Easter Day Sermon for April 1, 2018 entitled “Explanation” based on Mark 16:5.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Author Archive: luther
28A Creation: False-Teaching Churches
“And in many churches they often hear, ‘You can believe all that you’re taught at school about evolution and millions of years, but trust in Jesus anyway!’ Most of the Church leaders have taken the supposed millions of years and basically said, ‘We’ll fit these millions of years into the Bible in the ‘days’ of creation, or in a gap between the first two verses, or in some way fit it into the Bible before the creation of man” (Gospel Reset by Ken Ham, p.71-72).
Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 12: Not a Christian Nation
Although the American culture has indeed changed, we need to be careful how we describe this change. The illustration on pages 53 and 82 seems to teach that the United States formerly had God’s Word as her foundation, but now the foundation is man’s word. Let’s be clear: The United States has never been a Christian nation. The United State does not teach or enforce Christian doctrine. She does not rule her citizens by the spiritual or even the civil righteousness of the Ten Commandments. She was founded by rationalists, deists, and Christians. I’m not sure that the majority of her inhabitants were ever practicing Christians–but maybe at some time. We can say that general Biblical knowledge of the population has probably declined. We can say that outwardly immoral behavior (civil righteousness) has become more acceptable. We can say that many are openly denying natural law and the conclusions of human reason in order to embrace their own sinful desires.
We also need to be concerned when the church is directed to influence “culture.” For example, p.117 says, “The church is, by and large, no longer influencing the culture in our once very Christianized West, but now the culture is rapidly influencing (infiltrating) the church.” When the foundation and purpose for the right hand (church) kingdom and the left hand (state) kingdom are not properly distinguished, there will be much mischief. Next week we will take up the topic of the three estates in order to determine what kind of “influence” is appropriate.
Overheads 1: Gospel-Reset-Overheads-Jun-16-2019.pdf
Handout Page 8: Gospel-Reset-Class-Eight-May-19-2019.pdf
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
#43 Father, Raise Up a Devout Son
Remember and help to raise up good people, that you, father, may raise up a devout son, you, mother, a devout daughter, who in turn will raise up their children in piety. Thus the servants will also be well trained. A prince and the cities need good people. The prince needs councilors, the cities need pastors and learned men.
Therefore, do not say, as some people are saying these days: Priestcraft doesn’t count any more. If you note that your child can become an able boy, send him to school. If you do not do this, you will have to give an account, and you are a rogue who is against the prince and the city and disobedient to your God. Hitherto scholars have been educated in order to become canons. Now we must devote far more care to educating the children in order that we may find people who are capable of serving a country in its secular government and the cities in spiritual government as preachers and lectors. You see what murderous harm you do to the sovereign prince and the fatherland when you keep gifted boys away from study. (Luther’s Works, v. 51 p. 151)
Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 11: Worldview
We need to understand the difference between trying to prove the Bible is true by extra-biblical evidence and showing that the extra-Biblical evidence agrees with or confirms (or at least doesn’t contradict) the teachings of the Bible. The problem with trying to prove the Bible is true is that the person’s trust now is built not on the Holy Scriptures, but upon another source of authority. The Scriptural foundation is the only solid foundation that can be trusted.
This book uses the terms society, culture and worldview. In this study we try to determine the meaning of the term worldview, and especially Christian worldview. After examining several individual beliefs/values for both the Christian and the secular humanist, we saw that the actions of each would be different based on their beliefs/values. Nevertheless, it was a Wikipedia article that explained that “Different demoninations of Christianity have varying worldviews.” In addition, Wikipedia states that the term “worldview” can be anything from a “philosophical concept to a synonym for ‘doctrine.'”
Overheads 1: Gospel-Reset-Overheads-Jun-9-2019.pdf
Web Site Snippets: Worldview-Jun-9-2019.pdf
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
27A Creation: 7 Cs in God’s Eternal Plan
“In the beginning—in six 24-hour days—God made a perfect Creation. The first man, Adam disobeyed the Creator. His sin brought death and Corruption into Creation. Adam’s race became so wicked that God judged the world with a great Catastrophe—the global flood—saving only those on the Ark built by Noah. When Noah’s descendants disobeyed God’s command to fill the earth, God brought Confusion on their language causing them to spread over the earth. The Creator became a man, Jesus Christ, who obeyed God in everything, unlike the first man, Adam. Jesus, the Messiah, died on a Cross to pay the penalty for mankind’s sin against God. He rose from the dead, providing eternal life for all who trust in Him. In the Consummation, God will create a new heavens and a new earth. He will destroy death and cast out the disobedient and dwell eternally with those who trust in Him
#42 Be The Parent!
