occur in Wittenberg at the university and his doctrine will be changed. Already then Melanchton was suspected as being one who would easily deviate from the strict truth because of a mistaken love of peace. Luther’s words had aroused great alarm in the elector who firmly and resolutely testified that although he certainly knows that Melanchton’s scholarship and renown are a credit to the university, he would still rather do without him than to allow the truth to be destroyed, even if it would mean the end of the university. He then comforted the sick Luther with the words, “Our dear Lord God will be gracious to us for the sake of His Word and Name, and He will prolong your life, dear father.” When he said this, he turned away, for all eyes turned to him.
But when the pain became increasingly worse, Luther wanted to be brought back to Wittenberg. This was in accord with the elector’s wish, who in addition to his own wagon added another containing much equipment to care for the beloved patient. At the same time, two royal physicians were ordered to care for his recovery with all their abilities. When he left Smalcald, he committed himself to the prayers of the Church and gave a short Christian confession: “May he remain with the Lord Christ and His word and know no other righteousness in his heart than the precious blood of Jesus Christ which, by pure grace, cleanses him and all who believe it from all sin, as his books together with the Augsburg Confession freely confess.” When he departed, he called to his friends, “May God fill you with hatred of the pope,” that is, they should not only not be tangled up in the pope’s doctrine but also constantly be and remain public enemies of his idolatry until their end. He had already made up his will in the wagon and considered himself to be ready when his dear Lord Christ would come to take him to Himself, and to receive Him with joy. But behold! One more time the Lord rescued him from all his sickness after 11 painful days. This happened in Tambach, a small country town in the Thuringian forest. Therefore, at that place, full of praise and thanks, he wrote down: “This is my Penuel. In this very place the Lord appeared to me as He once blessed and saved the patriarch Jacob, when he wrestled with the Lord.” (Genesis 32.30) When he was asked what had helped him against the stone, he answered, “Prayer.” “For in every Christian congregation,” he said, “they heartily prayed for me according to the command of St. James, chapter 5 verses 14 and 15.”
In Gotha the delegates of the Reformed churches, Bucer and Lycosthenes, met him. They had traveled to Smalcald to promote the concord of the previous year. Although Luther was still quite weak, he nevertheless had them come to him and spoke kindly with them. Among other things he said that it would be the best thing for the cause if they would keep quiet and teach correctly and freely and point blank confess: Dear friends, God has let us fall; we have erred. Let us now be careful and teach rightly; for it cannot be denied that the consciences of people cannot be quieted with such circumlocution; God will demand a strict accounting from us also on account of this doctrine, therefore God does not forgive us anything in our office. From this conversation, as well as from several letters of Luther, it becomes clearly evident that the illusion of the Reformed, that at that time Luther was drawn to their doctrine, is unfounded. In love Luther showed every possible leniency and began anew to hope for the best, but he did not deviate even one hair’s width in doctrine from his earlier confession.
After Luther returned to Wittenberg in health, he continued diligently to pray, to study, to lecture and to preach. In particular, he expounded from the pulpit on Christ’s “Farewell Discourses” from John 14-16. Dr. Creuziger wrote them down and then had them published. Luther had some peace from outward enemies and saw with joy that in spite of all their huffing and defiance they did not accomplish much, and, to the contrary, more and more cities and lands received the Gospel. But in 1538 a secret disagreement arose among his own students. This deeply grieved Luther. Then false teachers rose up. They banished from the church the Law together with the doctrine of good works and wanted to bring people to repentance by the preaching of Christ the Crucified. Thus they were called “attackers of the Law” or “Antinomians.” The instigator of this group, John Agricola, did not honor Luther’s request to answer his writings publicly which he published without using his name. Luther then felt himself compelled to oppose this dangerous false teaching in writings and debates. At that time he said at the table to his faithful student Mathesius, “You will see what will be stirred up against this school and church (in Wittenberg) and written against them, yet so far as our people will hold out with the pure doctrine, these others will become great heretics and shameful fanatics.”
In 1539 Luther again had to see how the people, who had been relieved from the pope’s compulsion, abused their Christian freedom. They became coarser and more secure, despised the servants of the Church and no longer wanted to be disciplined by them. Then Luther testified loudly and publicly that after his death God would avenge such disdainful ingratitude toward His holy word by bodily plagues and powerful errors. This in fact then did truly happen. Luther also had to hear similar complaints about the wicked life of many preachers who, to be sure, had left the monasteries but not the sins of the monastery.
In April of 1539, a furious enemy of Luther’s doctrine, George, Duke of Saxony, died. His death was hastened by the quick death of both successors to the throne. The possession of this part of Saxony fell to his brother, Duke Henry, who had already introduced the Reformation into his land and then also had the doctrine of the Gospel promptly preached to his new subjects. Most of them ardently wished for the Gospel, which had been long suppressed. This happened first in Leipzig on Pentecost when Luther preached in the presence of the duke. Thus was fulfilled what he had prophesied earlier: “I see that Duke George does not cease persecuting the word of God, its preaching and the poor Lutherans. In fact, it is getting worse. But I will still live to see God wipe out his whole family and me preaching in Leipzig.”
So far Professor Krauss

THIS MONTH’S LWML NEWS
I pray that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and didn't eat too much turkey. We had a very nice meeting last Sunday and went over the program for next year. We will get a schedule to you as soon as we have them. This next year we are going to try something new and exciting: Instead of having 5th Friday dinners we will try 5th Sunday dinners after church, each with a different theme. In January it will be the Epiphany dinner; in April an Easter theme; a summer picnic theme; and in the fall a harvest/ Oktoberfest theme.
Also, we will not have the Lenten soup and sandwich supers before Lenten service. It is hoped we can focus more attention on preparing our hearts and minds to ponder our Lord’s Passion.
Marianne revealed this past year's secret pals. We will be given our new secret pals at the Epiphany dinner. Speaking of Epiphany our dinner will be Sunday, January 8th, after church.
This month (December) will be the cookie exchange on the 18th. I'm sure we will have lots of good cookies. Happy baking!
Have a happy month. I'm sure it will go by fast. God Bless.
Carol , Pres.

NEWS AND UPDATES
• The congregation has received greetings from Katie: Please tell everyone at church that I think of them often and miss everyone. Thank them for their prayers for my family.
• We are looking for a congregational historian to record and preserve the history of the congregation.
• West High School Band (Diana and Sara) are now taking orders for fruit, oranges, grapefruit and pecans. This is to help with their trip to Washington DC for the Cherry Festival Parade. If interested, please see Diana or Sara

ADVENT—PROPHECY; CHRISTMAS—FULFILLMENT
As we are just beginning our study of the prophet Zechariah in Bible Study, it does us well to remember that all the Old Testament prophets preached about the coming Savior. They described Him so that when He would come, people would know Him and welcome Him. The Evangelist St. Matthew in his Gospel tells of an event in our Lord’s life and work and then points to the prophecy from the Old Testament prophet that foretold it—all so his readers, us, could be certain that Jesus is that promised Messiah. Advent is a good time to place ourselves in the shoes of the Old Testament people and to hear once again those prophecies and then as New Testament Christians to see once again that indeed Jesus is their fulfillment.

Mary’s Dream—“Happy Holidays!”
Joseph, I had a dream. I don’t understand it, not really, but I think it was about a birthday celebration for our Son. I think that was what it was about. The people had been preparing for it for about six weeks. They had decorated the house and bought new clothes. They’d gone shopping many times and bought elaborate gifts. It was peculiar, though, because the presents weren’t for our Son. They wrapped them in beautiful paper and tied them with lovely bows and stacked them under a tree. Yes, a tree, Joseph, right in their house. They’d decorated the tree also. The branches were full of glowing ball and sparkling ornaments. There was a figure on the top of the tree. It looked like an angel might look. Oh, it was beautiful. Everyone was laughing and happy. They were all excited about the gifts. They gave the gifts to each other, Joseph, not to our Son. I don’t think thy even knew Him. They never mentioned His name. Doesn’t it seem odd for people to go to all that trouble to celebrate someone’s birthday if they don’t know Him? I had the strangest feeling that if our Son had gone to this celebration He would have been intruding. Everything was so beautiful, Joseph, and everyone so full of cheer, but it made me want to cry. How sad for Jesus—not to be wanted at His own birthday celebration. I’m glad it was only a dream. How terrible, Joseph, if it had been real.

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying, Tell the daughter of Zion… [Matthew 21.4)
The Evangelist introduces this verse so that we see that Christ did not come because we deserve it but instead because of divine truth, because He had promised so long before, even before we existed, that He would come to them. Since out of pure grace God had promised the Gospel, He also had to fulfill it in order to show He is truthful and keeps what He has promised so that we may be encouraged to build confidently upon His promise. And this is also one of the scriptures in which the Gospel is promised. St. Paul says in Romans 1. 2 and 3: that before, through His prophets, in the Holy Scripture, God had promised the Gospel concerning His Son, Jesus Christ. He does not say: speak about the daughter of Zion, as if a person should believe anything else about her but that she has Christ; instead, you yourself should speak to her so that she would believe it about herself and hold without any doubt that it happens to her as these words sound. This is the faith which alone is called the Christian, when you believe without any wavering, that Christ is not only such a man to St. Peter and the saints but also to you yourself, yes more to you than all others. –Martin Luther

Stewardship thought: The Lutheran conception of money is that it is a gift and blessing of God like other earthly blessings. When it comes to us, we become stewards who must handle it in a manner and to the extent that is pleasing to Him who entrusted us with that stewardship. We must be able when called upon, to render a satisfactory account of our stewardship. We must neither wrap the money in a napkin and bury it in the earth, nor should we indiscriminately scatter it over the surface of the earth. We must handle it in a way that shall glorify God. We may use it for our own needs as we pass through this vale of tears. For Jesus’ sake, we should use it for the welfare of our fellow man. When a Christian handles money in that manner, he is doing one of those things we call a good work. [From Lutheran Customs, by Dr. Marmaduke Carter, respected black pastor of our synod]

Faith Voters’ Meeting was held November 13, 2011 and called to order at 12:09pm after prayer by President Sutton with 15 members present.

THE TWELVE DAYS OF ADVENT
As your family prepares for Christmas, take this ditty and the corresponding readings for each day and use it in a delightful way.

1. December 13 The Magnificat (St. Luke 1. 46-56)
On the first day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, a heart to wait and see.
2. December 14 Two Tables of the Law (St. Matthew 22.34-40)
On the second day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, two old commands and a heart to wait and see.
3. December 15 Three Favorite Hymns (your choice)
On the third day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
4. December 16 God Loved the World (St. John 3. 16-18)
On the fourth day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
5. December 17 Feeding the 5000 (St. Matthew 14.13-21)
On the fifth day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
6. December 18 Messianic Age (Isaiah 2. 2-4)
On the sixth day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, six battles ending, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
7. December 19 How Often to Forgive (St. Matthew 18. 21-22)
On the seventh day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, seven friends forgiving, six battles ending, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
8. December 20 Messianic Age (Isaiah 35. 4-6)
On the eighth day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, eight lame men dancing, seven friends forgiving, six battles ending, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
9. December 21 Becoming Like a Child (St. Matthew 18. 1-4)
On the ninth day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, nine children leading, eight lame men dancing, seven friends forgiving, six battles ending, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
10. December 22 A Light (Isaiah 60. 1-3)
On the tenth day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, ten lights a’shining, nine children leading, eight lame men dancing, seven friends forgiving, six battles ending, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
11. December 23 Last Shall Be First (St. Matthew 20. 25-28)
On the eleventh day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, eleven losers winning, ten lights a’shining, nine children leading, eight lame men dancing, seven friends forgiving, six battles ending, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.
12. December 24 Valley of the Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37. 1-14)
On the twelfth day of Advent, the Spirit gave to me, twelve bones a’breathing,
eleven losers winning, ten lights a’shining, nine children leading, eight lame men dancing, seven friends forgiving, six battles ending, five loaves of bread!, four Bible words, three new songs, two old commands, and a heart to wait and see.

LWML NEWS:
HELLO, hope all have had a good month,
The months just to seem to keep rolling right by. It’s hard to believe that there are only two months left in this year.
Our luncheon on 10 October at the Chat-A-Whyle was very well attended. The company was great and so was the food.
We have our craft/bake sale coming up next Sunday, October 30th. We are looking forward to some nice homemade items.
We have the Fall Celebration Saturday Oct. 29 at Grace, Vestal, it would be great if we had a nice attendance. We are going to have a study given by Dr. Paul Maier at 10:30.
Our next meeting is November 20th, after church, hope to see you all there.
God Bless,
Carol, Pres.

Are you finding the Christmas season a heavy burden due to family or personal struggles? Will a limping economy or poor personal health leave you broke or worn out by the end of the year? Have you ever wondered if there is something more to this “most wonderful time of the year”?
There is, and God has done it all. Explore the hope God gives each of us in Transforming This Christmas, Lutheran Hour Ministries' 2011 Advent devotions. Written by Pastor Wayne Palmer, LHM's theological editor and writer, these seasonal devotions puts the brightness back into this glorious season. We are reminded it's not about our gift-giving. Rather, it's all about God's Gift-giving: His perfect, sinless Son, born in a manger, to save us and give us life eternal.
Available to read online or to hear as a podcast, Transforming This Christmas can also be received as an e-mail subscription throughout the Advent season. The written devotions are available now and the audio version will begin November 27. All the details can be found at www.adventdevotions.net.

A THOUGHT FROM LUTHER FOR THANKSGIVING
He fills you with the finest wheat. Psalm 147.14
When we consider the grain fields, we should not only think of God’s goodness but also of His might and so think this way: O you dear precious grain, how abundantly God gives you to us! But also with what great power He protects you from the hour that you were sown until you come to the table! How did you make it through so many dangers of every misfortune? How mightily He pulled you through the fingers and hands of every devil that tried to grasp you, sweep down on you and strike you in order to destroy you and kill us by hunger!
Yes, indeed, that’s how we should think. But unfortunately we have done something other than recognize such grace and power of God. We think we are the ones who have done the most for the grain; if we hadn’t worked, God couldn’t have given it, etc.
Why do we pray that God would give us bread? Because we do not have it from ourselves, or get by our skill and work, but rather must ask and expect it from God alone: He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth [Psalm 104.14].

Arthur’s witnessing tip: When I have the feeling I need to "get away from it all" I go to Wal-Mart and ride the electric carts. I discover that most people are kind: "Oh, can I reach that for you?" And it is good for business, for I always buy stuff I didn't go in for. Best of all you can witness: "Thanks, and the same to you. May the Lord bless and keep you , etc..

The Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting was held on 09 October 2011.

Hello Ladies!
Mark on your calendar the following dates:
• This coming Friday-- Fifth Friday Dinner, September 30th, Pot Luck.
o Ladies’ Day Out Luncheon, October 10th, at Chat-A-Whyle, in Bath.
o October 29th, Fall Celebration at Grace, Vestal. This will include a study with Dr. Paul Maier and the Circuit Reformation service.
o October 30th, Craft and Bake Sale.
• Our next meeting will be November 20th. We hope to see all you ladies then.
Carol Zaun, LWML Pres.

Relying on the Lord: All things are given and thus preserved through the Word…. Why is it that you languish day and night? Wife, children, and cattle are given by God. As for you, just do your work, take care of your wife, your family, and your cattle, and leave the care to God. He will keep everything in His own order. Learn, then, that it is not our care and concern that does it, but that, having cast our care upon God, we leave the matter to Him. This is what it means to sleep. Take heed of this most beautiful rule in this verse if you want to be safe; go to sleep, that is, leave the care to God…. We labor and exert ourselves in one kind of toil, care, and vexation, so that we fall into something worse, because we rely on our care instead of relying on God. This worry and striving makes us insane. Yet you must use means and commit everything to God. Use medicines, but do not rely on them; rely on God. This drive of nature, this striving to do something strictly according to one’s own will, this is a most pestilential thing. Luther
(AE, XVI, pg. 342-3)

LUTHER NOTES: God bids us lift up our head. He sets forth His Word and with it gives Himself to us, so that all things are ours and we, on the other hand, may cast our weakness off on Christ. If I am a sinner, Christ is righteous; if I am poor, Christ is rich; if I am foolish, Christ is wise; if I am captive, Christ is present to set me free; if I am forsaken, Christ takes me to Himself; if I am cast down, Christ consoles me; if I am weary, Christ refreshes me. Finally, He pours Himself out for me altogether. (AE, XVII, pg. 28)

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER INSTALLATION, 09 OCTOBER: On this Sunday we will recognize the valuable service of our Sunday School and ask God’s blessing on those who teach and learn as our teachers and superintendent are placed into their offices.
Superintendent: Sheila Sutton. Teachers: Sigrid Grabenhofer, John Weiner, Carol Zaun.
Helpers: Diana Clayberger, Sara Clayberger.

