O THOU, Who chastenest whom Thou lovest, grant us grace, we pray Thee, to discern Thy love in whatever suffering Thou sendest us; support us in patient thankfulness under pain, anxiety, or loss, and move us with pity and tenderness for our afflicted neighbors; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen (Oremus, 1925, p.56).
Monthly Archives: September 2021
Divine Service for Trinity Sixteen, September 19, 2021
Order of Divine Service I, p.136 Lutheran Worship
Hymn “If God Had Not Been on Our Side” TLH 267
Readings: 1 Kings 17:17-24, Ephesians 3:13-21, Luke 7:11-17
Hymn “For Me to Live Is Jesus” LW 267, TLH 597
Sermon
Communion Hymns: “Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness” LW 362, TLH 371
“In Peace and Joy I Now Depart” LW 185, TLH 137
“How Lovely Shines the Morning Star” TLH 343, LW 73
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Trinity-Sixteen-Divine-Service-for-Online-9-19-2021.pdf
Picture: In addition to aggressively promoting the reading of biblical texts in the vernacular, the Protestant Reformation also introduced one of the most creative and controversial periods of printed Bible illustration. Martin Luther made effective use of translations enriched with woodcuts, beginning with his first translation of the German New Testament. For that edition he employed Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553), one of the leading artists of the German Renaissance, to supply a rich program of woodcuts, including twenty-one full-page illustrations of the Apocalypse.
Southern Methodist University, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Dallas Texas https://www.smu.edu/Bridwell/Special Collections andArchives/Exhibitions/Luther/Bibles/BRA0930
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Miriam’s Sunday School, Class #46 on September 19, 2021
Today’s class will study the “Sacrifice of Isaac” (Genesis 22:1-19).
Handout 1: Text-for-Genesis-22.pdf
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Picture: Although Martin Luther was not the first to translate the Bible into German, he was the first to translate the text from the original biblical languages. First printed at Wittenberg in September 1522, Luther’s German New Testament was considered a philological and literary masterpiece that exerted enormous influence on the development of modern German. This second edition, known as the “Dezembertestament,” is the earliest publication in Bridwell Library’s extensive collection of Protestant Bibles printed in numerous vernacular languages.
Southern Methodist University, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Dallas Texas https://www.smu.edu/Bridwell/Special Collections andArchives/Exhibitions/Luther/Bibles/BRA0930
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#56 Why Suffering? 3. Lest We Become Sleepy and Secure Apart From the Word
Thirdly, it is also highly necessary that we suffer not only that God may prove his honor, power, and strength against the devil, but also in order that when we are not in trouble and suffering this excellent treasure which we have may not merely make us sleepy and secure. We see so many people, unfortunately it is all too common, so misusing the gospel that it is a sin and a shame, as if now of course they have been so liberated by the gospel that there is no further need to do anything, give anything, or suffer anything.
This kind of wickedness our God cannot check except through suffering. Hence he must keep disciplining and driving us, that our faith may increase and grow stronger and thus bring the Savior more deeply into our hearts. For just as we cannot get along without eating and drinking so we cannot get along without affliction and suffering. Therefore we must necessarily be afflicted of the devil by persecution or else by a secret thorn which thrusts into the heart, as also St. Paul laments [cf. II Cor. 12:7]. Therefore, since it is better to have a cross than to be without one, nobody should dread or be afraid of it. After all, you have a good strong promise with which to comfort yourself. Besides, the gospel cannot come to the fore except through and in suffering and cross. (Luther’s Works, v.51, p.207)
Picture: Fall of Babylon from Das Newe Testament Deuotzsch.
The image is from Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) September Testament. The image is based on Revelation chapter 18. Two angels drop a giant millstone as Babylon (Rome) burns in the background. Woodcut designed by Lucas Cranach, the Elder (1472-1553), a close friend of Martin Luther. http://pitts.emory.edu/
Catechesis on Trinity Sixteen (St. Luke 7:11-17) 2020
On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00.
In this video from September 23, 2020, we learned stanza 2 of “Sun of My Soul, O Savior Dear” (Lutheran worship #488,The Lutheran Hymnal #551), the second article and its meaning, and Ephesians 2:4-5. This service is designed to prepare God’s people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains “The Raising of Widow’s Son from Nain” (St. Luke 7:11-17), which is the Holy Gospel for Trinity Sixteen.
The service concludes with “Recite Word by Word.”
Bulletins: Catechesis-Trinity-16-9-23-2020-On-line.pdf
Prayers: Recite-Word-by-Word.pdf
In Adversity.
REDEEM, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants, who put their trust in Thee; grant of Thy clemency that we may find Thy blessing in adversity as well as in prosperity; and, because Thou art nigh to them that are of a contrite heart, open Thine ears to the spirit of our sorrow and need, and let Thy peace, which passeth all understanding, keep our souls and bodies; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen (Oremus, 1925, p.54).
