For the Church, General 3

O GOD, Whose throne endureth forever: Grant that Thy Church may be enriched by the excellent beauty of all virtues; while, nevertheless, she is far more glorious, through the indwelling of Thy ever-present Spirit; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.  (Oremus, 1925, p.67).

#44 Where God Has Not Promised, We Receive Nothing

On the other hand, what good would it do you even if you went to St. James, clad in armor, or let yourself be killed by the severe life of the Carthusians, Franciscans, or Dominicans in order to be saved, and God had neither commanded nor instituted it? He still knows nothing about all this, but you and the devil invented them, as special sacraments or classes of priests. And even if you were able to bear heaven and earth in order to be saved, it would still all be lost; and he who would pick up the straw (if this were commanded) would do more than you, even if you could carry ten worlds. Why is that? It is God’s will that we obey his word, use his sacraments, and honor his church. Then he will act graciously and gently enough, even more graciously and gently than we could desire; for it is written, “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me” [Exod. 20:23]. And, “Listen to him and to no other” [Matt. 17:5]. May that suffice on the church. More cannot be said unless each point is elaborated further. The rest must deal with different ideas, about which we want to speak too.  (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.172-173)

Picture:  St. Mark: “Initium Evangelii Jesu Christi,” the Latin of Mk 1:1, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ…”

Book of Concord, Bible Class #39: History of Formula of Concord

This Bible study examines the history of the Formula of Concord.
Quiz #38 (Yellow sheet): Quiz-38-for-June-21-2020-Introduction-to-Formula-of-Concord.pdf
Overhead:  Formula-of-Concord-History.pdf
Overhead 2:  Controversies-Following-the-Interim.pdf

Note 1: A Divine Service was also video recorded and is available at trinityh.org, under the tab, Sermons
Note 2: This is the audio only post.  The vimeo video is also available.   Click here –>  Vimeo Video for #39

(Picture: Flower garden at our Learning Center)

Divine Service for Trinity Two – June 21, 2020

Service Bulletin:  Trinity-Two-Divine-Service-for-Online-6-21-2020.pdf
Printed Sermon:  SRM1921-The-Great-and-Glorious-Supper-of-the-Gospel.pdf

0:00  Hymn “To Your Temple, Lord, I Come”  LW 207, TLH 2
2:30   Service Begins
8:35 Readings:  Proverbs 9:1-10, 1 John 3:13-18, St. Luke 14:15-24
13:30 Nicene Creed
15:05  Hymn “O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold” TLH 260
19:30  Sermon “The Great and Glorious Supper of the Gospel” Luke 14:16  (length 16:15 minutes)
35:45  “Create in Me…” LW p.143
36:35  The Prayer of the Church
42:00  Communion Liturgy
Communion Hymns:
“Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared” LW 246, TLH 306
“Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor” LW 281
“Come unto Me, Ye Weary” LW 345, TLH 276
1.00:30  Service ends

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
This post is the audio, if you want the video CLICK HERE –> Vimeo Video for Trinity Two
Note: The Bible class was also recorded and will be available at trinityh.org.

(Easter lilies planted at the parsonage.)

For the Church, General 2

ALMIGHTY God, Who hast sent Thine Only-Begotten Son, and hast revealed Him as Creator of all things, look upon this Vine, which Thy right hand hath planted, prune away the thorns from it, bring forth its branches in might, and give them the fruit of truth; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. (Oremus, 1925, p.67).