Voters’ Meetings are a vital part of our congregation. In 1523 Luther approved in principle the following for the Church in Leissnig: “A parish meeting shall be held three times a year, from 11 AM to 2 PM, to hear the report and examine the books of the ten elders and to transact other necessary business…. No member of the parish should be absent except for weighty reasons, from these three stated meetings.”

Faith Voters’ Meeting was held September 11, 2011. The meeting called to order at 12:10pm after prayer by President Sutton with 10 members present.

22. LUTHER RETURNS TO WITTENBERG
Through Luther’s work, the blessed voice of the glorious Gospel had sounded in all the lands. Satan had tried to suppress it in every way by pope, emperor and scholar, only to have it spread all the further. Then Satan chose another way to mute the truth—by causing confusion and offense in Luther’s own congregation. During Luther’s absence the Augustinian monks, with his consent, abolished the papal mass and again introduced the true Christian mass, that is, the Holy Lord’s Supper. But when the Reformation proceeded too slowly for Dr. Carlstadt, he began to introduce an offensive freedom. At his instigation the students entered the church during a public divine service and stormed the mass in the most brutal and violent manner. During Christmas he and his followers threw the pictures and crucifixes out of the church and burned them, demolished the altars, abolished the candles, the hymns and ceremonies of the Church, did not want to use the chalice and paten any more, ran to the Holy Supper unexamined and unannounced and took the host with their own hand. They did all this out of pure audacity, without previously instructing the people in the sermons and without asking afterwards if the weak were offended by it. They pretended that the First Commandment and Christian freedom had moved them to do all this and that they were filled with the Holy Spirit; they condemned as heretics all who did not follow them. Carlstadt even declared that all learning was superfluous; thus he no longer wanted to be called “Doctor” but only “Neighbor Andrew.” He advised the students that they would do better to apply themselves to a trade. One of his most strong-minded followers, the rector of the boys’ school, even demanded from the school window that the assembled citizens take their children out of the school. On top of that, fanatics from Zwickau came to Wittenberg. They boasted that a clear voice of God had called them to teach; that they had intimate conversations with God; that they saw into the future; in short, that they were prophetic and apostolic men.
At first Luther tried to settle this unrest by writings. But that was in vain and it only got worse. Finally, only those who scorned the priests, ate meat on Fridays, tore up pictures, etc., were considered to be Christians. Then in a letter, with the most urgent pleas, Luther’s congregation called him back. The pope had excommunicated Luther and the emperor had placed him under the ban. The elector had allowed Luther to return to Wittenberg only under the most dire emergency because he could no longer protect him there. In spite of every danger to his life, Luther hurried back to Wittenberg at the beginning of March 1522. Full of the joyful courage of faith, he wrote to the elector to calm him: “Thus it must and will happen: whoever wants to have God’s Word, that not only Annas and Caiaphas rage, but also that Judas is among the apostles and Satan among the children of God.” –“This I know very well of myself, that if the matter at Leipzig would stand as it does in Wittenberg, I would still ride in, even though (your Electoral Grace forgive me my idle speech) for nine days it rained nothing but Duke Georges, and each one would be nine times more enraged than this one.” –“Such an opinion is written to your Electoral Grace that I come to Wittenberg under a much higher protection than that of the elector. It is also not in my mind to demand protection from your Electoral grace. Yes, I maintain that I would protect your Electoral Grace more than he could protect me. In addition to that, if I knew that your Electoral Grace could and would protect me, I would not come. No sword either should or can advise or help this matter. God alone must act here without any human care or help. Therefore whoever believes the most, will here protect the most.”
Hardly had Luther arrived in Wittenberg on 07 March, when he opposed Carlstadt’s fanatics with the Word of God, and in eight sermons, which he preached eight days in a row, restored peace in the church. In them he told his hearers that they were lacking the fruit of true faith, love, which patiently endures the neighbor’s weakness and gently instructs him and not does horribly bully him. External improvements are indeed good, but they must not be introduced too quickly but orderly, without assaulting and offending the neighbor. “Because I cannot pour faith into the heart,” he said, “so neither should nor can I force or compel anyone because God alone does this and works it so that He lives in the heart. And from a law of compulsion there is only a facade, an outward form, a mockery and a human rule; out of it comes sham saints, frauds or hypocrites. There is no heart, no faith, no love. One must first gain the hearts of the people. This happens by the Word of God, when I preach the Gospel and announce to the people their errors. Whoever wanted to follow, follows; whoever doesn’t want to, remains outside. When it is done this way, today the Word falls into the heart of one, and tomorrow into the heart of another, and proceeds, and the person falls from the mass on his own. Thus God worked with His Word more than if you, I and the whole world gathered all authority into one heap. For with the Word God seizes the heart and thus you have already won the man. Then the matter must disintegrate and cease on its own.” Even Carlstadt, whom Luther dealt with in every possible leniency, then behaved peacefully for several years although he quietly nursed a bitter resentment against Luther. The Zwickau prophets departed from Wittenberg. However, angered that Luther scorned their spirit, they wrote him a letter full of insults and curses.

PLAN NOW FOR A FUN SUMMER GET AWAY NEXT SUMMER!
Next year’s Eastern District Convention will be held in Buffalo on 15-16 June 2012. We will need to have a delegate from the congregation and what better way to enjoy a summer get away? Please let pastor if you are interested.

LWML NEWS: We had a very nice meeting Sunday, the 21st, which was held at Jean Fraser's. Thank you Jean for our lunch and sharing you house.
This year for our Christmas project we are doing "Angel Tree". We will have more information on this soon.
Other things to mark on your calendar are:
#1- Church Picnic, September 18th at Kinsella Park in Erwin.
#2- 5th Friday dinner, September 30th, Pot Luck.
#3- Ladies Luncheon, October 10th, at Chat-A-Whyle, in Bath.
#4- October 29th, Fall Celebration at Grace, Vestal.
#5- October 30th, Craft and Bake Sale.
The next meeting will be November 20th, here at church. We hope to see all you ladies then.
God bless and have a happy month.
Carol Zaun, LWML Pres.

WHY DO WE GIVE OUR OFFERINGS AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT JESUS?
And always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. 1 Peter 3.15b
It is said that friendship ends with money. People do not like to talk about money. Yet, precisely in the past years even the Church has again had to talk about money because there is not enough. Even the Church cannot work without money. Some within the Church say that even in a financial sense our congregations must grow. Read: If we do not grow then somehow we are bankrupt. But is that true? As Christians why do we give money? Out of love of our Savior! Out of thankfulness because He has first so richly given to us!
What does that have to do with our verse which deals with us telling of our faith? Also here the question again is, Why? Because we “must” grow? No! Instead, because we love our Savior and want to listen to Him. Here it is not a matter of us growing or making it financially. God tells us that we should always be ready to explain the hope that our faith gives us. It is not a matter of bringing the Gospel to the person. No, it is a matter of repeating it. Then we can rely on God’s Word itself working. How it turns out in the end, whether someone comes to faith or belongs to the Church, is not our concern. We are messengers of our Savior. We tell of the dreadful might of sin that oppresses us. But we can joyfully report that we are now free of it. We can say that we need no longer to fear death because we have eternal life through Christ. We are responsible for the sowing. Our Lord Himself will worry about the harvest.
Heavenly Father, make us ready to be witnesses and messengers of the wonderful hope that You have given us through Jesus Christ. Amen.
-Karsten Drechsler in God Is For Us, 24 July 2011

For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. (Heb. 12.6)
Luther: God deals with the God-fearing and Christians almost as if they were the Godless and non-Christians; and in fact, occasionally even worse. But He is doing nothing else than acting like a father of the house does as he deals with his sons and servants. He flogs and strikes the son much more and often than he does the servant, yet he gathers for the son a treasure for an inheritance. But he does not hit a wicked, disobedient servant with the rod; instead he throws him out the door and doesn’t give him any of the inheritance. This is the only way I can solve this argument of why God allows His dear children to be run through the mill in this world and be plagued, all the while giving the Godless everything abundantly and sufficiently that they use to live it up according to all their desire without adversity.

BREAKING BIBLE STUDY NEWS: We have received the following letter from our St. Louis seminary president, Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer, alerting us to a new study on the life of CFW Walther and the history of our Missouri Synod. We will begin this study the very last week of September (assuming it arrives on time). That means that we will move the beginning of our study of Zechariah to November. (Remember, on our congregation’s website, under the section “Pastor’s Papers, we have the chapter on CFW Walther from Professor Krauss’ Church history book. We have also just added a listing of passages used by Walther in "God Grant It.")
Greetings:
What an exciting time of the year! School is beginning once again, people are back from vacations refreshed and rejuvenated, the weather is getting cooler, and soon we will be surrounded by the colors of autumn. This autumn also brings a special anniversary for our church: October 25 marks the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Dr. CFW Walther, the founder of our Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (and our own Concordia Seminary, St, Louis).
To celebrate this event, Concordia Seminary is releasing a 5-part DVD educational resource for use in your congregation. Thanks to the wishes of several donors, this material will be sent to your church by the end of September, our gift to you, and is designed for your use in October on the five Sundays leading up to the birthday of Dr. Walther and the celebration of Reformation.
The 5-part DVD series will arrive in a 4 disc set and it can be used in more than one way!
Disc One will be the entire 2 hour narrative film presenting the history of our church from its Saxon roots in 1838, across the Atlantic ocean, up the Mississippi river, and finally the early beginnings in Perry County and St. Louis, Missouri. This will make for a great movie night for your congregation and their families and friends. What an outreach opportunity!
Discs Two and Three have the film broken down into four half-hour segments, each followed by thirty minutes of explanation and discussion by theologians from our seminary and our brother institution at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. These "Professor Discussions" can be used by you as the Leader Resource Guide, or played in their entirety for the Bible Study group, leading into the discussion guides which are provided.
Disc Four focuses on the legacy of Dr. CFW Walther and featuring insights and reflections from all of the surviving Presidents of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and Concordia Theological Seminary - those gentlemen walking in the footsteps of Dr. CFW Walther. This is a one-of-a-kind oral history of our church that you and your members won't want to miss.
For more information and a listing of all those involved, plus clips and a trailer, please visit www.waltherfilm.com. I hope you will be as excited about this resource as I am, and I hope it is a blessing for you and your congregation in this Bicentennial Year of Walther. You can also find more information on the Synod's website at www.lcms.org/walther200. Look for Walther - coming this fall.
Cordially yours,
Dr. Dale Meyer, President
Concordia Seminary, St, Louis

Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting- August 14, 2011
Meeting was called to order at 12:12pm following prayer by President Sutton. Thirteen members were present.

Meeting adjourned at 12:55pm after closing prayer by Pastor.

FROM OUR EASTERN DISTRIST:
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.” Dr. Martin Luther
The truth of God’s Word is being attacked. We are bombarded daily with “new” evidence that evolution is true and God’s Word is false. Ken Ham, founder and CEO of Answers in Genesis, has made it his life’s mission to equip Christians with the knowledge to combat these attacks on God’s Word.
In a letter to his Sunday School staff regarding the upcoming Let There Be Light Creation Conference, Rev. Matthew Sorenson, Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Niagara Falls, NY, had this to say: (used with permission)
“You have probably read or heard about the upcoming Let There Be Light Creation Conference. It will be held September 17, 2011 at the Conference Center – Niagara Falls from 9 AM to 5 PM. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear world class speakers present subjects which are important to our faith and the faith of our children. Once upon a time I did not think questions pertaining to how the world was created were important. While I have always believed that creation followed the biblical account literally I did not see any harm with other people holding a different point of view. Now I believe that I was wrong and that what we believe about how the world was created is important to our faith. I believe that non-Christians are using theories like evolution to destroy the faith of our children and that we are seeing its impact in our world and homes...”
The Creation Conference is an event for the entire family. Ken Ham’s talks include: The Relevance of Genesis in Today’s World, The Bible Does Explain Dinosaurs, and Answers for the Most Asked Questions. Dr. David Menton, will speak on: The Hearing Ear and the Seeing Eye and Formed to Fly. Children’s sessions including puppet shows, fossils, balloon modeling, etc. will be presented by J and Y Ministry, a children’s Creation Ministry team from West Virginia.
The Let There Be Light Committee strongly encourages you to not miss out on this “once in a lifetime opportunity”. Tickets are $12.00 for adults and $7.00 for children 3-11 and can be purchased at www.itickets.com or through your church representative. Visit www.lettherebelightconference.blogspot.com for more information.

20. LUTHER AT THE ASSEMBLY AT WORMS

• Focus on our graduates: Ross graduated June 5, 2011 from The Williston Northampton School. Ross was awarded outstanding soccer player for Williston Northampton and was selected to the All New England All Star Team. Ross also ran track for the first time in his life and qualified for New Englands in the 800 meter where he ran a personal best and finished third. Ross had a tough school schedule taking college and high school courses. He is very ready to start college. Ross will be attending San Diego State University, class of 2015 in the fall.

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT
Philip Melanchton [Luther’s co-worker] on why a person should join a church, what to look for in a church and why one should support that church—
We should know that there must be a public ministry of the Gospel and public assemblies, as we are taught in Eph. 4. 10-12. And this assembly we must join; of this visible assembly we must be citizens and members, as the psalmist commands us: ‘Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells’ (Ps 26.8); and again: ‘How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!’ (Ps. 84.1). These and similar passages do not speak of a Platonic idea but of the visible church, in which the voice of the Gospel resounds and where there is witnessed the ministry of the Gospel; by this God has revealed Himself and is efficacious.
And we should not praise those vagabonds who roam about and join no congregation because they cannot find an ideal church in which there is not something lacking in morals and discipline. We should rather seek the church in which the articles of faith are taught purely and no idolatry is defended. That church we should join and hear and love its doctrine as we unite our intercession and confession with their prayers and confession….
We should learn to support it in order that it may not be devastated. For where there are no assemblies, there the voice of the Gospel becomes silent. So the Mohammedan [Moslem] tyrants in many places destroyed all churches… We should recognize that such satanic devastations and dispersions are a dreadful and very great evil. Therefore, we should ask God that He may preserve His congregations, and we ourselves should support them with all our resources.” [Quoted in Church and Ministry, Walther, pg. 142]

ASK LUTHER: WHY REVIEW THE CATECHISM IN WORSHIP AND AT HOME?
To this there is added the shameful vice and secret infection of security and satiety, that is, that many regard the Catechism as a poor, mean teaching, which they can read through at one time, and then immediately know it, throw the book into a corner, and be ashamed, as it were, to read in it again….
But for myself I say this: I am also a doctor and preacher, yea, as learned and experienced as all those may be who have such presumption and security; yet I do as a child who is being taught the Catechism, and every morning, and whenever I have time, I read and say, word for word, the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Psalms, etc. And I must still read and study daily, and yet I cannot master it as I wish, but must remain a child and pupil of the Catechism, and am glad so to remain….
Therefore I beg such lazy paunches or presumptuous saints [who do not feel the need to read and study the Catechism] to be persuaded and believe for God’s sake that they are verily, verily! not so learned or such great doctors as they imagine; and never to presume that they have finished learning this [the parts of the Catechism], or know it well enough in all points, even though they think that they know it ever so well. For though they should know and understand it perfectly (which, however, is impossible in this life), yet there are manifold benefits and fruits still to be obtained, if it be daily read and practiced in thought and speech; namely, that the Holy Ghost is present in such reading and repetition and meditation, and bestows ever new and more light and devoutness, so that it is daily relished and appreciated better, as Christ promises, Matthew 18:20: Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.
Besides, it is an exceedingly effectual help against the devil, the world, and the flesh and all evil thoughts to be occupied with the Word of God, and to speak of it, and meditate upon it, so that the First Psalm declares those blessed who meditate upon the law of God day and night. Undoubtedly, you will not start a stronger incense or other fumigation against the devil than by being engaged upon God’s commandments and words, and speaking, singing, or thinking of them. For this is indeed the true holy water and holy sign from which he flees, and by which he may be driven away….
And if this were not sufficient to admonish us to read the Catechism daily, yet we should feel sufficiently constrained by the command of God alone, who solemnly enjoins in Deut. 6:6ff that we should always meditate upon His precepts, sitting, walking, standing, lying down, and rising, and have them before our eyes and in our hands as a constant mark and sign. Doubtless He did not so solemnly require and enjoin this without a purpose; but because He knows our danger and need, as well as the constant and furious assaults and temptations of devils, He wishes to warn, equip, and preserve us against them, as with a good armor against their fiery darts and with good medicine against their evil infection and suggestion….
And what else are such supercilious, presumptuous saints, who are unwilling to read and study the Catechism daily, doing than esteeming themselves much more learned than God Himself with all His saints, angels [patriarchs], prophets, apostles, and all Christians. For inasmuch as God Himself is not ashamed to teach these things daily, as knowing nothing better to teach, and always keeps teaching the same thing, and does not take up anything new or different, and all the saints know nothing better or different to learn, and cannot finish learning this, are we not the finest of all fellows to imagine, if we have once read or heard it, that we know it all, and have no further need to read and learn, but can finish learning in one hour what God Himself cannot finish teaching, although He is engaged in teaching it from the beginning to the end of the world, and all prophets, together with all saints, have been occupied with learning it and have ever remained pupils, and must continue to be such ?
For it needs must be that whoever knows the Ten Commandments perfectly must know all the Scriptures, so that, in all affairs and cases, he can advise, help, comfort, judge, and decide both spiritual and temporal matters and is qualified to sit in judgment upon all doctrines, estates, spirits, laws, and whatever else is in the world. And what, indeed, is the entire Psalter but thoughts and exercises upon the First Commandment? Now I know of a truth that such lazy paunches and presumptuous spirits do not understand a single psalm, much less the entire Holy Scriptures; and yet they pretend to know and despise the Catechism, which is a compendium and brief summary of all the Holy Scriptures.
Therefore I again implore all Christians, especially pastors and preachers, not to be doctors too soon, and imagine that they know everything (for imagination and cloth unshrunk [and false weights] fall far short of the measure), but that they daily exercise themselves well in these studies and constantly treat them; moreover, that they guard with all care and diligence against the poisonous infection of such security and vain imagination, but steadily keep on reading, teaching, learning, pondering, and meditating, and do not cease until they have made a test and are sure that they have taught the devil to death and have become more learned than God Himself and all His saints.
If they manifest such diligence, then I will promise them, and they shall also perceive, what fruit they will obtain, and what excellent men God will make of them, so that in due time they themselves will acknowledge that the longer and the more they study the Catechism, the less they know of it, and the more they find yet to learn; and then only, as hungry and thirsty ones, will they truly relish that which now they cannot endure because of great abundance and satiety. To this end may God grant His grace! Amen. —Preface to Luther's Larger Catechism

Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting- 10 July 2011
Meeting called to order at 12:13pm following prayer by President Paul Sutton, fourteen members were present.