Divine Service for Trinity Fifteen, September 12, 2021
Order of Divine Service I, p.136 Lutheran Worship
Hymn “How Lovely Shines the Morning Star” TLH 343, LW 73
Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16, Galatians 5:25-6:10, Matthew 6:24-34
Hymn “What God Ordains Is Always Good” LW 422, TLH 521
Sermon
Communion Hymns: “O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth” LW 319
“Love in Christ Is Strong and Living” LW 376
“I Leave All Things to God’s Direction” LW 429, TLH 529
“Sent Forth by God’s Blessing” LW 247
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Trinity-Fifteen-Divine-Service-for-Online-9-12-2021.pdf
Picture: “While I cannot claim to have got everything right, nevertheless I venture to say that this German Bible is couched in plainer and more correct language at many points than the Latin. So if the printers do not, as is their wont, spoil it with their carelessness, the German language has here a better Bible than the Latin. I ask my readers to decide.” — Martin Luther, from his preface to the first part of the Old Testament, 1523.
1522 Translation: One of the more controversial translations was Luther’s rendering of Romans 3:28, where he inserted the word “alone,” [a person is justified by faith alone (alleyn, in the middle of the second line in the picture below)] that was present in neither the Greek or the Latin. In his Sendbrief vom Dolmetschen [Open Letter on Translating] in 1530, Luther defended the addition of “alone” as conforming to German idiom. https://gruber.lstc.edu/luthers_bible/1522.php
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Miriam’s Sunday School Study, Class #45: September 12, 2021
Today’s class will study “Abimelech’s Covenant” (Genesis 21:22-34).
Handout 1: Text-for-Genesis-21v1-34.pdf
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Picture: Portrait of Luther pasted in, verso of first flyleaf. The white dots in the photograph are worm holes. The Gruber Rare Books Collection, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. https://gruber.lstc.edu/luthers_bible/1522.php
“Das Neue Testament Deutzsch” 1522 – These efforts in broadening the Bible’s intended audience and providing vernacular Bibles to the literate public were remarkably successful. The 1522 New Testament appeared in at least forty-three editions in three years, resulting in over one hundred thousand copies of what was surely an expensive book. In addition to folio volumes illustrated with woodcuts, the texts also appeared in more compact and less expensive formats. These smaller Bibles often included copies of illustrations from the larger editions as well. The market for vernacular scripture also expanded beyond Luther’s immediate German-speaking compatriots. Southern Methodist University, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Dallas Texas https://www.smu.edu/Bridwell/Special Collections andArchives/Exhibitions/Luther/Bibles/BRA0930
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#55 So Two Heroes Meet… The Devil and Our Lord God
So the two heroes meet, each doing as much as possible. The devil brews one calamity after another; for he is a mighty, malicious, and turbulent spirit. So it is time that our dear God be concerned about his honor; for the Word which we wield is a weak and miserable Word, and we who have and wield it are also weak and miserable men, bearing the treasure as Paul says [II Cor. 4:7], in earthen vessels, which can easily be shattered and broken. Therefore the evil spirit spares no effort and confidently lashes out to see if he can smash the little vessel; for there it is under his nose and he cannot stand it. So the battle really begins in earnest, with water and fire to dampen and quench the little spark. Then our Lord God looks on for a while and puts us in a tight place, so that we may learn from our own experience that the small, weak, miserable Word is stronger than the devil and the gates of hell. They are to storm the castle, the devil and his cohorts. But let them storm; they will find something there that will make them sweat, and still they will not gain it; for it is a rock, as Christ calls it, which cannot be conquered. So let us suffer what comes upon us and thus we shall learn that God will stand by us to guard and shield us against this enemy and all his adherents. (Luther’s Works, v.51, p.206-207)
Picture: Satan Bound from Das Newe Testament Deuotzsch.
The image is from Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) September Testament. The image is based on Revelation chapter 20. An angel, holding a key, binds the beast in the abyss for the thousand years of peace. Woodcut designed by Lucas Cranach, the Elder (1472-1553), a close friend of Martin Luther. http://pitts.emory.edu/
Catechesis on Trinity Fifteen 2019 (St. Matthew 6:24-34)
On Wednesday nights, Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL) offers to both children and adults an opportunity for teaching with Learn-by-Heart at 6:30 PM and a catechetical service at 7:00.
In this video from September 25, 2019, we learned stanza 1 of “If God Had Not Been on Our Side” (The Lutheran Hymnal #267) and the first article of the Apostles’ Creed and its meaning. This service is designed to prepare God’s people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service. The dialog sermon explains “Do Not Worry” (St. Matthew 6:24-34), which is the Holy Gospel for Trinity Fifteen.
The service concludes with “Recite Word by Word.” [Length: 1 hour and 5 minutes]
Bulletins: Catechesis-Trinity-15-9-25-2019-Online.pdf
Prayers: Recite-Word-by-Word.pdf
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