W W W. H I G H E RT H I N G S . O R G
/ SPRING / 2004
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Contents T A B L E
4
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The Greatest Comeback Ever By Dr. David Scaer
“Easter is not for the languid, the lethargic, the indifferent, nor for those who don’t care who wins. A wounded but undefeated Jesus steps out of the grave to confound the odds. He’s alive and that’s what counts.” Read this powerful sermon to find out about the greatest comeback ever.
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Learning to Be a Wuss By Nathan Fischer
How do you usually celebrate the Fourth of July? With firecrackers, parades, fun, and parties? Read about Nathan’s difficult experience, and lessons about depending on God.
11 The Liturgy of Sports By Gene Edward Veith
Do sporting events have their own liturgies? Gene Edward Veith discusses this issue and his conclusions give a surprising picture of our culture’s obsession with sports.
13 Love Thy Neighbor By Kathy Luder
In this, the latest installment of Kathy’s adventures and experiences, a neighbor visits their home with some sad news.
15 Christ Puts Death to Death: Does Suicide Give Life to Death? By Adrianne Dorr
Adrianne Dorr tackles the difficult and heart-wrenching issue of suicide, and explores the Biblical view as well as Luther’s thoughts on the topic.
17 Dumb Church Signs Compiled by Rev. Chad Bird
The stupidest church signs ever.
22 Texas Youth Group Dares to be Lutheran By Pam Knepper
Read about how one youth group has grown closer together by attending Higher Things conferences.
COLUMNS 19 Letters to the Editor 20 MINING THE RICHES: The Meat of the Gospel By Rev. Will Weedon
Find out what chili con carne and Christ’s incarnation—as well as your own resurrection—have in common.
26 Pulse: Sports Magazines and TV Shows By Rev. Eric A. Andrae
Pastor Andrae, the ultimate sports fan (and who can be found at any given time playing soccer, basketball, or at least watching ESPN), reflects on cultural attitudes toward sport, and some specific shows and magazines.
28 E-mail Information and News and Notes 29 Ex Cathedra
Internet theft, dealing with shyness, and drive-thru ATMs with Braille keypads?
30 The Catechism: Asleep in Jesus By Rev. David Petersen
HigherThings Volume 4/Number 1 Spring 2004 Editor-in-Chief REV. TODD PEPERKORN Assistant Editor JULIE STIEGEMEYER
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The Greatest C A sermon by Rev. David Scaer, originally preached on Holy Saturday, April 18, 1992 at Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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Comeback Ever By Dr. David P. Scaer not here. He is risen, as He said.” This is just another way of saying that winning is everything, and in this case Jesus won. and “March Madness” suggest a disease of epidemic Judah’s lion wins the strife and proportions, an altered state of mind, a common psychosis. “Lo, reigns o’er death to give us life.” It was a Time here is measured in NCAA championships. This grudge match between light and darkyear’s “madness” was Purdue beating Indiana and Indiana ness, heaven and hell, life and death, angels and demons, saints and unbealmost upsetting Duke. Then there was Kentucky and lievers, God and Satan. Like two men in Duke. With seven seconds left, Kentucky took the ball, a dark alley, it was a fight to the death. Jesus went on a search-and-destroy went up the center of the court, and scored for what mission. He came into the house of the everyone thought was a certain victory. With two seconds well-armed man, took his weapons, left, however, Duke threw the ball halfway down the stripped him of his military paraphernalia, and left the place in a shambles. As court. It was caught and shot. The buzzer went off as said:“It was a strange and dreadthe ball passed through the net to win the game by one Luther ful strife when Life and Death contendpoint. For Duke, certain defeat became absolute victory. ed. The victory remained with Life, the reign of Death was ended.” The one Tonight is not a night for the languid, the lethargic, the who died didn’t lose after all, but conquered death by His indifferent, nor for those who don’t care who wins. Tonight death, so that life could prevail. is for those who love challenges, who never give up, who Since creation, when God pushed back the primeval never surrender. If we had kept score, God was behind since forces of darkness with His eternal brilliance, there has never Genesis. The death cry, the limp body, the funeral cortege, and the tomb proved that Jesus was dead and that the God been a night like this. At creation, God was sovereign. On this night, every devil in hell was lined up against Him. But whom He preached and whom He claimed to represent God’s “Michael,” Jesus Christ, prevailed and led the holy was a dead god or even no god at all. Since He did not angels into hell and released God’s saints and reclaimed a come down