Category Archives: Services

Friday Ember Day Sermon – 12/16/2016

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This year’s ember day sermons are based on the Apostles’ Creed.  This second sermon is on the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed and is entitled, “The Redeemer And The Redeemed.”  (Note: Based on Luther’s Sermons on the Catechism, 1528 — See pages 162-169 of Luther’s Works, volume 51)

“Thus we have, in all, five parts covering the whole of Christian doctrine, which we should constantly teach and require young people to recite word for word. Do not assume that they will learn and retain this teaching from sermons alone. 25 When these parts have been well learned, you may assign them also some Psalms and some hymns,[1] based on these subjects, to supplement and confirm their knowledge. Thus our youth will be led into the Scriptures so they make progress daily.

26 However, it is not enough for them simply to learn and repeat these parts verbatim. The young people should also attend preaching, especially at the time designated for the Catechism, so that they may hear it explained and may learn the meaning of every part. Then they will also be able to repeat what they have heard and give a good, correct answer when they are questioned, and thus the preaching will not be without benefit and fruit.  27 The reason we take such care to preach on the Catechism frequently is to impress it upon our youth, not in a lofty and learned manner but briefly and very simply, so that it may penetrate deeply into their minds and remain fixed in their memories.”[2]

[1] Luther himself wrote six hymns based on the parts of the Catechism.

[2] Preface of 1529, Large Catechism, (Tappert, T. G. 2000, c1959. The Book of Concord : The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Fortress Press: Philadelphia).

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Wednesday Ember Day Sermon – 12/14/16

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This year’s ember day sermons are based on the Apostles’ Creed.  This first sermon is on the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed and is entitled, “The Creator And The Created.”   (Note: Based on Luther’s Sermons on the Catechism, 1528 — See pages 162-169 of Luther’s Works, volume 51)

“The material in the Large Catechism originated as sermons by Martin Luther on the basic texts of Christian teaching.  Already in the Middle Ages, some regional synods in Germany had called for regular preaching on the “catechism” (usually defined as the Ten Commandment, Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer and, sometimes, the Ave Maria).  The Ember Days, four time of fasting spread throughout the church year {The Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after 1st Sunday in Lent, Pentecost, Holy Cross Day(Sep 14), and St. Lucia’s Day(Dec 13)}, were often designated for this purpose.  Even before the Reformation, Wittenberg’s city church, St. Mary’s also seems to have followed this practice.  Luther himself preached on various portions of the catechism as early as 1518”  (The Book of Concord, Kolb, preface to Large Catechism, p.377)

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