From the Eastern District’s “Let There Be Light Creation Conference Committee”:
Evolution vs. Creation
God’s word teaches us that man was created by the hand of our loving, omnipotent God:
Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

The evolutionary worldview teaches that man is a random accident brought about by chance:
For the first half of geological time our ancestors were bacteria. Most creatures still are bacteria, and each one of our trillions of cells is a colony of bacteria.
--Richard Dawkins

God’s word teaches that life is sacred from conception:
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13--16

The evolutionary worldview teaches that the unborn are not fully human, and are therefore dispensable:
That there is a continuous link from humans to gorillas, with the intermediate species merely long dead, is beyond the understanding of speciesists. Tie the label Homo sapiens even to a tiny piece of insensible embryonic tissue, and its life suddenly leaps to infinite, incomputable value.... -- Richard Dawkins, from "Gaps in the Mind," in The Devil's Chaplain (2004)

God’s word assures us, God is in charge of our future:
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4

18. LUTHER BURNS THE PAPAL BULL
Eck had flattered himself thinking that he would triumph over Luther. Instead, he had to leave without glory. Full of burning hatred, he then hurried to Rome to take revenge. At that time (1520) Luther wrote two famous works: To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation Concerning the Reform of Christendom and On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church. In them he all the more clearly uncovered and all the more firmly fought the abomination of the papacy.
Once more, Karl von Miltitz tried to reconcile Luther with the papacy. Luther dedicated to the pope his excellent writing: On the Liberty of a Christian. He accompanied it with a letter (dated 06 September 1520) that was still full of reverence toward the person of the pope. “It is true,” he says in it, “I have recently violated the Roman See, which is called the Roman court. Neither you yourself nor any one on earth can say anything else but that it is more evil and more abominable than Sodom, Gomorrah and Babylon ever were. And as much as I perceive, in the future, it can neither be counseled nor helped in its wickedness. Meanwhile, you, Holy Father Leo, sit like a sheep among wolves, and just like Daniel among the lions and Ezekiel among the scorpions. What can you alone do against so many wild marvels?” He then states that he would have remained silent as he had promised but that he was only forced into the debate by Eck’s absurd ambition.
In the meantime Eck had persuaded Rome that the pope should issue a bull, dated 04 June 1520, which would condemn 41 statements from Luther’s writings; these writings were to be burned; and Luther himself, unless he would recant within 60 days, was to be condemned, excommunicated as a heretic, that is, to be excluded from the fellowship of the church. Eck carried this bull about in Germany in triumph. In the imperial lands he actually achieved the burning of Luther’s writings; yet, in many areas, especially electoral Saxony he was received with general derision. In Leipzig, where he at first came in great pomp with his bull and boasted he would teach Martin, he was so poorly received that he had to flee into the Monastery of St. Paul and could not allow himself to be seen.
Although the pope had condemned him, Luther still remained confident. In fact, he wrote to a friend: “I am now much more courageous since I well know that the pope has been found out to be the Antichrist and the throne of Satan.” He wrote his work Against the Detestable Bull of Antichrist. In it he said: “If the pope does not revoke and condemn this bull, punishing Dr. Eck together with his associates, who follow such a bull, no one can doubt that the pope is God’s enemy, the persecutor of Christ, the destroyer of Christendom and the true Antichrist. Until now it has been unheard of that someone condemns the Christian faith, which had been publicly confessed, like this hellish, cursed bull does.” Luther was forcibly expelled because he had confessed the pure doctrine of the divine Word. He then also wanted to show before the whole world what he thought about such an excommunication. On 10 December 1520, at 9 o’clock in the morning, a fire was lit before the Elster Gate in Wittenberg, and before a great gathering of doctors, teachers and students, Dr. Luther threw into the flames the bull that had been sent to him, together with all the papal church law, as he said, “Because you have grieved the Holy One of the Lord, so let the eternal fire grieve and consume you!” The next day he exhorted his hearers with great earnestness to guard themselves from papal laws. He also said, “If you do not renounce the vexing government of the pope with your whole heart, you cannot be saved.” In a public writing he explained the reasons that moved him to this step, and, at the same time, showed what godless statements papal church law contains. In it, it says in particular, “The pope and his associates are not obligated to be subject to God’s commandments. Even if the pope were so evil that he led countless people to hell, nevertheless no one is allowed to chastise him for it.”

So far Professor Krauss

THIS MONTH’S LWML NEWS
Good morning! I hope all of you are having a great summer. Enjoy it because it will be gone before you know it. We have finished doing quilts until the fall. We did 55 total which is great!
We are planning a 5th Friday dinner for July 29 and the theme is Germany. So the food will be German (we hope). We will have a sign-up sheet in the entrance and we hope to many of you there enjoying the good food and fellowship.
At our last meeting we had a lovely luncheon. Our next meeting is August 21, at Jean's.
Mark your calendars for the Church Picnic on 18 September at Kinsella Park in Erwin.
God Bless and have a great month.
Carol Zaun, Pres.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUTE:
Shawn Gillis graduated from Corning Community College with an Associates Degree in Business. He graduated with a 4.0 gpa and received two business awards, program honors, and carried one of the pennons (flags) in to the graduation ceremony. He is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the National Honor Society of two year schools. He will be attending Houghton College in the fall to complete his four year degree in business. He hopes to continue on to RIT after that for an MBA degree.

• We are looking for a congregational historian to record and preserve the history of the congregation.
• God Grant It is ranked #279, 036 on Amazon’s best seller list. Sales must have skyrocketed as back in January it was ranked #870,714.

SCRIPTURE TESTIFIES OF CHRIST
And they will scourge Him and put Him to death. And the third day He will rise again. [Luke 18. 33]
Holy Scripture presents the suffering, bleeding and dying of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross as the foremost and most important object of the Christian faith. When Holy Scripture wants to label in “short-hand” all of Christian doctrine, it plainly calls it “the message of the cross” (1 Cor. 1.18), just as if in the Gospel nothing was talked of but Christ’s death on the cross. St. Paul thus says, “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1.23). In fact he adds, “For I am determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (2 Cor. 2.2).
If the redemption Christ brought about should be described further, it says: “[Know] that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1. 18-19). Even Christ Himself, when He wants to state the purpose of His coming into the world, mentions only His suffering and death and says: “For…the Son of Man did…come…to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10.45).
Christ, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world. Have mercy on us. Amen.
--C.F.W. WALTHER

LUTHER AND THE FOURTH OF JULY: A quote from John Jay (1745-1829) statesman and jurist, an author of The Federalist, first appointed Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court.

"No country has more reason than this Republic to recall with joy the blessings Luther assisted to secure for the world, in emancipating thought and conscience and impressing the stamp of Christianity upon modern civilization. Although America had not been discovered by Columbus when Luther was born, Luther's far-reaching influence, which today is felt from the Atlantic to the Pacific, helped to people our northern continent with the colonists who laid the foundation of its future liberties on the truths of the Bible." [Cited in Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Spring 2011, pg. 46]

Do not rely on your own insight…Be not wise in your own eyes (Prov. 3. 5,7)
One must certainly walk in fear and humility, and we must first give up our own ideas. Then let us see whether what we have heard conforms to the faith. Let our wisdom be brought low and let us walk in fear. Luther (AE, XVI, 65)

Faith Voters’ Meeting- June 12, 2011
Meeting called to order after prayer given by acting President Mike Harris, with 12 members present.

16. HEARINGS WITH CAJETAN AND MILTITZ
Luther’s theses brought forth a mighty movement of every nature. Prierias, Eck, Emser, Tetzel and the like came out against Luther with polemical writings in which they tried to defend indulgences. Nevertheless Luther’s testimony won ever more people for the truth.
At first the pope despised the whole matter and thought that the dispute would soon die down again on its own. But when he saw that his authority was increasingly threatened because of it, he summoned Luther in July 1518 to appear in Rome personally within 60 days. The elector, however, arranged it so that Luther would be examined in Germany. In fact, it would happen before the papal legate, Cardinal Cajetan, in Augsburg where there was an assembly. Luther was warned not to leave Wittenberg because several men were lying in wait for him in order either to strangle him or to drown him. Luther merely said that he wasn’t aware of anything except that he taught the pure theology and had long known that his preaching would be a stumbling block to the holy Jews and foolishness to the wise Greeks. Thus in September, he went on foot to Augsburg. On the 28th he came to Weimar where he stayed the night in a monastery. In sympathy the Provisor of the monks, John Kestner, said, “O my dear Doctor, they are learned people. I worry that you will not be able to maintain your case before them. They will burn you up.” Jesting, Luther said, “They may do it with nettles, but fire is too hot.” “Dear friend, pray to our dear Lord God in heaven, with an ‘Our Father’ for me and His dear Son, Christ, concerning my work, that He would be gracious. If He preserves the work, it is already preserved for me; but if He will not preserve it, I cannot preserve it, thus He must bear the disgrace.”
Luther arrived in Augsburg on 07 October and would have gone immediately to the legate, except the elector’s councilors who advised Luther rejected this because they knew that the legate would be very hostile toward Luther. Therefore they tried to obtain safe-conduct from the emperor. Because the emperor was away, they first got it three days later. In the meantime the cardinal’s servants came each day and said, “The cardinal offers you every grace. Why do you fear him? He is a very easygoing father.” But another said in his ear: “Don’t believe it. He doesn’t keep any promise.” On the 9th the emissary of the Margrave of Montferrat, Urban, sent to Luther and told him that he should not go to the legate until he had spoken with him. He then also came to Luther, (all were of the opinion that he was appointed by the legate himself) and urged him with many words (and as he said with his most salutary counsel) that he should just agree with the legate completely, return to the church and recant his errors. Luther: “If I can be shown where I have said something different from what the holy Roman Church understands, I will then immediately condemn myself and revoke.”
After that Urban made the most absurd assertions and openly confessed that one can preach false propositions, as long as they would only bring profit and fill the coffers. The authority of the pope, he said, is beyond dispute and his authority must be considered to be so great that, even in matters of faith, his mere command can obtain everything. On the third day he again came and chided Luther, asking why he did not go to the cardinal who was still waiting for him so graciously. Luther answered: “I must follow the counsel of upright men from the emperor who advise me, and they were all of the opinion that I should not go without imperial safe-conduct. As soon as this arrives, I will go immediately.” Urban became angry with this and said, “Do you think, then, that the elector would risk his lands to please you?” Luther: “I do not want that at all.” Urban: “Where do you want to stay then?” Luther: “Under the heavens.” Urban: “If you had the pope and cardinals in your power, what would you plan on doing with them?” Luther: “I would show them all respect and honor.”
The hearing finally began on 12 October. The legate accused Luther of teaching the following two errors: first, that treasure of indulgence is not the merit or the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ; and, second, a person who wants to receive the Holy Supper must have his own faith. He was to recant these two errors. Luther then showed orally and in writing from many passages of Holy Scripture that a person is only saved through faith in God and that only through faith in the words of Christ is a person fit to receive the sacrament worthily. The legate did not pay attention. Indulgences were spoken about on the third day. The legate only kept crying out that Luther should recant. He tried to speak ten times, but each time the cardinal roared anew to drown him out. Finally also Luther confidently raised his voice, yet with due reverence, and said, “Most reverend Father! Your Reverence should not think that we Germans do not have or know grammar. To have a treasure is something different than earning a treasure.” Then the legate angrily stood up and said, “Go, and do not again come before my eyes unless you recant!” Thus Luther departed from the cardinal.
In the afternoon, the legate sent a message to Staupitz that he should persuade Luther to recant. Staupitz admitted that he could not do it because Luther was too learned in the Scriptures for him. He finally tried but when Luther asked him to explain the passages he cited differently, he said that he was unable. He also said to Luther at that time: “Be mindful, dear brother, that you began this in the name of Jesus.” After that Staupitz requested the cardinal to resume the conversation with Luther. But Cajetan replied, “I do not want to dispute with this brute any longer because he has deep eyes and strange thoughts go through his mind.”
Then Luther wrote a humble letter to the cardinal in which he explained that he would gladly recant everything if only he would be corrected. But he did not receive an answer. In a following letter he respectfully took leave of the cardinal and again confessed that he would submit himself to the judgment of the church, but right away confidently added: “By God’s grace I have come to the point where I am less afraid of punishments than of errors in matters of faith.” When there was no answer, the legate’s silence became risky for Luther and his friends. They feared violence. Therefore on 20 October he hurried away from Augsburg as he left behind an appeal to the pope to inform him better. Dr. Staupitz got him a horse, the council gave him an old rider who knew the way, and at night Mr. Christoph Langemantel helped him through a small, narrow gate out of the city. Thus he rode 30 miles that first day without pants, boots, spurs and sword. When He arrived that evening at the inn, he was so tired that when he dismounted in the stable he could not stand and immediately fell into the hay. In Graefental, Count Albrecht of Mansfeld caught him. He laughed at his horsemanship and said that Luther had to be his guest. On 31 October Luther again safely arrived in Wittenberg.
When the legate heard that Luther had gone, he was very angry and wrote the elector saying that he should either send Luther to Rome or at least drive him out of his land. Others advised the opposite. Laurentius of Bibra, the venerable bishop of Wuerzburg wrote him: “Your grace should not let the pious Dr. Martin be removed because an injustice will befall him.” In fact, even Emperor Maximilian said to the elector: “You may diligently protect the monk. It may be that one may need him.”
When the pope clearly saw that he could not suppress Luther’s doctrine by force, he then tried by means of kindness and sent his chamberlain Karl von Miltitz as nuncio to the elector to bring him a consecrated golden rose. This however only resulted in ridicule and amusement. Miltitz had a conversation with Luther in January of 1519 in Altenburg. He kindly asked him to help bring peace. He also promised that he would persuade the pope to do this as well. Luther agreed to everything he could with a clear conscience and without damaging the truth. They finally came to an agreement that both parties should henceforth be silent and Luther should address a humble writing to the pope.
Luther, by the way, explains that Miltitz was really commissioned by the pope to bring him captive to Rome, but along the way was struck by God, that is, he became frightened by the great crowds of those who were favorable toward Luther. Therefore he changed his violent way of thinking into a very cunning hypocritical goodwill. But Luther reports that Miltitz betrayed what he had thought and what he purposed in his heart to do when he said, “O dear Martin, I thought you were an old decrepit theologian who sat behind the oven and disputed with yourself. But I see that you are a young, vigorous, strong man. Even if I had an army of 25,000 men with me, I still would not dare to bring you out of Germany; for on this trip I now and then investigated how the people were disposed toward you and what they thought of you. This much I noticed: where one person stood on the side of the pope, three others stood on your side against the pope.”
They then departed from each other on the friendliest terms after Miltitz had Luther join him that evening for supper, encouraged him with tears and dismissed him with a kiss. Luther, though, regarded this kiss as a Judas kiss and said that for his part he also pretended as if he did not understand this Italian trick and crocodile tears. After that the nuncio summoned the shameless crier Tetzel and ordered him to stop him indulgence business, and alarmed him with such horror that he died soon after that. No one had pity on this miserable man who found himself so forsaken by God and man that no one even wrote him a letter of comfort or preached the grace of Christ to him.
As he promised, Luther wrote a humble letter to the pope in which he declared: “Most holy Father, I declare before God and every creature that I never in the past, nor am I today, seeking to attack the Roman Church and the authority of Your Holiness in any way or to diminish it with any cunning. Yes, I freely confess that the Church’s authority is over all and nothing is superior to it, either in heaven or on earth, except Jesus Christ, the Lord over all.” Luther would consequently have gladly kept the peace except that his enemies forced him against his will into the battle anew. In this battle he began to recognize all the more clearly that the pope was the Antichrist prophesied in Holy Scripture.