#43 If God Promised to Forgive Through the Picking Up of a Straw…

In summary, if God were to bid you to pick up a straw or to pluck out a feather with the command, order, and promise that thereby you would have forgiveness of all sin, grace, and eternal life, should you not accept this joyfully and gratefully, and cherish, praise, prize, and esteem that straw and that feather as a higher and holier possession than heaven and earth? No matter how insignificant the straw and the feather may be, you would nonetheless acquire through them something more valuable than heaven and earth, indeed, than all the angels, are able to bestow on you. Why then are we such disgraceful people that we do not regard the water of baptism, the bread and wine, that is, Christ’s body and blood, the spoken word, and the laying on of man’s hands for the forgiveness of sin as such holy possessions, as we would the straw and feather, though in the former, as we hear and know, God himself wishes to be effective and wants them to be his water, word, hand, bread, and wine, by means of which he wishes to sanctify and save you in Christ, who acquired this for us and who gave us the Holy Spirit from the Father for this work?  (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.172)

Picture: St. Matthew: “Liber generationis Jesu Christi,” the Latin of Mt 1:1, “A book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ…”

Divine Service for Trinity One – June 14, 2020

Service Bulletin:   Trinity-One-Divine-Service-for-Online-6-14-2020.pdf
Printed Sermon:  SRM1920-Love-Is-Impossible-Without-Faith.pdf

0:00  Hymn “Holy Spirit, Light Divine”  LW 166
2:10   Service Begins
8:40 Readings:  Genesis 15:1-6, 1 John 4:16-21, Luke 16:19-31
14:15 Nicene Creed
15:50  Hymn “Lord, You I Love With All My Heart” LW 413, TLH 429
20:10  Sermon “The Great and Glorious Supper of the Gospel” Luke 14:16  (length 16:25 minutes)
36:50  “Create in Me…” LW p.143
37:35  The Prayer of the Church
43:35  Communion Liturgy
Communion Hymns: “Thy Strong Word” LW 328, “Abide with Us, Our Savior” LW 287, “The God of Abraham Praise” LW 450, TLH 40
1.06:45  Service ends

–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL)
This post is the audio, if you want the video CLICK HERE –> Vimeo Video for Trinity One
Note: The Bible class was also recorded and will be available at trinityh.org.

Book of Concord, Bible Class #38: Introduction to Formula of Concord

This Bible study examines the introduction and Rule and Standard for the Formula of Concord.

Quiz #37 (grey sheet):  Quiz-37-for-June-14-2020.pdf
Overhead:  Formula-of-Concord-Epitome-Rule-and-Standard.pdf
Overhead 2: Formula-of-Concord-Solid-Declaration-Rule-and-Standard.pdf

Note 1: A Divine Service was also video recorded and is available at trinityh.org, under the tab, Sermons
Note 2: This is the audio only post.  The vimeo video is also available.   Click here –>  Vimeo Video for #38

 

For the Church, General 1

VISIT, O Lord, this Vine, which Thou hast brought out of the Egypt of troubles with Thy strong right hand; that quickened by the light of Thy countenance, it may be glad with the plenteousness of good fruits in Thee; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. (Oremus, 1925, p.67).

#42 The devil’s Sacraments and Churches

Well then, that is just what is done for us feeble human beings, and in it we see how God deals with us as with beloved children and not, as he surely would have a right to, in his majesty. And yet, in this guise he performs his majestic, divine works and exercises his might and power, such as forgiving sin, cleansing from sin, removing death, bestowing grace and eternal life. Indeed, these things are missing in the devil’s sacraments and churches. No one can say there, “God commanded it, ordered it, instituted it, and ordained it; he himself is present and will do everything himself”; but one must say, “God did not command, but forbade it, that man, or rather that ape of God, invented it and misled the people with it.” For he effects nothing except that which is temporal, or, if it purports to be spiritual, it is sheer fraud. He cannot forgive sin eternally and save, as he lyingly claims, by means of holy water, masses, and monkery, even though he may restore a cow’s milk which he had first stolen from her by his prophetesses and priestesses. Among Christians these are called the devil’s harlots and, when apprehended, are rightfully burned at the stake, not because of the theft of milk, but because of the blasphemy with which they fortify the devil, his sacraments, and his churches against Christ.  (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.171-172)

Picture:  The pulpit was made for Trinity in 1864.  Originally it had the four evangelists and an angel, which was damaged by the tornado of 1896.  A statue of Martin Luther (a gift from a congregation in Dresden, Germany) has replaced the angel.