- Princes have persecuted me without cause, but my heart has stood in awe of Thy words. This is great grace, that the words (verba) of God are feared more than the scourges (verbera) of men, that the punishments threatened for the future have more effect than those inflicted in the present, that the invisible things mean more than the visible. Who does this but the most perfect faith in the future? A weak faith surely does not do this. For their flesh is more vigorous to fear and love visible things than the spirit is to fear and love invisible things. If this should be called vigor at all, and not rather the most wretched weakness, by which it comes about that future punishments that are so inestimable are given little or no thought over against punishments that are so paltry and short, and that future benefits so desirable are despised for the sake of present benefits that are so unstable and uncertain. But oh, if we could only ponder with due feeling what it means to say, “God speaks,” “God promises,” “God threatens!” Who, I beg you, would not quake from the foundation? It is a great word, a great and fearful sound to say, “Behold the Word of God!” Blessed are they who hear the Word of God, the Word of such great majesty, which holds, does, and ends all things by a nod. Here only a full faith is wanting. If it were there, it would cause full fear and trembling at the words of God, so that this happy boasting would belong to faith alone and to the most vigorous faith. (Luther’s Works, v. 11, p.517-518)
Author Archive: luther
Catechesis on Palm Sunday (St. Matthew 26-27) 2021
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 PM. This service is designed to prepare God’s people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service.
The dialog sermon explains The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ (St. Matthew 26-27), which is the Holy Gospel for Palm Sunday. The teaching for Learn-by-Heart will include hymn #508, stanza 5 of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” Small Catechism, Christian Questions with their Answers, 10-16, and 2 Corinthians 5:21.
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Palmarum-4-24-2021.pdf
Responsive Prayer: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2020.pdf
For The Sick, General. 1
SOVEREIGN Lord, our God Almighty, we beseech Thee to save us all, Thou only Physician of souls and bodies. Sanctify us all, Thou that healest every disease; and heal also me (this) Thy servant. Raise me (him) up from the bed of pain by Thy tender mercy, visit me (him) in mercy and compassion, drive away from me (him) all sickness and infirmity; that being raised up by Thy mighty hand, I (he) may serve Thee with all thankfulness; and that we, being made partakers of Thine ineffable benignity, may praise and glorify Thee, Who doest works great and wonderful, and worthy to be praised. For it is Thine to pity and to save; and to Thee we ascribe glory, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, now and forever, and unto ages of ages. (Oremus, 1925, p.83).
Divine Service Judica Sunday, April 3, 2022
Order of Divine Service I, p.136 Lutheran Worship
Hymn “We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died” LW 118, TLH 178
Readings: Genesis 22:1-14, Hebrews 9:11-15, St. John 8:42-49
Hymn “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” LW 508, TLH 345
Sermon
Communion Hymns: “Lord Jesus Christ, My Light, My Life” TLH 353 (insert)
“O Jesus, Blessed Lord, My Praise” LW 245, TLH 309
“Not All the Blood of Beasts” LW 99, TLH 156
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Judica-Divine-Service-for-Online-4-3-2022.pdf
Picture: The Sacrifice of Isaac from Das Alte Testament Deutsch, M. Luther, Wittemberg, 1523.
(https://collections.museumofthebible.org/artifacts/25085-luthers-pentateuch?&tab=description).
Luther’s 1523 translation of the Pentateuch included eleven woodcuts. Six of these are pictures of the tabernacle. The other five are the high priest in vestments, the flood, the sacrifice of Isaac, Jacob’s dream, and Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dream.
Luther: “I have made a great effort to make Moses so German that no one would guess that he was a Jew.” In the Preface Luther wrote: “It is the principal teaching of the Old Testament to proclaim the law, to reveal sin, and to further the good….For Moses can do no more by the law than tell what man ought to do and ought not to do. But he cannot give the power, the strength, and the ability to fulfill it.” Large portions of this Preface are contained in Willem Jan Kooiman, Luther and the Bible [Philadelphia: Muhlenberg Press, 1961], p. 135-144.
(https://gruber.lstc.edu/luthers_bible/1523_1533.php)
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Miriam’s Sunday School Class #72: April 3, 2022
Today’s class continues to look at Joseph’s Brothers Go To Egypt in Genesis 42:1-38.
Handout 1: Text-for-Chapter-42.pdf
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
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#25 For Luther’s Mother Margaret: You Have Been Sealed with Joyful Faith
To such knowledge (I say) God has graciously called you. You possess God’s seal and letter of this [calling], namely, the gospel you hear preached, baptism, and the sacrament of the altar, so that you should have no trouble or danger. Only be of good cheer and thank [God] joyfully for such great grace! For he who has begun [his work] in you will also graciously complete it, since we are unable to help ourselves in such matters. We are unable to accomplish anything against sin, death, and the devil by our own works. Therefore, another appears for us and in our stead who definitely can do better; he gives us his victory, and commands us to accept it and not to doubt it. He says: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”; and again: “I live, and you will live also, and no one will take your joy from you.”