17. THE LEIPZIG DEBATE
Just like Luther, Dr. Carlstadt taught that without grace the free will of a person was unable to do anything but sin. On account of this doctrine he became involved in a dispute with Dr. John Eck. By Luther’s mediation both sides then agreed to settle their dispute in a public debate. Eck then published in a pamphlet the theses that he wanted to dispute with Carlstadt. In a very shrewd way in this pamphlet he directed his main attack against Luther himself. That’s why he said in it: “It agrees neither with Scripture nor with the holy fathers that with the word ‘Repent!’ Christ wants to make the entire life of believers one of repentance.” In his thirteenth thesis he declares that it is a necessary article of faith that the pope is, according to divine right, Christ’s representative and Peter’s successor.
Luther himself had to appear to defend the truth against Dr. Eck. On 24 June 1519 Luther came with Dr. Carlstadt, Philipp Melanchton, Dr. John Lang and Nicholas Amsdorf to Leipzig, accompanied by several hundred students from Wittenberg who ran alongside their carts with spears and halberds. The debate was held at the Pleissenburg Castle. Duke George had the largest hall most beautifully decorated for this. All the benches, tables and podiums were draped with magnificent tapestries: that of the Wittenbergers decorated with the image of St. Martin and that of Dr. Eck with the image of St. George. At the beginning of the debate Peter Mosellanus, Professor of Rhetoric at Leipzig, gave a speech in Latin on the proper form of debating. When he finished, musicians played “Come, Holy Ghost, Lord and God” at which all present respectfully kneeled. From all sides, a great crowd of people had gathered. To keep the peace, citizens in armor with their banners and best weapons were daily present at the castle.
First Eck debated Carlstadt on Free Will, then with Luther on the primacy of the pope. Eck maintained that the pope is the head of the Christian Church by divine right. Luther answered that of course the Christian Church must have a Head, but this is Christ, not the pope. If the pope is the head of the Church, then at the death of a pope the Church is without a head until a new one is chosen. The Eastern Church never recognized the pope but yet it is not heretical because of it. The pope only has primacy by human right. Eck tried all he could to make Luther appear to be guilty of the Bohemian heresy. But Luther kept himself from it this way: the Bohemians were certainly wrong to separate themselves from the unity of the Church by their own work. But when he said that certainly some of the articles of Hus, or the Bohemians, were completely Christian and evangelical, Duke George spoke in a loud voice that could be heard throughout the auditorium, “The plague take it!” shook his head and placed both arms on his side.
Soon after this the Bohemians allied themselves with Luther. On 03 October 1519, Luther received letters from 2 Hussite clergymen in Prague, Pastor John Paduschka and the provost of the Emperor Charles Council, Wenceslaus Rosdialovinus. They said that they had read his writings with joy and exhorted him that for the salvation of many, he should not neglect the grace of the Lord that is in him and that he should gladly bear the shame of Christ. There were very many believers and precious souls in Bohemia who supported him day and night with their prayer. Paduschka gave him a gift of knives; Rosdialovinus gave him a book of John Hus and added: “This one thing I know: what John Hus once was in Bohemia, you, Martin, are in Saxony.”
So far Professor Krauss

The summer Sunday morning Bible class will be a study of the liturgy. We will see the Scriptural basis of the liturgy and what the Sunday service is all about—God serving us and coming to us and speaking to us in His Word and Sacrament. To this we respond with Amen and praise. Luther notes: But the doctrine of the Gospel brings true peace, so that men’s hearts have no doubt about the mercy of God. And to be sure, the greatest calamity of all is for God to be silent and not to speak” [AE, XV, pg. 261]. Be sure to join us Sunday mornings at 9.30 beginning 05 June.

LWML NEWS:
I can't believe another month has just slipped away. We thank Eleanor for her gift in honor of Frank so we can do more quilts. So far we have put about 50 together. We plan on doing about 12 more; then we will close shop until fall.
We have a sign-up sheet in the narthex to clean up the kitchen on Saturday June 18, from 9 - 4. We will be taking the dishes out. Please pick a time-- even if it is only an hour. We need all the help we can get so bring your husband if you would like.
We thank Jane for many years of service as our treasurer. She has a lot on her plate now and had to resign. We are grateful to Audrey for her willingness to take over at this time, thank you.
The next LWML meeting is June 19th after church. Hope everyone has a blessed month, until next month. God Bless, Carol, Pres.

An example of the doctrine of the Trinity in the Old Testament
By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the Breath of His mouth. [Psalm 33.6]
Luther notes: Now, the Word is not the heaven nor the earth, nor anything that is in them, nor anything that is made together with these by the Word. Therefore it must be God Himself, and, at the same time, a Person apart from the Speaker, who makes all things through the Word, united in one indivisible essence of divine power, might, and effect…. The author uses the word “made” only once… He mentions three distinct Persons, namely, the Lord, His Word, and His Breath; and yet he does not set up more than one Creator… --AE XV, 301-302

TRINITY SUNDAY IS 19 JUNE THIS YEAR. On this Sunday we boldly and proudly proclaim this main doctrine of Christianity—that there is one God but three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Especially in our day we must boldly proclaim this doctrine as there are some—even among those calling themselves Christians—that say all the “monotheistic” religions worship the same God, that the Jewish or Moslem God is also the true God.
This is a basic doctrine: who is the God we worship? Christians, going all the way back to the Old Testament saints, worshiped the Triune God. Don’t let anyone tell you that the doctrine of the Trinity is something new invented by Christians. It is all over the pages of the Old Testament; in fact it is seen in the Hebrew text of the very first verse of the Bible.
We recognize that Jesus is the very God Himself, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who also became true man. Jews and Moslems reject that Jesus is God; therefore they worship a different God than we do. The god they worship is a non-existent idol. Jesus prayed [Jn. 17.3]: And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” He also very clearly told the Jews [John 5.23; 8.54]: “Whoever does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent Him…. It is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known Him”; and He tells His disciples [Luke 10.16]: “The one who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” By the Holy Spirit, St. John writes [1 John 2.23] “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

Do the Moslems worship the same God we do? Hardly! Look at what the Koran says: “Believe in God and in His messenger [Jesus], but say nothing of the Triad. Avoid that, and you will be better off. There is only one God. Far be it from him to have a son!... How can the Creator of heaven and earth have a son, since he has no wife?” (Quoted in Baier-Walther, I, 131)

Let us boldly proclaim the Athanasian Creed. The first half is all about the doctrine of the Trinity. The second half is all about that other great mystery of the Christian faith—that Jesus is both true God and true man in one Person.
Please be sure to review this creed in the weeks leading up to Trinity Sunday that you may boldly and with knowledge and feeling confess it on 19 June.

The Athanasian Creed
Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic faith.
Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally.
And the catholic faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.
For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another.
But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;
the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,
just as there are not three Uncreated or three
Infinites, but one Uncreated and one Infinite.
In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty; and yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;
and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.
So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord;
and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.
Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords.
The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone.
The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone.
The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding.
Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;
but the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal, so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.
Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.

But it is also necessary for everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, it is the right faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man.
He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; and He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age: perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh;
equal to the Father with respect to His divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity.
Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ:
one, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God;
one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.
For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ, who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.
And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire.
This is the catholic faith; whoever does not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved.
Athanasian Creed: LSB. Copyright © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.

On 25 June, we remember that on this day in 1530 before both church and state the Lutherans presented a statement of what we believe.

About the Augsburg Confession
Part of the Book of Concord
The Augsburg Confession is one of the Lutheran Confessions contained in the Book of Concord of 1580. This collection of confessional statements has been adopted by Lutherans worldwide as a true and faithful exposition of the Holy Scriptures. Thus, the Lutheran Confessions declare before all the world what we believe, teach, and confess to be the true and universal teachings of the Christian Church.

The Augsburg Confession
The Augsburg Confession is the chief confession of the Lutheran Church. With the Apology, its longer explanation, it is the first special Lutheran confession written and adopted as a testimony against the abuses that had crept into the teaching and practice of the church before the Reformation, and against the errors of the radical reformers such as Zwingli (and later Calvin) and the Anabaptists.
The Augsburg Confession was presented to Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire on Saturday, June 25, 1530, in Augsburg, Germany. Here the emperor had convened a "diet," or general assembly, of representatives of church and state to consider the Lutheran movement. In the Bishop's Palace, where Charles V was lodged, the Confession was read in German by Chancellor Dr. Christian Beyer. This fearless Lutheran layman read the Augsburg Confession so distinctly and loudly that also those who were gathered in the spacious courtyard of the palace could understand every word.
It was a large and august body which here heard a clear summary of what the Lutherans believed and confessed as the truth of God's Word. There were present all the electors, princes, bishops, representatives of the free cities, and foreign ambassadors connected with the empire. After the reading of the Augsburg Confession, the document was handed to the emperor in both a German and a Latin version.

Why the Augsburg Confession Was Written
For a long time prior to 1530, Charles V had been urged by the pope of Rome to suppress the Lutheran doctrine by force. But he was hindered in the persecution of the Lutherans by the Turks, who at that time threatened the Christian world, as well as by the French king, Francis I, and the double-crossing politics of the pope himself. All this happened, of course, by God's gracious ruling for the protection of the precious Gospel truths published as a result of the Lutheran Reformation.
The Augsburg Confession was written by Philip Melanchthon, Luther's famous fellow professor at Wittenberg. But it was based on articles of faith drawn up by Lutheran theologians, especially by Luther himself.

What the Augsburg Confession Teaches
The Augsburg Confession consists of 28 articles, of which some are short, while others are long. Of these, Articles 1-21 present the Lutheran doctrine. Articles 22-28 deal with the medieval abuses which the Lutherans had corrected. The Augsburg Confession considered only the most important matters that were in dispute at that time.
Its tone is friendly and conciliatory because at that time some Lutherans still believed that those who opposed the Reformation might be won for the truth of the Gospel, if only they would hear it clearly stated.
The Augsburg Confession stresses the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as the center of the Christian Faith. It gathers around this basic teaching of the Bible all other doctrines of the Christian Faith. In this respect, the Augsburg Confession is unique among Christian Confessions. It witnesses everywhere the glorious Christ, who died for us and rose again and who alone is the Savior of all men.

The Augsburg Confession, Pattern of Other Church Confessions
Because the Augsburg Confession is so excellent a presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and its joyous message of free and full salvation for all men, its influence on Protestantism has been tremendous. The Augsburg Confession is still the outstanding Evangelical Confession, and it is regarded by all Lutherans as a creed that is truly biblical.

Adapted from "The Lutheran Confessions" by J.T. Mueller, Tract #10-193 from Concordia Tract Society, available from CPH. Copyright © Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Distributed by the LCMS Commission on Worship for congregational use only.

The Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting was held 08 May 2011.

14. THE ELECTOR’S PROPHETIC DREAM ABOUT LUTHER
In the night of 31 October 1517 (the eve of that All Saints’ Day on which Luther posted his theses against papal indulgences), Elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony had the following dream in Schweinitz. He recorded it the next morning and also told it to his brother, Duke John of Saxony in the presence of the chancellor. “I dreamed,” he explained, “that the Almighty God sent me a monk. He had a distinguished, honest face, a true son of St. Paul, the dear apostle. At God’s command, he had all dear saints as companions. They would testify to me that there was no deception with the monk and that he truly was a messenger of God. And God commanded me to allow the monk to write something to my castle chapel in Wittenberg. I would not regret it. Because God ordered me to, I sent word to him by the chancellor. He would have such a mighty testimony since would write what was commanded him. Then the monk began to write and made such large letters that I could recognize them here in Schweinitz. He used such a long pen that it reached to Rome where the shaft stuck a lion in the ear, which was laying down; and the shaft came out the other ear and the pen extended further until it reached the pope’s holy triple crown. It struck it so hard that it began to totter and threatened to fall from the head of his Holiness.
“As it was falling (it seemed to me, that your grace and I were not standing too far away) I stretched out my hand and wanted to help steady the crown. At the very moment that I was quickly grabbing it, I awoke and held my arm up high. I was completely terrified and also angry with the monk that he was not more careful with his pen when he wrote.

Then I realized that it was a dream. I was still very sleepy and my eyes soon closed and I again fell soundly asleep. Before I knew it, this dream came to me a second time. It again had to do with the monk and I watched him as he continued to write. He continued to stick the shaft of the pen through the lion (Pope Leo X) to the pope. The lion roared so frightfully that the entire city of Rome and every estate of the holy kingdom ran to see what it was. Then the papal Holiness and estates wanted the monk to be restrained and to have this sacrilege reported to me in particular because this monk dwelt in my land.
“Then I awoke a second time, surprised that the dream had returned. I was still not completely troubled but I asked God to protect the papal Holiness from all evil. I fell asleep the third time. Then the monk came to me a third time and I dreamed that the foremost estates of the empire (Your majesty and I were also among them) went to Rome and tried to break the monk’s pen and lead him away from the pope. But the more we tried to break the pen, the stiffer it became and screeched, as if it were iron. It also screeched so much that it hurt my ears and penetrated my heart. Finally, everyone got annoyed and tired. We quit and one after the other dispersed and feared that the monk might be able to do more than eat bread; he might be able cause us disgrace. Nevertheless, I asked the monk (for I was one time in Rome, another time in Wittenberg, then back again in Rome) where he got this pen from and why it’s so firm and strong. He said to me that it was from an old hundred year old goose (Hus). One of his old teachers presented him with it and because it was still good, asked him to keep it and use it in memory of him. He had also tempered it himself. But it was so long and hard and firm because no one could take its spirit or remove its soul. He himself even wondered about this.
“Soon after that a cry went out that many countless other pens had grown out of the monk’s long pen. It was delightful to see that the learned people in Wittenberg tore them off. In time, these new pens became as long as the monk’s pen. Something remarkable certainly resulted from this monk and his pen.
“When, in the dream, I had definitely decided that I had soon better speak personally with the monk, I woke up for the third time and it was then morning. I greatly wondered about the dream. I reflected on it and certainly thought about how came to me in succession and at once wrote down its main parts. I was thoroughly convinced that this dream certainly had a significance because it happened to me so often.”