You parents, on the other hand, must remember to show yourselves to be parents toward your children! For the fourth commandment calls you fathers and mothers, not tyrants, rascals, and scoundrels. Therefore, if you are a father or a mother, this commandment means you. If you are a burgomaster, or anyone who bears the name of father, see to it that you carry out your paternal office. You father, instruct your son, that he may fear God; you master, your servants; you burgomaster, your townsmen; you prince, your subjects. You too have been commanded. Your maids do not exist merely to wash the pots for you. Listen! this Commandment is for you. If you are not diligently concerned that your children and servants learn piety, then it serves you right if your children are disobedient and your servants unfaithful. For God does not give you your children to play with, nor does he give you servants for you to use them like asses for work. As you learn from me, so children and servants should learn from you parents and masters. (Luther’s Works, v. 51 p. 150-151)
Gospel Reset Bible Class, Pt. 10: Evangelism
There are differences between St. Peter’s address in Acts 2 and St. Paul’s address in Acts 17. The speaker proceeds differently because of the knowledge or lack of knowledge of the hearers with regard to the true God and Creator, sin, death, and the promise of the Savior. Nevertheless, both speeches use the Bible alone to bring the truth of Jesus Christ to the hearers.
In this study we are going to examine the two different approaches (to evangelism) which are used in this book for speaking to Christians (pages 11-14 and pages 111-112) and non-Christians (pages 109-111). This book explains the difference within the hearers as either possessing or not possessing “the foundation needed to comprehend a Christian worldview” (p.111).
Finally, we make a distinction between teaching about creation from natural knowledge and teaching about creation from revealed knowledge.
Handout 1: Gospel-Reset-Class-Eight-May-19-2019.pdf
Overheads: Gospel-Reset-Overheads-May-26-2019b.pdf
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
26A Creation: Greeks Teaching Greeks
“Most students attend public (state-run) schools where teachers and their textbooks teach apologetics to defend evolution, millions of years, and naturalism (atheism). By and large, at many churches these students are taught what are called Bible ‘stories,’ instead of teaching them the Bible as factual history. But at public (state) school (and sadly many so-called Christian/church schools), they hear something like this: ‘Here are the reasons the Bible’s account in Genesis is not true. Here is the evidence for evolution. This is the evidence for millions of years” (Gospel Reset by Ken Ham, p.71).
Consummation: The Fulfillment of God’s Word.
In the consummation, God will create a new heaven and a new earth. He will destroy death and cast out the disobedient and dwell eternally with those who trust in Him.
“Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire…and I saw a new heaven and a new earth” Revelation 20:14, 21:1.
#41 Punish Your Child to Ward Off His Vice
The head of a household must punish and should not tolerate evil. But he must not be hateful and vengeful, lest in this way he corrupt the other person. A father does not punish his son in order to make him spiteful and ruin him in body and soul, but rather to ward off his vice; he wants to purify him and wipe away his faults. He hates, not the person, but the vice. This is a wrathful love which is kind and good toward the person; hence it cannot tolerate the nastiness in him. So, too, a woman cannot bear it when there is dirt on her child’s nose, but must wipe it away; she does not do this in order to hurt the child. Magistrates, teachers, and parents must chastise, but this chastisement is fatherly and kindly.
Solomon said, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” [Prov. 27:6]. When an enemy speaks kindly to you, this is not affection, but rather the devil, who is out to destroy you in your sins. Ah, he says, you’re doing fine; go ahead! But a friend will be willing to hurt you. This is a rod, but it comes from the heart of a friend.”
Up to this point he has been speaking of being patient and bearing with our neighbor. He now goes on to speak of whoever receives a gift. [“As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (I Pet. 4:10)]. If you speak, do so as one who speaks the Word of God. If you have an office, perform it as one who knows that it is of God.
(Luther’s Works, v. 51 , p.298).