The Father and God of all consolation grant you, through his holy Word and Spirit, a steadfast, joyful, and grateful faith blessedly to overcome this and all other trouble, and finally to taste and experience that what he himself says is true: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And with this I commend your body and soul to his mercy. Amen.
All your children and my Katie pray for you; some weep, others say at dinner: “Grandmother is very sick.” God’s grace be with us all. Amen. Your loving son, Martin Luther May 20, 1531 (Luther’s Works, v. 50, p.21)
Catechesis on Judica/Lent Five (St. John 8:42-59) 2021
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 PM. This service is designed to prepare God’s people for the theme of the upcoming Sunday Divine Service.
The dialog sermon explains “Children of the Devil” (St. John 8:42-59), which is the Holy Gospel for the Fifth Sunday in Lent. The teaching for Learn-by-Heart will include hymn #508, stanza 4 of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” Small Catechism, Christian Questions with their Answers, 1-9, and John 8:42.
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Catechesis-Judica-3-17-2021.pdf
Responsive Prayer: Responsive-Prayer-for-Catechesis-2020.pdf
For a Friend on his Birthday.
GOD, the Life of the faithful, the Savior and Guardian of those that fear Thee, Who, after the expiration of a year, hast been pleased to bring Thy servant N.N., to this his natural birthday: Increase in him. the grace of the Protector of life, and multiply his days with many years, that having, by Thy favor, been carried through a happy life, he may be enabled to attain the height of heavenly joys; 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.82).
Miriam’s Sunday School Class #71: Sunday, March 27, 2022
Today’s class examines Joseph’s Brothers Go To Egypt in Genesis 42:1-38.
Handout 1: Text-for-Chapter-42.pdf
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
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Divine Service Laetare Sunday, Mar 27, 2022
Order of Divine Service I, p.136 Lutheran Worship
Hymn “O Day of Rest and Gladness” LW 203, TLH 9
Readings: Exodus 16:2-21, Galatians 4:21-31, St. John 6:1-15
Hymn “Christ the Life of All the Living” LW 94, TLH 151
Sermon
Communion Hymns: “O Living Bread from Heaven” LW 244, TLH 316
“Oh, Love, How Deep” LW 275
“Not All the Blood of Beasts” LW 99, TLH 156
“Lord Jesus Christ, Life-Giving Bread” LW 248, TLH 312
–Michael D. Henson, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church (Herrin, IL).
Service Bulletin: Laetare-Divine-Service-for-Online-3-27-2022.pdf
Picture: Luther’s Portrait from Das Alte Testament Deutsch, M. Luther, Wittemberg, 1523.
After the publication of the New Testament in 1522, Luther began to translate the Old Testament, which would take him 12 years. “He used a Hebrew Bible that had been published in Brescia in 1494. He used the commentaries of Nicolas of Lyra and the grammar and lexicon of Reuchlin. Luther immersed himself deeply in passages, listening to them from within, and then asked whether what he thought he was hearing agreed with the letter of the text and was grammatically acceptable” (SMU).
Starting in August 2021, the artwork for Trinity’s bulletin covers and weekly snips for Our Family Daily Prayers were found in Luther’s 1522 German translation of the New Testament, Das Newe Testament deutzsch. Both the first edition (September 1522) and the second edition (December 1522) included twenty-one full-page illustrations of the book of Revelation by Luther’s good friend, Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553).
Beginning with Laetare-Lent 4(Mar 27), the artwork will come from the first part of Luther’s translation of the Old Testament, Das Alte Testament Deutsch, which included the first five books of the Old Testament. The first edition of 1523 contains full-page woodcut illustrations by Lucas Cranach the Elder.
“The 1524 edition was printed by Melchior Lotter in Wittenberg, Germany. It contains thirteen brilliantly colored illustrations made from woodcuts by Georg Lemberger, some in what is known as Fürstenkolorit. In this type of illumination, the woodcuts are colored and heightened with gold, suggesting this Bible was created for an aristocrat. Only ten copies of this edition are known to exist. Moreover, sixteenth-century prints showing Fürstenkolorit are extremely rare.” (https://collections.museumofthebible.org/artifacts/25085-luthers-pentateuch?&tab=description).
Luther’s Translation of the Pentateuch 1523
Das Allte Testament deutsch M. Luther. Wittemberg, 1523.
Second Part of the Old Testament: Joshua-Esther 1524
Das Ander teyl des alten testaments. Wittemberg (1524)
Third Part of the Old Testament: Job-Song of Solomon 1524
Das Dritte teyl des allten Testaments. Wittemberg (1524).
Luther’s Translation of the Prophets 1532
Die Propheten alle Deudsch D. Mart. Luth. Wittemberg (1532).
Martin Luther: The Complete German Bible 1534
Biblia, das ist die gantze Heilige Schrifft Deudsch… Wittemberg: Hans Lufft, (1534)
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