15. LUTHER’S 95 THESES: THE BEGINNING OF THE REFORMATION
On 01 November the Castle Church in Wittenberg celebrated its festival of church dedication as All Saints’ Church. On this day many people from near and far were streaming to it. According to the academic custom, the theses (positions) were posted the day before, in fact, precisely at 12 noon. On 31 October 1517, in the name of God, Luther posted the 95 Theses against the abuse of indulgences on the door of the church. In the theses, however, he never attacks the papal indulgence itself, but only the coarsest abuses associated with them. He had already admitted that the shameless preaching of indulgences made it difficult even for scholars to defend papal honor and dignity. The first thesis read: When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent” He wanted that the entire life of His believers on earth should be a constant, unceasing repentance. He further maintained: Every true Christian, living or dead, shares in all the benefits of Christ and of the Church by God’s gift, even without a letter of indulgence. By this he confessed that faith alone makes one righteous before God and saves. The many thousands of hearts that were anxious and tortured by doubt had desirously yearned for this doctrine. Thus, in several days the theses had made their way throughout all of Germany and throughout all of Europe in a few weeks. Many were eagerly reading them. In fact, four years later a traveler bought them in Jerusalem. It was “as if the angels themselves were the messengers and brought them before the eyes of all people.” No one could believe what was said; almost everyone was pleased.
When the godly monk, Dr. Fleck found these theses posted in Steinlausig in his dining hall and read a little of them, he shouted with joy, “Aha! Aha!” and said, “This one will do it. The one we have waited so long for, he has come.” He also then wrote a very comforting letter to Luther and encouraged him to continue on confidently for he was on the right path. God and the prayer of all captives in the Roman Babylon would be with him. Others, though, were afraid. The renowned Dr. Albert Kranz in Hamburg, who received Luther’s theses on his deathbed several days before his death cried out, “Go to your cell, good brother, and pray: ‘Lord, have mercy upon me!’” He meant by this that the poor monk’s struggle against the mighty pope could not possibly turn out well for him. An old clergyman from Hoexter in Westphalia said, “My dear Brother Martin, if you can storm and annihilate purgatory and popish huckstering, then you are indeed a great man!” Even Luther’s Prior and Subprior were fearful and advised him not to bring the order into disgrace. He answered, “Dear fathers, if it was not begun in God’s name, it will soon come to nothing; but if it has begun in His name, let Him take care of it.” “Since they said nothing,” Luther himself later explained, “it still continues now; and, it will, if God wants, also continue on until the end. Amen.”
Without knowing it, Luther had attacked the heart of the papacy with these theses. It was not the courage of the flesh that inspired him. He himself said: “Who was I? A miserable and despised brother who at that time was more like a corpse than a man, who set himself against the majesty of the pope. Not only the kings of the earth and the whole earth, but also heaven and hell were shocked that I speak this way. They had to conform everything only according to his beckoning. What and in what manner my heart had suffered and endured the first two years! In great humility, which was not a false and made-up kind, but a genuine one, I wanted to say in pure despair, when I was uncertain, ‘Oh! The more certain spirits, who afterwards attack the majesty of the pope with great pride and boldness, know little of this.’” So far Professor Krauss

Hello Ladies!
• We have a meeting on May 15, following church, and our hostess is Ginny. Please join us for this time of planning and fellowship.
• We have a 5th Friday dinner this Friday, April 29. We hope many can join us. Since we do not have these 5th Friday dinners in the winter months due to weather, be sure to pray for good weather.
• We are still doing quilts. Many quilts are done by few hands. All hands are welcome even if it just for an hour or so. Pastor makes us coffee every Monday morning and the Pawlaks bring donuts which are warm off the press. Thank you both.
• That is about all the news I have for this month, have a blessed month and until then God Bless.
Carol Zaun, LWML Pres.

Thanks to all of you for the prayers, cards, flowers and visits. They made the weeks of shingles, depression and the news of my sister’s cardiac arrest easier to bear. The doctors are trying to get my sister’s heart rhythm under control so she can have the tumor removed. Please keep praying for her. God’s blessings,
Your sister in faith,
Audrey

Pastor Grabenhofer and family thank the congregation for all the cards, prayers and condolences.

Congratulations to John Weiner for doing so well in the Boston Marathon, the oldest and most prestigious marathon in the world. Here’s the official results:
Runner: John Weiner
Latest Results:
Location Time Pace/mile
10km 0:40:00 6:26
Half-Marathon 1:23:45 6:23
30km 1:59:57 6:26
Finish 2:56:16 6:43

…to you the word of this salvation has been sent (Acts 13.26)
We have once again heard the glorious Easter Gospel—Jesus rose from the dead. Sin, death, devil and hell have all been conquered. We sinners have been reconciled to the holy God and forgiven our sins; heaven stands open to us.
Luther comments on “the word of this salvation” that we have once again heard: Only grasp this word in your heart: that Christ sent you a preaching of salvation, which is redemption and victory over sin, death, grave, decay, hell and devil. Therefore this glory of the preaching about Christ, which St. Paul here calls a word of salvation, is much more and greater than what he can tell them about all the kingdoms and riches and glory of the world. What could all those help me if I did not have this word of salvation and eternal life? For when it comes to sins or the distress and danger of death, I must then say: Away with everything that is a good or a joy to this world, so that I may only hear and have this preaching of salvation that Christ sent.
(--Quoted in Lange, V, pg. 292-3)

He [Jesus] rises again from the dead, in order by His resurrection to pave the way to eternal life for us, and to aid us against eternal death.”--Luther

LORD, WILL YOU AT THIS TIME RESTORE THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL? (Acts 1.6)
Our churches also condemn those who are spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed.
[Augsburg Confession XVII, 5]
END TIMES PREDICTIONS
You have probably heard by now of some of the predictions for 2011, namely that there is a kook group from California travelling the country saying that 21 May will be the Last Day. Then there is the Mayan calendar that supposedly ends in December of this year and thus, by that, people are saying that that will be the Last Day. (Interestingly enough, our hymnal, first published in 1941, only gives the dates for Easter until 2000. Does that mean our synodical fathers were predicting the end of the world before Easter 2001?) Either way, the world is supposedly ending in 2011.
I think we are all spiritually mature enough to realize that this is all foolishness and contrary to Scripture and can easily laugh it off as we remember Christ’s words as He speaks about the end times and people trying to figure it out and predict it [Mt. 24.36, 42]: No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [Before you get worked up about the question, here’s the answer: Jesus here is speaking according to His human nature—He is both God and man—and according to His human nature chooses to know some things and to be ignorant of other things. We see here Christ’s submission to His heavenly Father] What, then, should the Christian do? Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
The Christian doesn’t care when Christ will return because we will always be ready as we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life.
IS MODERN DAY ISRAEL AND THE MIDDLE EAST TIED UP IN END TIME PROPHECIES?
However, as it is very easy to laugh off all those predicting the date of the end of the world, it gets a little more difficult when we pick up the paper and see all the events going on in the Mideast; and we then also hear so many sincere, well-meaning Christians saying that the unrest in the Middle East is tied to end times prophecy. These Christians suppose that the modern political state of Israel and the real estate of Palestine have some role to play in the end times. Seeing it as a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets’ prophecies, these Christians are all excited when Jews from all over the world came into Palestine in 1948 and founded the modern political Zionist state of Israel.
Whenever the Old Testament prophets talk about a restoration of Israel, of people coming to Jerusalem and the temple, these Christians mistakenly take it as a reference to the physical restoration of a modern political state of Israel. A proper look at these verses sees that yes the prophets are at times talking about a return to Palestine—and this was fulfilled when a faithful remnant of Israelites returned from captivity in Babylon. Among them were the ancestors of Jesus. But, as the context clearly shows, the prophecies that speak of people returning, coming to Jerusalem and the temple (Micah 2 and Isaiah 2, for example) in the Last Days are really prophecies about the Church, that people from all over the world will come to faith in Jesus.
SO WHAT ABOUT THE LAND?
These misguided Christians go back to the promise God made to Abraham to give his descendants the land of Canaan. We see at the time of Joshua (21.43) that God had kept His promise to give the land of Canaan to the Israelites: So the Lord gave to Israel all the land which He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it; and Nehemiah (9.7-8) praises the Lord for His faithfulness. As the Lord threatened, if the Israelites disobeyed, they would be expelled from the land (Lv. 26; Dt. 28). That happened! Although the Israelites lost the land due to disobedience, God was faithful to the promise He made to Abraham to be an ancestor of the Messiah, Jesus. After the Israelites were brought into captivity in Babylon (586 BC), the Lord indeed brought back a faithful remnant to Canaan so that the Messiah could be born a descendant of Abraham, of a virgin, in Bethlehem etc. As the Hebrews Bible Class is discovering, the promise of the real estate of Canaan was a picture of what the spiritual descendants of Abraham (Rm. 9.6-7; 2. 28-29; Gal. 3. 28, 29), the Christian, would receive through faith in Christ—their heavenly homeland. After the 40 years of grace that God gave the Israelites to come to faith in Christ and to be true spiritual children of Abraham had come to an end, God sent in Titus and his Roman legions to destroy Jerusalem and the temple. God was faithful to His promise to Abraham to make him an ancestor of the Savior; the Israelites had “done their duty” as the Savior was born from them, lived among them, preached to them and carried out His saving work in Canaan.
The modern political state of Israel, then, has no more role to play in the end time prophecies than any other nation. Should we get all excited and worked up because of the events in the Middle East as if they herald the end times? No way! Just let all these wars and rumors of war serve our Lord’s purpose of reminding us that He is coming, as a thief in the night so that we will by repentance and faith be ready for His coming. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

FROM THE EASTERN DISTRICT LCMS

Several congregations in the Eastern District-LCMS are pleased to announce they will be hosting the “Let There Be Light” Creation Conference featuring Answers in Genesis founder/CEO Ken Ham and Dr. David Menton at the Conference Center-Niagara Falls on September 17, 2011. This is an exciting outreach opportunity for our area Lutheran churches.

The “Let There Be Light” committee was formed about nine months ago with the sole purpose of bringing an Answers in Genesis Conference to the Buffalo-Niagara Region, and currently consists of Rev. Karl Haeussler, St. Paul Lutheran Church, No. Tonawanda, Rev. Alex Knowles, St. Peter Lutheran Church, Lockport, Rev. Bruce Donley, St. Michael Lutheran Church, Akron, and five LCMS lay-people. It is the intention of the committee through the Creation Conference to:
• Proclaim the biblical view of creation and the absolute truth of God’s Word
• Ignite a passion in people for studying the Bible
• Promote further education of the biblical view of creation
• Shift perceptions of the Lutheran church
• Ignite and unify the Lutheran community in proclaiming mission and ministry
Ken Ham is a world-famous biblical authority and is one of the most sought-after Christian speakers in the world. God has blessed our committee in many ways, not the least of which was securing Ken Ham as our lead speaker. Ken’s emphasis is on the relevance and authority of the book of Genesis to the life of the average Christian, and how compromise on Genesis has opened a dangerous door regarding how the culture and church view biblical authority.
Dr. David Menton is an ivy-league educated biologist who rejects evolution and holds firmly to the Word of God. He is also a fellow Lutheran. Dr. Menton’s combination of vast scientific knowledge and love for the Word of God make for a truly informative, enriching experience.
The Conference Center-Niagara Falls is a state-of-the-art facility which can accommodate 2,900 guests. We plan, with the help of God, to fill every seat!
Who should attend this Conference? Everyone! This is a family-friendly event. We will feature children’s activities including a puppet show, a dinosaur dig, hands-on science experiments, Noah’s Ark, art projects, face-painting, etc. There will even be a cry-room with a live-feed so you won’t have to miss anything. This is for young and old and in-between. For everyone who has all the answers, and for those who have only questions.
How can you help? First, please pray that God will continue to bless and direct our committee. Second, get the word out. Tell friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. And lastly, volunteer. Help will be needed. Prior to the event, people are needed to make phone calls to area pastors, and to solicit businesses and individuals to sponsor T-shirts and place ads in event bulletins. On the day of the event, people are needed to provide security (ushers), health services (EMT’s or nurses), helping with sales of Answers in Genesis materials and event T-shirts, and help with children’s activities. If you are able to assist in any of these areas, please call 716-622-5359, or email us at creationconference@gmail.com .
It is our hope and prayer that you will join with us to make this a truly memorable event. Please visit our website www.lettherebelightconference.blogspot.com for updates.
The “Let There Be Light” Creation Conference Committee

12. LUTHER BECOMES A DOCTOR OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
In 1512 Staupitz, Luther’s superior, together with the entire monastery, decided that Brother Martin should become a Doctor of Holy Scripture. He was informed of this decision while he was under a tree at the monastery in Wittenberg. But when Luther made excuses saying that he was too weak and sick of a monk who did not have long to live and that someone more suitable and healthier should be sought, Staupitz answered facetiously, “It must be remembered that our God has much to do in heaven and on earth. Thus He needs many and industrious Doctors through whom He can work. Whether you live or die, the Lord needs you in His council. Therefore do what your monastery charges you; because of your vow, you are obligated to obey them and me. Concerning the fees, our most gracious Elector, Duke Frederick, will most graciously pay from his treasury to further our God, this university and monastery.” In the end, it happened. The elector heard Luther preach and admired his spirit, the power of his speech and his practical teaching.
On 18 October 1512 at one o’ clock in the afternoon, in the presence of many from the university and other respected men, Dr. Andreas Bodenstein Carlstadt, the then dean and archdeacon of All Saints’ Church, declared Luther a licentiate of sacred theology. The next day, after the fathers and guests, had, as before, assembled together under the chiming of the large bells, Dr. Carlstadt adorned Luther with the decoration of a Doctor of Sacred Theology. Luther’s valid and public call and the oath which he made to God, the Holy Scripture and to the University of Wittenberg, would often comfort Luther in the great distresses and struggles by which devil and world tried to alarm and frighten him: Who had commanded him and how would he defend himself with the charge that he had raised such a disturbance in all of Christendom? Luther could then joyfully testify: “I, Doctor Martin, am called to do so and am forced to do so, because by no choice of mine but purely out of obedience, I had to become a doctor. I had to accept the Doctorate and swear and vow to my most beloved Holy Scripture that I preach it faithfully and purely. In the course of this teaching the papacy got in my way and wanted to prevent me, but you can see how it fared; it will get even worse for it, and will not be able to defend itself against me.”

That same year, the council also called Luther to be a preacher. Thus Luther studied the Holy Scripture even more diligently and earnestly than before. In order to learn and understand it all the more thoroughly, he diligently studied both the Hebrew language (in which the Old Testament was originally written) as well as the Greek language (in which the New Testament was composed). In his lectures he expounded the Letter to the Romans and the Psalms so clearly and gloriously that all pious and sensible Christian hearts could believe nothing else but that after a long dark night a new, beautiful and lovely light had risen and appeared to them. Then he showed the proper distinction between Law and Gospel and mightily refuted the frightening error that filled every school and pulpit: that by outward piety and civil respectability man, by his own good works, could earn the forgiveness of sins and be justified before God the Lord. This was just like the Pharisees and Scribes had taught at Christ’s time. In opposition to that, he again drew hearts to the Son of God, showed them, like John the Baptizer once did, the Lamb of God Who perfectly paid for all our sins and took them away, and he taught that our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake without any of our own merit and that this blessing must be received with a living faith and kept to the end. In addition Luther also composed many letters, which were rich in comfort and instruction to troubled consciences. He wrote to a beloved brother at the monastery at Memmingen, George Spenlein: “I would certainly like to know what the condition of your soul is, if it has finally tired of its own righteousness and wants to learn to refresh itself in the righteousness of Christ and to place its confidence on that. For in our time many, especially those who by their own might alone want to be just and godly, are sorely attacked by a presumptuous delusion: they do not know the righteousness of God, which is abundant to us in Christ and is freely given to us. Instead, they try so long to make themselves good, so that they can come to the point of having the joy of going before God as people who are adorned with good works and merit. This is impossible. When you were with us, you were of this opinion, or better said, of this error. I was too and I even still fight against it and have not overcome it. Therefore, my dear brother, learn Christ and Him crucified. Learn to sing of Him and, despairing of yourself, to say: You, my Lord Jesus, are my righteousness, and I am Your sin. You took what is mine and gave me what I was not.”

Thus, by Luther, the glorious light of the Gospel once again arose. He showed, by God’s Word, what a person had to do in order to be saved and thus he dealt with the doctrines of repentance, forgiveness of sins, faith and true comfort in the cross. All godly hearts were seized by the sweetness of this doctrine and many scholars were glad that Christ, the prophets, and apostles were brought back, so to speak, from the darkness and dust in which they had lain as prisoners. At the same time Luther opposed the false Aristotelian philosophy the followers of the pope wanted to use to support their church doctrine. He showed that to live a Christian life and to die a blessed death, a person had to learn the true faith from the Holy Scripture and not from the heathen, Aristotle. In addition to that, a person would lead a godly, blameless life. His life would agree with his doctrine and everyone would see that it wasn’t just words but that he truly meant it from the heart. He also did not hastily change church customs; instead, Luther was a strict protector of order. By this he won the love of his hearers and a great respect.

At that time John Reuchlin and Erasmus stimulated the noble sciences and free arts. As Luther gradually recognized the truth all the more clearly, his friends Staupitz, Spalatin and others sought to promote the sciences also in Wittenberg and spoke about them to their elector. Soon they flourished all the more beautifully. Above all, the ancient languages were studied. Next to hearty prayer, the holy cross and earnest meditation the languages are the best interpreters of the divine word. And because Luther had brought about a better way of learning in Wittenberg, many bright and gifted minds became disgusted at the barbaric and scholastic teaching of the monks and turned to the Gospel. Thus, on 17 May 1517, Luther could report to John Lange: “With God’s help, our theology and St. Augustine grows and rules at our university. Aristotle is gradually climbing down from his throne and will soon be cast aside, perhaps forever. The lectures on the Sentences are held in contempt and no one can count upon hearers unless he lectures on the Bible, or St. Augustine or another correct Church Father.”

When, in 1516, the plague raged in Wittenberg, John Lange had advised Luther to flee. He answered, “Where should I flee to? I hope that the world will not collapse with Bother Martin. If the plague spreads I want the brothers to scatter everywhere, but I have been placed here and, out of obedience, I cannot flee. I do not say this as one who does not fear death, for I am not the Apostle Paul, just his interpreter. But I hope that God will deliver me out of all my fear.”

In 1517 Luther was in Dresden where he preached before the Duke on 25 July. In this sermon he said that no person may disregard the hope of salvation because those who listen to the Word of God with attentive hearts are Christ’s true disciples and chosen and appointed for eternal life. He elaborated upon this longer and showed that as long as one begins with Christ, the doctrine of election has a special power to drive away fear. In this fear, people feel their unworthiness, tremble and flee from God— precisely the One in whom they, above all, should take their refuge. At the table, the Duke asked the court mistress, Barbara von Sala, how she liked the sermon. She answered that if she could hear one more such sermon she could die at once in peace. The Duke became angry with this and in his blindness said that he would give a large sum of money if only he did not have to hear a sermon like that one that emboldened the people.

In 1516 and 1517 Staupitz commissioned Luther to visit 40 Augustinian monasteries in Meissen and Thuringia. Luther carried out this difficult task with great faithfulness, set up schools and exhorted the monks to read their Bibles diligently and live a holy, peaceable and chaste life. With this opportunity he all the more thoroughly recognized the great corruption dominant in the monasteries. By this God was all the more equipping him for the great work of the Reformation.

13. TETZEL’S SHAMEFUL WRONGS IN INDULGENCES
At that time Leo X sat upon the papal throne. He was a godless man who indulged in every vice and lust and didn’t believe anything at all. He nearly lost his sight on account of his lewdness and gluttony. One day when Cardinal Bembo stated something from Holy Scripture, Leo spoke the dreadful words, “O, what money the fable about Christ has yielded us!”….
The pope, however, needed a lot of money for his feasting and revelry. In order to get it, he proclaimed a general indulgence, supposedly for the continued work of the magnificent Church of St. Peter. He commissioned Elector Albrecht of Mainz, who at the same time was also Archbishop, to have this indulgence preached in Germany. For this task Albrecht chose the Dominican monk, John Tetzel, a shameless man whom Emperor Maximilian, in Innsbruck, had already sentenced to be drowned in a sack on account of adultery. As pay for his efforts, each month he would receive wages for himself and 10 for his servants, as well as clothing, traveling money for himself and food for three horses.
These indulgence yielded immense amounts of money for the pope because the poor people were told the lie that whoever bought a letter of indulgence was not only forgiven his sins but was also released from all punishments in this life and in purgatory. Thus everyone streamed there. Even the poorest crazy women, widows and beggars brought their last cent and bought an indulgence in order to redeem the souls of their friends from purgatory. So much was this the case that if it had gone on longer, Germany would not have had a penny left. And yet, the pope still did not have enough. The money was not spent on St. Peter’s, but on his pride and villainy instead. It was so excessive that even the emperor, king, princes and lords of the Holy Empire were annoyed. They loudly complained about this at several imperial assemblies and wanted a reformation. But no one could advise or help because the earthly god in Rome was too mighty both in the church and in the hearts of all people and his ban of excommunication was feared.

Because at that time the papal indulgence was most highly regarded, Tetzel’s indulgence business was received everywhere with the greatest pomp. When he entered a city, the papal bull was carried before him on velvet or gilded cloth, and all the priests, monks, city council, teachers, students, men, women, and young women went to meet him with flags and candles, with song and procession. The bells were tolled, the organs sounded, and then Tetzel was accompanied into the church. In the middle of the church he set up a red cross upon which hung the pope’s coat of arms. In short, God Himself could not have been welcomed more beautifully.

Tetzel carried on his indulgence business with unheard of audacity. In St. Annaberg he said that if they would quickly gather around and buy many indulgences all the mountains around St. Annaberg would become pure silver. Once in Magdeburg he did not want to absolve a rich woman until she had paid 500 Gulden. In Leipzig he enticed the farmers who lived around the city by postponing the indulgence preaching to Sundays and festival days. With the sales he would arrange entertainment, bird shoots, climbing poles, ninepins for an ox, dice games for gingerbread, etc. His helper, Bartholomew Rauch, was almost worse. He said that he saw with his own eyes the blood of Christ gently flowing down from the holy red cross on which the papal coat of arms hung and that since the time of Christ’s suffering there had never such great grace. He also said that since the cross performed signs, he would excommunicate whoever would speak against it. Tetzel had a precise rate for sins. He forgave witchcraft for two ducats, polygamy cost six, murder eight, sacrilege and perjury nine. “With a penny,” he said, “you can redeem the soul of your father from purgatory. But are you indeed so ungrateful that you do not want to rescue your father from torment? If you only had a coat, you must immediately take it off and sell it in order to get such grace.”
Tetzel threatened those who spoke against the indulgence saying that he would have their heads removed as arch-heretics and cast them, bloody, into hell. One time, though, he was tricked. When he had gathered a lot of money together, a nobleman came to him and asked him that if he could also forgive the sins that he was planning on committing, if so then he would give him ten thaler. At first Tetzel flatly refused and made the excuse that it was a grave matter. Nevertheless since he had full power from the pope, if the nobleman would give him 30 thaler he would give him the indulgence he requested. The nobleman paid the sum and soon afterwards when Tetzel departed from Leipzig, the nobleman was lying in wait for him, took the indulgence money from him saying that that was the sin for which he had purchased the indulgence. Tetzel certainly complained about it, yet he was only ridiculed because of his thoughtlessness and nothing happened to the nobleman.

With what devilish cunning this deceiver lied to the poor people and took the money, is seen in the following example. In Zwickau, when he had offered his indulgence for sale for many days and then wanted to depart, the chaplains and those serving at the altar said to him, “Sir, you are leaving but we have not had the benefit of your indulgence. Please, treat us yet to something for our benefit.” Tetzel responded that he had already packed up the indulgence money but that he would still fulfill their request. The next day, he had the large bells toll, at which the people came to the church in droves. Then he came forward and said that he wanted to leave that morning, but just in that past night a poor soul was in the churchyard. It whined pitifully and pleaded for help to be delivered from its terrible agony. Thus he had no choice but to stay this one more day. He then would have a collection for it. The people could make an offering for this poor soul to be redeemed from its torment. Whoever wouldn’t do anything would show by this that he has no sympathy with the poor soul. In fact, this would show that the person himself must be drowned in sin, and for this reason the poor soul was then suffering… So that they would see the great distress, he himself would give to the offering. Tetzel, then, was the first to put in money. Such giving followed that the people in the church lent money to each other so that they could give, because no one wanted to be an adulterer or an adulteress. He then gave this money to the priests for their benefit and frivolity—for the indulgence sellers used to revel publicly in the pubs and to squander their share of the indulgence money with reveling and prostitutes.

Finally, in 1516, Tetzel also came to Jueterbog, which was near Wittenberg. It is unbelievable what this shameless man was allowed to pretend and preach. The pope, he said, had more power than all apostles, all angels and saints, even more than the Virgin Mary herself, because these were all still under Christ, but the pope was equal to Christ. In fact, after His ascension, Christ had nothing more to govern in the Church, for He had entrusted all this to the pope as His representative. The red cross of indulgence and the papal seal that hung on it were to be worshipped and adored. The indulgence makes those who buy it, purer than baptism, in fact, purer than Adam was in paradise in the state of innocence.

“At that time,” Luther explains, “I was a preacher here in the monastery and a young doctor, fresh on the scene, full of fire and adept in the Holy Scripture. When many people of Wittenberg ran to Jueterbog and Zerbst for the indulgence, and I, as certainly as my Lord Christ redeemed me, did not know what the indulgence was, began to preach carefully that a person could do something much better, something that would be more certain than buying an indulgence. I had preached this before at the castle against indulgence, and by it had earned the disfavor of Duke Frederick because he still greatly loved his collection of relics” (which itself gave a great indulgence). Luther instead advised his hearers to give alms to the poor, according to Christ’s command, rather than to buy such uncertain grace. Whoever repented received the forgiveness of his sins that Christ obtained by His own sacrifice and blood and offers us without money, out of pure grace, and gives freely.

With horror Luther heard the terrible results of the indulgence trade in the confessional. The number of his penitents shrunk, and those who did come defiantly declared that they did not want to give up adultery, fornication, usury and similar sins. Because they did not want rightly to repent and promise improvement, Luther refused to absolve them. Then they appealed to their letter of indulgence. Yet Luther did not pay any attention but instead held before them the verse: But unless you repent you will all likewise perish (Lk. 13.3). Therefore they returned to Tetzel and complained to him that this Augustinian monk despised their letters of indulgence. He became very angry with this, raged, horribly scolded and condemned from the pulpit and in great hostility threatened him with the executioner. In order to frighten everyone with to fear his power, several times he lit a fire in the marketplace to show he had authority from the pope himself to burn heretics that opposed the most holy pope and his most holy indulgence.
Meanwhile it came to Luther’s attention that Tetzel had preached the following atrocious, terrible articles: the red cross of indulgence set up in the church with the papal seal was just as mighty as the cross of Christ; in heaven he would not be equal to St. Peter because with the indulgence he had redeemed more souls than Peter did with his preaching; as soon as the money that someone puts into the coffer for a soul in purgatory falls to the bottom and makes a sound, the soul goes to heaven; the grace offered by indulgences is the same grace by which a person is reconciled with God; it is not necessary to have contrition, sorrow or repentance over sin if one buys a letter of indulgence. In short, Tetzel tried to outdo himself in Jueterbog. Among other things he said in the pulpit, was that on Good Friday he saw the souls of the citizens of Geserich flying into heaven.

“But I did not know at the time,” Luther explained, “to whom such money went. Then a booklet came out so magnificently adorned with the seal of the Bishop of Magdeburg in which the peddlers were commanded to preach such articles. Then it came out that Bishop Albrecht hired this Tetzel because he was a great crier. He was chosen as Bishop of Mainz on the condition that he himself buy the pallium. In Mainz three bishops, Berthold, James and Uriel, had recently died in short order one after the other. Thus it was probably difficult for the bishopric to purchase the pallium, which cost, according to some 26,000 gulden, while others say 30,000 gulden, because the Holy Father in Rome can sell flax thread, which otherwise is hardly worth six cents, at such an high price.

“When the bishop made this little discovery and planned on paying the Fuggers (who had loaned the money) for the pallium out of the purse of the common man, he sent out these great purse thrashers into the lands. He thoroughly thrashed until piles of money began to fall, to spring, to ring into the coffers. At the same time, Tetzel also did not forget himself. In addition to that, the pope, too, had his hand in this, since half would go to build St. Peter’s Church in Rome. Thus these fellows went out with joy and great hope, to beat and thrash the purses. This, I say, I did not know at the time. Then I wrote a letter to the Bishop of Magdeburg and warned and implored him to put a stop to Tetzel and forbid him to preach such unfortunate things since a scandal could arise. Since he was an archbishop, this was proper for him to act. But I never received and answer. I also wrote the same thing to the Bishop of Brandenburg as Superior. In him I had a very gracious bishop. He answered me this way: that I was attacking the authority of the Church and would make difficulties for myself. He advised me to desist from it. I can certainly imagine that they both must have thought that the pope would be much too powerful for me, such a miserable beggar.”

Then when the bishops did not want to hinder abomination of the indulgences, Luther could no longer be silent about it. His divine call as one who cares for souls and as a teacher of Holy Scripture bound him to testify against it. Thus it was the almighty God Himself who called him to be the reformer of His Church and to be the one who would contend against the pope. So that Luther would not be hindered in this holy work, God moved the heart of a powerful man in a miraculous way to be favorable toward him.

So far Professor Krauss

LUTHER: On Good Friday Christ stepped into our person and held it under the devil’s nose, taunting him. The devil then thought that he certainly had Christ. When he killed Him, he thought that Christ would then have to stay dead forever. But what happened? Unexpectedly Christ rose from the dead trampling underfoot the devil together with sin, death and hell. By this He became Lord over devil, sin and death. This Man, Christ, never committed a sin, and yet the devil maliciously killed Him. So then God the Almighty judged this matter and said: “Devil, you have abused your office in regard to this Person. I will take your life from you.” Then the verdict mightily went out that the devil together with sin and death would be subjugated to Christ. It was my sin, my death and my devil, then, that has been swallowed up. This understanding and view make you a Christian. When you believe it and regard it as true, you have the righteousness and life that Christ has because He didn’t do this for His sake but for your benefit and advantage.
Therefore, dear friends, let us diligently pray that we may be able to remain at Easter: Where that happens, there is no danger in spite of every rabble and error, but if we lose this, everything is finished.

LWML NEWS--
I can hardly believe another month has gone by and it is almost Easter. We all [I think] hope the snow is gone for several months.
We have been working on the quilts for Lutheran World Relief. So far we have put together 16 quilts. We would love to have more help, if anyone can spare an hour or so.
• The soup, sandwiches and dessert before midweek Lenten services has been very good. There’s always room for more to join us.
• We have changed our next meeting to May 15, right after church. I hope to see all you lovely ladies then.
• We have a Fifth Friday dinner coming up this month, April 29, which is going to potluck, hope to see all of you then.
God Bless and have a blessed month and a beautiful Easter. Carol Zaun, LWML Pres.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM GOVERNOR CUOMO AND THE VATICAN?
The following appeared in an article in the 19 March New York Times, A 21:
The conflict over the governor’s faith began last month, when Edward N. Peters, who teaches at the seminary of the Archdiocese of Detroit and holds an appointment as an adviser to the Vatican on canon law, wrote that Mr. Cuomo should not be allowed to receive holy communion because he is divorced and living with his girlfriend, the Food Network host Sandra Lee, in what Mr. Peters called “public concubinage.”

The following appeared on 23 April on the WIBV (Buffalo) website:
An advisor to the Vatican told a conservative website this week that Governor Andrew Cuomo should not receive Holy Communion so long as he lives with his girlfriend, Sandra Lee. He stated that Cuomo's taking communion in wake of his unmarried lifestyle is, "objectively sacrilegious...produces grave scandal."
….The Vatican expert further stated that "if he approaches for Holy Communion, he should be denied the sacrament."
…The Vatican was questioned after the governor recently received communion at a mass in Albany. Bishop Howard Hubbard never challenged him to reform. He issued a statement, saying it's unfair and imprudent "to make a pastoral judgment about a particular situation without knowing all the facts."

Although this in no way deals with a matter concerning our congregation, everything is a learning opportunity and we can even use this event to learn more Holy Communion.

The governor and those supporting him seem to say that it is a “right” for him to receive the Sacrament. They say that we should be happy that he is actually going to receive the Sacrament. They say that his faith is a private matter.

To be sure, faith is a “private matter” but Holy Communion is a public confession of faith. Holy Communion is holy Communion. It’s not just a matter of “me and Jesus.” It is also between me and my fellow believers. When we go to the altar to receive the Sacrament, we publicly confess that what that church teaches is also what we believe. That’s why as Missouri Synod Lutherans, we will only commune in congregations of the Missouri Synod and those church bodies we are in fellowship with; that’s why we do not commune those who are not members of a Missouri Synod congregation. How wonderful it is to see the people next to you, and the ones next to them all confessing that they believe the same thing you do.

In the governor’s case, he is confessing that he is in agreement with the teaching of the Roman Church (although he publicly opposes the Roman Church when it comes to abortion and homosexual marriage, for example).

We receive Holy Communion for the blessings and benefits that Jesus gives us there—namely the forgiveness of sin; and where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation. When Jesus instituted Holy Communion that first Maundy Thursday, He gave the bread and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” He then gave them the wine: “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out…for the forgiveness of sins. Together with the bread and the wine, we receive Jesus’ very Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins is in this sacrament! And faith receives that forgiveness.

Because the forgiveness of sins is given in this Sacrament, Paul writes to the Corinthians: Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Before receiving Holy Communion, we are to examine ourselves—in regard to recognizing that I receive Jesus’ very body and blood with the bread and wine; in regard as to whether I share the same confession as the church I’m communing in; and whether I have recognized my sin, sorrowed over my sin and whether I, with the Lord’s help, will amend my sinful life. This examining of oneself does not mean that we are to be perfect and sinless before receiving the Sacrament; but it does mean that we recognize our sin and want to receive, in penitent faith, the blessing Jesus gives in the Sacrament—forgiveness. Luther notes: “But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.’” Proper reception of the sacrament, then, includes sorrow over sin and faith in Jesus for forgiveness of those sins. Thus Holy Communion must not be given to those who are not sorry for their sin—and show this by wanting to remain in that sin—and therefore do not think they need forgiveness.
Precisely here is where the governor and his supporters are wrong and the Vatican correct. The governor is living in open, public, unrepented sin. By living with a woman outside of marriage, knowing, as any Christian does, that it is sin, he is saying by his actions that he doesn’t care whether it is sin, he will do it. That is not recognizing and sorrowing over sin; that is not fighting against sin. To be sure, we cannot see into another’s heart, but we can see the evidence or lack thereof of repentance and faith.

Holy Communion is not something that one does because it is a pious exercise that makes one holy. Instead, Holy Communion is for the person who is sorry for his/her sin, seeks forgiveness for that sin, and strengthening of faith to fight against that sin and root it out of heart and life.

The loving thing to do for a person who does not want to recognize his/her sin is not to given him/her the Sacrament. By taking the Sacrament they are making a mockery of it and what Christ gives in it; and they are receiving it—not for their spiritual good, but their spiritual destruction. If this sacrament is not used rightly, one can eat and drink judgment on himself [1 Cor. 11.29]. By denying the Sacrament to someone like the governor, who is openly unrepentant, that person is being made aware that unless he/she repents, they cut themselves off from forgiveness. This is called church discipline; it has a loving purpose—to call the sinner back to repentance and faith and to keep a check and to curb that sin, lest others also fall prey to it.

Luther Notes: There is no other way or counsel on earth to get rid of all kinds of temptation than this, that a person cast all his cares upon God, take Him at His Word of grace, hold fast to it, and not let it be taken from him in any way. (Luther AE, XII, 170)

Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting was held March 13, 2011
Meeting called to order at 12:09 pm after prayer by acting President, Mike Harris, with 14 members present.

10. LUTHER IS CALLED TO WITTENBERG
In 1502 the Elector, Duke Frederick of Saxony, through Dr. Martin Mellerstadt and Dr. John Staupitz, founded the University of Wittenberg. Staupitz wanted to begin the study of theology at the new university. Because he saw in Brother Martin a special aptitude and earnest godliness, he brought him to the monastery in Wittenberg in 1508. His departure from Erfurt was so hasty that his closest friends heard practically nothing about it.
In Wittenberg, Luther first taught Aristotle’s Dialectic and Physics. Yet, teaching philosophy was repugnant to him. Thus from the beginning, as he wrote his friend John Braun, he would have preferred to exchange it for theology, that is, for the theology that “investigates the meat of the nut, the heart of the wheat and the marrow of the bones.” “But,” he adds, “God is God; man often, in fact always, goes astray in his judgment. This is our God; He Himself leads us into eternity by His kindness.”
On 09 March 1509, when he was 26 years old, Luther became a Bachelor of Arts in Theology with the particular designation ad biblia, that is, “for the interpretation of the Bible.” He then completely devoted himself to the study of Holy Scripture and began to dispute the principles of Sophists, which at that time were popular, and to seek the true and certain foundation of our salvation. Therefore he based his lectures on Holy Scripture alone and regarded it to be higher, more solid and certain than all Sophistry and Scholastic theology. He created such a stir with this that even at that time intelligent men were astonished. The rector of university at the time, the famous Mellerstadt, often said of him, “This monk will confuse all the doctors and introduce a new doctrine and reform the entire Roman Church. He devotes himself to the writings of the prophets and apostles and stands upon the word of Jesus Christ, which no one, either with philosophy, or Sophistry, or following Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas and all of Tardaret, can overturn and fight against.”
Staupitz also often encouraged Luther to become skilled in preaching. But because Luther thought that it was no small matter to speak to people in the place of God, he was not gladly persuaded. He found 15 excuses to avoid the call to the preaching office. Finally he said, “Doctor, you are killing me. I will not be able to endure it for even a quarter of a year.” At this Staupitz answered, “Now then, in God’s name, does it matter to Him, what one does for Him? Our Lord God has important things to do and on high also needs wise people.” Luther first had to preach to the brothers in the monastery and, after that, also publicly before the congregation. Myconius described the chapel that Luther first preached in this way: “In the new Augustinian monastery in Wittenberg, the foundations of the church were indeed laid but they were no higher than ground level. In the middle of it stood an old wooden chapel, stuck with clay, very dilapidated and propped up on all sides, about 30 feet long and 20 wide. It had a small, old, sooty chapel loft upon which 20 men could stand with difficulty. On the south wall was a preaching chair of old, unplained boards about 27 inches above the ground. In short, it everywhere had the appearance of how the artists depict the stable in Bethlehem in which Christ was born. In this poor and miserable chapel God had His holy Gospel and the dear Baby Jesus born anew and showed the whole world how beautiful and lovely He is and how much comfort and salvation He brings. It was not a cathedral or main church on earth in which there were many thousands that God had chosen for this. But soon this church became too small and Luther was ordered to preach in the parish church, and thus the Christ Child was also brought into the temple.”
Already at that time a ray of light had fallen in Luther’s soul that had been wrapped in the darkness of the papacy. God had led Luther to the Holy Scripture, and he chose it to be his guiding star. He knew that it alone could give him what he was seeking—truth and peace. The only thing was that Scripture was still closed to him, thus he still clung to Rome. Yet according to the council of God, the sun of righteousness should again rise upon him. The way that God brought him to that knowledge was marvelous. Luther had the Epistle to the Romans to explain it. He came upon the saying of the prophet Habakkuk: “The just shall live by faith.” By a divine power this meaning penetrated so deep into his soul that when his mind was on other things, it still seemed that he heard this voice: “The just shall live by faith.” He certainly felt that his soul was mightily affected, but he did not know how to quiet such movement of his soul.
At the same time the all-wise God worked it that Luther should come to know the seat of the papacy by seeing it for himself.

11. LUTHER MAKES A PILGRIMAGE TO ROME
In 1510 Luther, together with a fellow monk of the order, was sent to Rome on monastery business. He was all the more willing to undertake this journey because he hoped to find rest and comfort for his conscience by visiting the so-called holy sites.
Before Luther came to the Apian Mountains, he met up with several monks that ate meat on a Friday. With loving and friendly words he admonished them to remember that the pope had forbidden them to eat meat. The monks were quite alarmed by this warning and were afraid they would face great danger and public disgrace if this became known. Thus they discussed it among themselves and decided to get Luther out of the way. But God worked it so that the doorkeeper informed Luther of this attempt and he quickly escaped as best he could.
He reports of his journey: “In Lombardy, at Pad, there is a very wealthy monastery of the Order of St. Benedict, which has a yearly income of 36,000 ducats. There is such delight and feasting that they spend 12,000 ducats on the feast, 12,000 on the buildings, and the third part on the convent and the brothers. I was in that same monastery and was well treated and put up.”
When Luther first saw the city of Rome, he fell to the ground, raised his hands and called out, “Greetings to you, holy Rome! Three times holy because of the martyrs’ blood poured out there.” Then full of devotion, he sought to satisfy his heart. “In Rome,” he explained, “I was such a crazy saint. I ran through every church and cavern, believed everything that had been lied about and stunk there. If I said one mass in Rome I said ten. At the time I was very sad that my father and mother were still alive because I would have gladly redeemed them out of purgatory with my masses and other precious works and prayers.” Even while he was devoutly saying mass, the power of the verse, “The just shall live by faith” became only stronger in his heart. In Rome, at the Church of St. Peter, there were holy steps, called “Pilate’s Staircase.” According to papist fantasy, they supposedly came from the judgment hall in Jerusalem. The pope promised great indulgence to those who would crawl up these steps on their knees. Luther undertook this work as well in order to appease God the Lord, Whom he had greatly offended, to suffer His punishment and to use this as the greatest means of consoling himself. But when he climbed up the stairs he had an uneasy feeling, as if a voice of thunder was calling to him: “The just shall live by faith.” This took from him all the comfort that he sought there in his own works and it made him all the more aware of the power of that verse, which would one day show him the true way to heaven.
At that time, Rome was hailed as the “fountain of righteousness” but Luther came to know it differently. He explains: “I was in Rome (not long), said many masses and also saw many masses. It makes me shudder when I think about it. There at table I heard amid other very coarse, rude conversations, those from the papal court laughing and boasting that some said mass and spoke these words over the bread and wine: “You are bread and remain bread; you are wine and remain wine.) Such words grieved me because I was a young and right, proper, pious monk. But what was I to think? What other thoughts could I have than these: If in Rome they speak so publicly at the table, how do they then speak when they say mass? How subtly would someone like me, who would have heard so many of the masses they said, be deceived! And it so greatly disgusted me that they could say mass with such levity and hurry through, as if they were giving a puppet show. Before I came to the Gospel, the priest beside me had finished his mass and called out to me, ‘Fratello, passa, passa’ quickly, quickly, return the Son to our Lady.”
In Rome, Luther also saw how shamefully the believers there were deceived with false relics. He testifies, “I can joyfully say that I saw and heard in Rome, that no one in Rome knows where the bodies of St. Paul or Peter lay or even if they lay there. All that pope and cardinal know for sure is that they do not know. Yet, they set up two heads on the Day of Sts. Peter and Paul, pass it off, and let the common man believe that those are the genuine heads of the apostles. The devout mob runs to it. But pope, cardinal and their little crowd know very well that they are two wooden, carved and painted heads. They also do the same thing with the Veronica, and pass it off as if the face of our Lord is imprinted on a handkerchief. But it is nothing but a small black square board, with a shred of cloth hanging on it; over that is another shred of cloth that they pull up when they show the Veronica. There one cannot see anything more than a shred of cloth in front of a black board—this is called showing and seeing the Veronica. And here is great devotion and many indulgences for such unbounded lies.”
In Italy, Luther found the most ignorant priests of the mass. He said about them: “The greater the honor and dignity they have, the more wantonly they sin so that the proverb from long ago is fulfilled: ‘The closer to Rome, the worse the Christian.’” He could not find sufficient words to describe the dreadful abomination and vice he saw in Rome. “Everything that is divinely ordered was not in the least preserved in Rome. In fact, it was regarded and mocked as foolishness. In addition, every evil example of spiritual and worldly villainy flowed into the entire world from Rome, as from a sea of wickedness. No one believes what sort of villainy and atrocious sin and vice goes on in Rome. No one can be persuaded that such great wickedness is there unless he sees, hears and experiences it.”
“In Rome,” he explains, “I saw in a large street that goes directly towards St. Peter’s Cathedral a pope publicly carved in a stone. It looked like a woman with a scepter, papal cloak, carrying a child in her arms. No pope could go through this street without being able to see this picture. A cardinal brought a woman named Agnes, born in Mainz, first to England and then to Rome as a boy. There the cardinals elected her to be pope, but she came to nothing and it was revealed that she publicly had a child in that same street.”
Luther had to come to a thorough knowledge of the papacy in Rome itself in order one day to be better able to testify against it. Therefore he himself said, “I would not for a thousand guldens have missed seeing Rome. Otherwise I would always be afraid that I was doing violence or an injustice to the pope; but what we see, that we speak.”
When he had carried out his mission, he again returned home poor and sad. He was disappointed. He had hoped to find holiness and comfort in Rome but instead he found a devilish reality there. In Bologna he was overcome with such a violent attack of headache and ringing in the ear that he foresaw his end and sank into the deepest depression. But then the word, “The just shall live by faith,” again came to him and he was transfigured in soul, and he was newly revived and miraculously refreshed as by a heavenly ray of light. As often and as diligently as he had studied the epistle to the Romans, he had never so clearly and mightily understood the meaning of that word. Now it was written in his soul with divine clarity and firmness that that righteousness, which the apostle so often cited, is the righteousness of Christ that God by grace imputes to faith. When he returned to Wittenberg, he continued to investigate it further and had the never-ending joy of seeing this truth confirmed everywhere. “Then,” he writes, “all of Holy Scripture and even heaven itself was opened. I immediately felt myself as born anew. It was to me as if I had found the wide opened gate of paradise. Then even the dear Holy Scripture looked very different to me than before. Therefore I went through the entire Bible, as far as my memory reached, compared, and found that what is called God’s righteousness is most certainly that He makes us just, for everything agrees. Thus what is called God’s work is that which God Himself works in us; God’s power, that by which He makes us strong; God’s wisdom, that by which He makes us wise, and the others are used in the same way: God’s strength, God’s salvation, God’s glory and the like. As much as I before hated this little word the righteousness of God with true earnestness, so now, to the contrary, I began considering it dearly and highly as my most beloved and comforting word.”
So far Professor Krauss

ODDS AND ENDS
• Last month we had an unexpected $500+ repair bill for the furnace. If you are able, please help us by including a few extra dollars with your regular offerings.

LWML News:
Hello and good morning! We had our meeting Sunday 20 February after church. We had 3 of us ladies in attendance. We would always love to have more come. Our meetings are not very long and we only meet every other month, enough said.
• Both Eleanor and I would like to thank everyone for all the help with the luncheon after Frank's service.
• We will be starting the Lenten supper if just a few weeks—on 16 March. The sign-up sheets are in the kitchen on our new refrigerator.
• We are going to start quilting again Monday, Feb.28, weather permitting. We would love to have some of you join us if you have a little free time.
I pray all of you have a happy and healthy month.
God Bless. Carol Zaun, Pres.

FROM OUR SYNOD’S WEBSITE (www.lcms.org):
Q. What is the significance of Lent?
A. Early in the Church's history, the major events in Christ's life were observed with special observances, such as His birth, baptism, death, resurrection and ascension. As these observances developed, a period of time was set aside prior to the major events of Jesus' birth and resurrection as a time of preparation.
During Lent, the Church's worship assumes a more penitential character. The color for the season is purple, a color often associated with penitence. The "Hymn of Praise" is omitted from the liturgy. The word "Alleluia" is usually omitted as well. By not using the alleluia--a joyful expression meaning "Praise the Lord"--until Easter, the Lenten season is clearly set apart as a distinct time from the rest of the year. Additionally, it forms a powerful contrast with the festive celebration of Jesus' resurrection when our alleluias ring loud and clear.
Finally, the penitential character of Lent is not its sole purpose. In the ancient Church, the weeks leading up to Easter were a time of intensive preparation of the candidates who were to be baptized at the Easter vigil on Holy Saturday. This time in the Church's calendar was seen as an especially appropriate time for Baptism because of the relationship between Christ's death and resurrection and our own in Holy Baptism (see Romans 6:1-11). This focus would suggest that the season of Lent serves not only as a time to meditate on the suffering that Christ endured on our behalf but also as an opportunity to reflect upon our own Baptism and what it means to live as a child of God.

FREED FROM THE RESULTS OF SIN
He released those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. [Hebrews 2.15]
Since people are reconciled with God by the sacrifice Christ brought—or, what is the same thing, if humankind’s debt of sin to God has been paid—that also means that by this sacrifice humankind also released from all the terrible results of the debt of sin: from death, from the power of the devil, from the dominion of sin, etc.
Holy Scripture everywhere and in great detail describes this effect of the reconciliation Christ obtained.
The power of death is destroyed by Christ because He “has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light” [2 Tim. 1.10]. The power of the devil that he had over humanity as a punishment from God is destroyed [Heb. 2.14]. By Christ’s atoning sacrifice humankind is redeemed from the dominion of sin [Titus 2.14].
All this is to be diligently taught on the basis of Scripture so that it may be known that we are redeemed by Christ from all evil. Thus the payment of the debt of sin by Christ’s sacrifice always remains in the foreground. That is the message of Lent.

Thanks to You, Lord Jesus, for You have redeemed us from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil. Amen. --Francis Pieper

LENT BEGINS WEDNESDAY, 09 MARCH.
In preparation for a blessed Lenten season, the words of Dr. Stoeckhardt will serve us well:

We want to scrutinize each step of the way of suffering, each paragraph of the Passion story. Every Christian sermon, hence also the Lenten sermon, is a penitential sermon first of all. How great and serious our sins are we want to learn from this suffering. Each new glance toward the cross of Christ awakens in us the sigh:
I caused Your grief and sighing By evils multiplying
As countless as the sands.
I caused the woes unnumbered With which Thy soul is cumbered
Your sorrows raised by wicked hands. (LSB #453, 4)

Every Christian sermon, hence also the Lenten sermon and story, is above all gospel, the announcement of God’s grace. The word concerning the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is the most glorious sermon for faith and the most certain for absolution. We therefore say and sing:
Lord Jesus Christ, You set us free
Accept our thanks eternally!
Forgiven through Your precious blood,
We now are reconciled to God. (CW #123)

Furthermore, everything which we hear about the crucified Christ, is an earnest admonition and a reminder for sanctification. We therefore sing and pray:
I’ll on the cross unite me To Thee what doth delight me
I’ll there renounce for aye.
Whate’er Thy Spirit’s grieving There I’ll for aye be leaving
As much as in my strength doth lay. (171, 15)

We wish to study from it how we should love those who sorely trouble us by their malicious deeds. Finally, the Lenten sermon is a sermon of comfort. The cross of Christ gives us comfort, power, and refreshment in our own suffering. We implore the Crucified:
Whate’er be the burden The cross here on me laid;
Be shame or want my guerdon I’ll bear it with Thine aid;
Give patience, give me strength to take Thee for my bright example,
And all the world forsake. (151, 5)

Christ’s cross, blood, and death is the most efficacious comfort at death.
Your cross I place before me; Its saving pow’r restore me,
Sustain me in the test
It will, when life is ending, Be guiding and attending
My way to Your eternal rest. (LSB #453, 7)

May the Holy Spirit through the meditation on Jesus’ great passion work repentance, faith, sanctification, love, and patience and from it give us wisdom, power, and comfort for our life, suffering and death!
[Quoted in: Exegetical Notes On The New Testament, Vol. 1, pg. 60-62]

+++

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE POSTED ON THE INTERNET WAS SENT IN BY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS. IT GIVES GOOD INSIGHT:

Good Intentions Gone Bad-- Author Unknown

The adage tells us that there is a destination, the road to which is paved with good intentions. It is the destination that we would prefer not to reach. Good intentions can have disastrous results and consequences. When we look at the revolution of worship in America today, I see a dangerous road that is built with such intentions. The good purposes that have transformed worship in America have as their goal to reach a lost world - a world that is marked by baby boomers and Generation Xers who have in many ways rejected traditional forms and styles of worship. Many have found the life of the church to be irrelevant and boring, and so an effort to meet the needs of these people has driven some radical changes in how we worship God.

Perhaps the most evident model developed over the last half century is that model defined as the "seeker-sensitive model." Seekers are defined as those people who are unbelievers and are outside of the church but who are searching for meaning and significance to their lives. The good intention of reaching such people with evangelistic techniques that include the reshaping of Sunday morning worship fails to understand some significant truths set forth in Scripture.
In Romans 3, Paul makes abundantly clear that unconverted people do not seek after God. Thomas Aquinas [not exactly a “friend” of confessional Lutherans and correct Biblical teaching—but his insight here is excellent—ed.] understood this and maintained that to the naked eye it may seem that unbelievers are searching for God or seeking for the kingdom of God, while they are in fact fleeing from God with all of their might. What Aquinas observed was that people who are unconverted seek the "benefits" that only God can give them, such as ultimate meaning and purpose in their lives, relief from guilt, the presence of joy and happiness, and things of this nature. These are benefits the Christian recognizes can only come through a vital, saving relationship with Christ. The gratuitous leap of logic comes when church leaders think that because people are searching for benefits only God can give them, they must therefore be searching after God. No, they want the benefits without the Giver of the benefits. And so structuring worship to accommodate unbelievers is misguided because these unbelievers are not seeking after God. Seeking after God begins at conversion, and if we are to structure our worship with a view to seekers, then we must structure it for believers, since only believers are seekers.

8. LUTHER’S TRIALS IN THE MONASTERY
Luther wanted to merit God’s grace by his own works. Therefore his time in the monastery was “heartily and terribly difficult.” Day and night he tormented and tortured himself with fasting and praying, with singing and studying, with hard bedding, freezing and vigils, with singing and crying: he wanted to storm heaven by force. At times he read and wrote so eagerly that he forgot to say the canonical hours (the prayers prescribed at certain hours). Then in order to make satisfaction both to his conscience and the papal rules, he would lock himself up in his cell, without eating and drinking, and make up for what he did not do. He so tortured himself by this, that he once could not sleep for five weeks and almost came to spiritual ruin. In fact, it was not enough for him to keep the rules of his order most exactly, but he even gave himself special duties. Thus he could rightly say about himself, “It is true. I was a godly monk and kept my order so rigorously, that I could say: If ever a monk could enter heaven by monkery, it would have been me. All my fellow monks who knew me would bear witness to this. If it had lasted any longer, I would have tortured myself to death with vigils, praying, reading and other work.”
“I chose,” Luther explains, “21 saints, read mass every day and always invoked three of them so that each week I would come back to them. I especially worshipped the holy Virgin because her womanly heart was more easily touched in order to appease her Son. And everywhere everyone’s prayer and sighing, even that of the holy monks, went like this: ‘Help, dear Mother of God, and be our intercessor against the strict judgment of your Son, otherwise there is no comfort or help or council for our souls.’” Only, “I could never manage, with all my masses, praying, fasting and purity, to say: Now I am certain that God is merciful to me; now I have tried and seen that my order and strict life have helped and have benefited me in reaching heaven.”
In his anguish Luther confessed every day, tiring out his father confessor. The papists taught that whoever wanted to have the forgiveness of sins had to list all his sins in an auricular confession. This is impossible. Therefore Luther never knew if he had perfectly confessed everything. Thus for him, confession had become a veritable torture. Not even the absolution comforted him because it was given under the condition that he himself make satisfaction for his sins with remorse and good works. His father confessors imposed upon him certain penances that he fulfilled most conscientiously. Yet, he could still never know whether God would then really be gracious to him. His father confessors would direct him to purgatory for the remaining penance. But even this did not soothe him because no person could say how long he had to suffer in purgatory. Some thought they would never come out of it because a mortal sin required seven years penitence. Of course indulgences and masses for the dead would help here, but this was an uncertain comfort because no one could say how many masses were necessary to redeem a soul out of purgatory. “Oh,” Luther cried out, “it is a terrible plague in Christendom that people are made uncertain and left to continue on their own uncertain works!”
Luther describes the torment of his soul that he endured on account of this false, papist doctrine: “When I became a monk, I lived according to my rule with the utmost diligence, earnestly repented of my sins, as much as I could, confessing them all, and followed as strictly and firmly as I could the penance imposed upon me. Yet, my conscience could never be at peace but was always in doubt and thought: See, there and there you have done wrong; you have also not repented of your sins enough having forgotten this and that in your confession. Therefore the longer I went about wanting to help and console my uncertain, weak and troubled conscience with human rules, the more I daily made it more uncertain, weaker and troubled. In short, the more strongly I tried to become godly by my order, the worse I became. For it is, St. Paul says, impossible that a person’s conscience is able to come to rest and peace by the works of the law. It is even more impossible for it to happen by human rules, without the promise and Gospel of Christ.”
Receiving the Holy Supper also did not give him any comfort. The papists were even able to corrupt this precious and comforting sacrament with false doctrine, taking from the Christians all the joy it was to give them. “For,” he said, “it was taught that we had to be completely pure that not even a speck of daily sin was to remain in us, and we had to be so completely holy that our Lord God could hardly look at us on account of our great holiness. I could not see this in myself, thus I was frightened of the Sacrament.” “When I was most devout, I went to the altar as a doubter and again returned from it a doubter. If I spoke my confession, I still doubted; if I did not pray it I again despaired. We were under the delusion that we could not pray and would not be heard unless we were completely pure and without sin, like the saints in heaven.”
We see from this how the Roman Catholic doctrine threw out Luther into the most horrible despair. Through this he lost Christ. He sought to appease God with his good works, but precisely because he intended to do so earnestly and honestly, he recognized that this was impossible. He observed the papist doctrine most faithfully until he learned from his own experience that it was false and comfortless, like a well without water. Therefore he described his condition in the monastery this way: “Hangman and devil were in our hearts; and pure fear, timidity, fright, and anxiety tortured us day and night. In short, a monastery is a hell in which the devil is abbot and prior; monks and nuns are the condemned souls.”
Under such trials Luther would have finally succumbed and died if God had not graciously comforted him by his saints who were hidden even in the papacy.

9. HOW LUTHER IS COMFORTED IN THE MONASTERY
God refreshed Luther’s shattered heart especially through the consolation of Dr. Staupitz. Luther often confessed and lamented his afflictions to him. Staupitz answered him: “I have never felt or experienced such afflictions. But as far as I can understand and notice, they are more necessary for you than eating and drinking.” When he went to another the same thing happened—no father confessor would know about it. He finally thought: No one has such trials but you! and became like a corpse. Finally, when Luther was so sad and crushed, Staupitz said to him from across the table: “Why are you so sad, Brother Martin?” Luther answered, “Oh, where should I go?” Staupitz said, “Oh, you do not know how salutary and necessary such trials are for you. Without them nothing good would come of you because God does not send them to you in vain. You will see that He will use you for great things.” “This,” said Luther, “I received as a comforting word and voice of the Holy Spirit.”
Once he said to Staupitz, “Ah! Dear Doctor, our Lord God is terrible in His dealings with people. Who can serve Him when he knocks him down?” Staupitz answered, “Beloved, learn to look on God differently: if He did not act this way, in what other way could He restrain the hard heads. He must keep the tall trees in check so that they don’t grow into the sky. God strikes in order to heal, so that He may rescue and redeem us who would otherwise be crushed.”
Luther also often wrote to Staupitz, once complaining to him in a letter, “O my sin, my sin, my sin!” Then Staupitz gave him this answer, “You want to be without sin but yet you have no real sin. Christ is the forgiveness of real sins—murdering parents, publicly blaspheming, despising God, committing adultery, etc. These are real sins. You must have an index in which there are real sins if Christ is to help you. You must not go about with such a hobbling work and toy sins and make a sin out of every little thing.”
Another time when Luther had fallen into a great, heavy trial, Staupitz comforted him and said, “Ah! Do you then only want to be a painted sinner and only have a painted Savior? Get use to Christ being the true Savior and you being a real sinner. God does not play shadows games nor does He joke when He sent us His Son and gave Him up for us.”
“When I was a young man,” Luther explains, “there was a Corpus Christi procession which I also accompanied and wore priestly garb. During it, I became so very frightened before the sacrament that Dr. Staupitz carried that I broke out in a sweat and nothing else came to mind but that I would die because of my great fear. After the procession I lamented and confessed it to Staupitz. He said, “Ah! Your thoughts are not Christ because Christ does not frighten but only comforts.’ I received this word with joy and it was very comforting to me.”
One time Luther was so terribly tormented with the doubt whether God had even ever predestined him to eternal salvation. He lamented his distress to Staupitz who comforted him with the words: “Predestination (election) is understood and found in the wounds of Christ, nowhere else. It is written: Him you shall hear! The Father is too high, thus He says: ‘I will give a way by which a person can come to Me, namely Christ. Believe on Him! Cling to Him In His time it will certainly be found out who I am.’ God is incomprehensible and we cannot understand it nor imagine what He is, much less what is in His mind. He also cannot be grasped and, in short, does not want to be imagined outside of Christ. If you want to debate predestination, begin with the wounds of Christ and right away all questionable debates on election will cease and fall away. Therefore cling only to the word in which God has revealed Himself and remain in it. There you have the correct path of your salvation and blessedness—if only you believe it. Wherever a person wants to follow his own thoughts and reason, and thus forgets God, then praise ceases and blasphemy begins; for in Christ Jesus all treasures are hidden and outside of Him they are completely locked up.”
“Therefore believe that Christ is for you, and election is certainly His work and you are already elect. God has already elected and ordained from beforehand that His Son should not suffer for the sake of the righteous but for the sinner. Whoever believes this is His dear child. Therefore, a person should think about this article: God is true and neither lies nor deceives; this I know. He has given me His only-begotten Son with all His goods; He has given me Holy Baptism, the Sacrament of the true Body and Blood of His Son with every gift, both temporal and eternal. When I thus consider the great and inexpressible blessings that God, the heavenly Father, has given me for Christ’s sake out of pure grace and mercy without any of my merits, good works and worthiness, as His Word testifies, and if I remain in it, then election is precious and comforting and remains for me firm and constant, especially because I know that God Himself speaks with me in His Word and by His servants.”
One day when the conversation turned to repentance, Staupitz said that true repentance is only that which flows out of love of God and His righteousness. This word stuck in Luther’s soul like a warrior’s sharp arrow. He further investigated in Scripture and had the sweet joy of finding that every verse agreed with this sentence. Then nothing sounded sweeter and dearer to him than the word “repentance” which before had been the bitterest word to him.
There were still several others who comforted him in his trials. Once his father confessor said to him when he confessed his sins: “You are a fool. God is not angry with you, but you are angry with Him. He is not mad at you, but you are mad at Him.” Later Luther called this, “a precious, great and glorious word that was spoken to him about this light of the Gospel.”
One day Luther, weeping, lamented to his teacher about trials, having also suffered much on account of his youth. That teacher said, “What are you doing, son? Don’t you know that our Lord Himself commanded us to hope and to believe?” “The single word ‘commanded,’” Luther said, “gave me such a comfort that afterwards I knew that a person should and must believe the absolution and absolving of sins, which I had often heard before but thought, because I was hindered by foolish thoughts, that such words neither applied to me nor did I have to believe them, but that they were idle words.”
With great honor and hearty thanks Luther often mentioned one old brother monk in particular who pointed him to the Apostles’ Creed where it says: I believe in…the forgiveness of sins. He explained this article this way. “It is not enough that you believe in general that God forgives sins, for the devils believe that, too. But you must believe you, you, you are forgiven. For a person becomes righteous by grace through faith.” Luther was not only strengthened by this but also paid attention to the sentence: we become righteous through faith. He looked up many expositions on it, but by this conversation with the old man and by the comfort that he received, he soon learned how poor the interpretations were that were then in use. Then with his daily prayers, he read and compared the words and examples of the prophets and apostles. More light gradually dawned because of this. He even found many clear sentences in the writings of Augustine that strengthened this doctrine of faith and comfort that had been kindled in his heart.
So far Professor Krauss

Baby Bottle Drive:
Each January, together with congregations from both within and outside our Synod, we observe a Sanctity Of Human Life Sunday. In connection with this, the Voters’ decided to hold once again the baby bottle drive to help support our local Pregnancy Resource Center in Elmira. Each family will be given the opportunity to receive a baby bottle to be filled over the course of a month with loose change [or forget the hassle and simply cut a check made out to the Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center, not to the church] and to be returned to the church by 13 February. We will then return the filled baby bottles to the Pregnancy Resource Center to help them help mothers or soon-to-be-mothers and children. In this way we let our light shine by supporting and taking a stand for life and by showing mercy to those in need.

NO LWML NEWS THIS MONTH

• God Grant It is ranked #870, 714 on Amazon’s best seller list.
Sales have slipped a bit as back in August it was ranked #571,155.

• Our congregational website has been nationally recognized being named by Lutherans On Line as the January 2011 Site of the Month.

THE LIGHT THAT SINES IN THE DARKNESS
…which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place. [2 Peter 1.19]
Each one of us certainly knows what it means if a person has to grope about in the dark. Eventually a person loses all sense of direction and can no longer find his way around. But how a person then rejoices when a light is lit and he can again find his way around!
The apostle speaks here about God’s Word as a light that shines in a dark place—of course in a much more important sense than usual light. The apostle calls it “the prophetic word made more sure.” Above all it was the word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and thus the firm and certain word of God that brought him the irrefutable evidence for the “power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” [2 Peter 1.16]. It is the bright light that drives away all darkness.
In this light we can clearly see and learn that Jesus is our only hope for salvation. This light should also serve us that we too can say with the Psalmist: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” [Psalm 119.105].
Grant, dear Lord, that we may always follow the firm prophetic word as a light. Amen.

Luther makes an interesting comment on what is the source and what we find in religions outside Christianity: And in the Koran, Mohammed—or whoever the author may be—confesses that the devil fell because he refused to adore Adam. The devil makes his confession through Mohammed. God commanded him to adore Adam, that is, the devil confesses that he had seen that God was to become man and that he would have to worship Him. [American Edition, vol. 58, pg. 193]
Luther here says that the devil is really the source of all religions outside of Christianity. This is in accord with what the Lord says through St. Paul in 1 Cor. 10.20 and 1 Tim. 4.1

Who was St. Valentine? Let’s ask the internet’s Wikipedia:
The name "Valentine" (Priest Valentio) does not occur in the earliest list of Roman martyrs, compiled by the Chronographer of 354. The feast of St. Valentine was first established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who included Valentine among those "... whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God." As Gelasius implied, nothing was known, even then, about the lives of any of these martyrs. The Saint Valentine that appears in various martyrologies in connection with February 14 is described either as:
• A priest in Rome,
• A bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), or
• A martyr in the Roman province of Africa.
The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493); alongside the woodcut portrait of Valentine, the text states that he was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius II, known as Claudius Gothicus. He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner – until Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor – whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate. Various dates are given for the martyrdom or martyrdoms: 269, 270, or 273.
The official Roman Martyrology for February 14 mentions only one Saint Valentine.
…Many of the current legends that characterise Saint Valentine were invented in the fourteenth century in England, notably by Geoffrey Chaucer and his circle, when the feast day of February 14 first became associated with romantic love.

Faith Lutheran Voters’ Meeting-16 January 2011

Meeting called to order at 12:25pm following prayer by acting President Mike Harris with 9 members present, which was not a quorum.