from the cross, He was probably the impostor world stolen by Satan. Tonight is the new Genesis Chapter His enemies had claimed He was. Gethsemane, the arrest, One. God says,“Let there be light,” and the divine hostage is the trials, the execution of God’s champion, all made it look released from the cold tomb. “The death Christ died He as if God had lost again. Champagne bottles were being died to God. He dies no more. Death no more hath dominpopped in hell. But theirs was a triumph without a victory. ion over Him.” The creating light from His tomb with the “It isn’t over till it’s over.” roar of a tidal wave pushes back the cosmic darkness that Tonight a wounded but undefeated Jesus steps out of groans under the weight of its own evil until it thunders the grave to confound the odds. This is not the unbleminto hell’s murky pits. The custodians of hell and the ished Adam of Eden’s garden, but the tortured Second guardians of the grave are blinded by the brilliant Sun rising Adam of the cross. Wounded and scarred by the ravages of from the dark tomb. That light rushed from Christ’s tomb His ordeal, He is alive and that’s what counts. Etched out in blood on the majesty and brilliance of His resurrected body into the graves of God’s saints, unchaining them from death. And they came “into the holy city and appeared to many.” is the story of His suffering. His glorified body remains a The cross, which tolled the death of Jesus, trumpeted portrait of His suffering. His pierced hands, side, and feet, God’s victory. The shroud, stained with blood, is raised as the thorn-crowned head and the battered face, the back, the Redeemer’s ensign. Tonight the royal banners are fully scarred with stripes, tell a story that angels and saints will unfurled. Christ’s blood streams in the firmament for all hell sing forever. The old cliché that it’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game, is not really true when you to see. Tonight God shouts into the abyss,“O death, where is are speaking about life and death, heaven and hell, freedom thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?” And in deathly silence there comes no echo of response. and slavery, God and Satan. This night is for God, who was There’s no thrill in knowing the outcome of a contest or fully convinced that His servant Jesus would come from a game before it even begins. What makes a contest behind and defeat His mortal enemy Satan. Jesus’ only thrilling is seeing losers win and winners lose. The poorest weapon was His complete confidence and trust that God guy in town wins the lottery. The kid at the bottom of the would come to His aid. class gets the highest score. The school klutz makes the first “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is
In Indiana, the phrases “Hoosier Hysteria”
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string. Outnumbered American colonials turn back British regulars. The polished English soldiers march past the untrained farmers in tattered uniforms, laying down their weapons, while “The World Turned Upside Down” plays in the background. Something like this happened tonight. Certain defeat became absolute victory. The tables were turned on hell. The enemies of Jesus paraded in front of Him, turning in their weapons, and confessing that Jesus is Lord to the glory of that same God the Father whom they once cursed. On this night,“the world [was] turned upside down.” The winners lost and the losers won. Tonight the pages are turned back to Genesis Chapter Three. The fall into sin is wiped from the divine record. This was not a contest between divine omnipotence and diabolical power. That would have been no contest at all, and Satan would have forever accused God of divine foul play, hurling loud insults from hell. This was a battle between Christ in the weakness of our humanity and the full force of all the devils in hell. Christ won this game, coming from behind. He fought, not with divine omnipotence, but by trusting in God the way that our first parents did not. We can leave all the traThis sermon is from In Christ, ditions of Easter for tomorThe Collected Works of David P. row: devouring chocolate Scaer Lutheran Confessor, Easter bunnies; wearing Volume I: Sermons published something special to by the Concordia Catechetical church; the 8 a.m. Easter Academy of Peace Lutheran breakfast; dinner with Church, Sussex, WI. The book friends and relatives; the sells for $27 plus $3.50 for $8.95 Easter brunch at the shipping. It may be ordered Airport Hilton. We can by contacting the CCA at even think religious 262.246.3200 or on-line at thoughts. In our hearts www.peacesussex.org/CCA . and at the altar, we can commemorate those who have died in Christ and who now live with Him. There is that hopeful nostalgia on Easter, even for us who are aware of our own physical deterioration. Into our common physical degeneration, Easter proclaims that we will live forever and that this life will be with Jesus and His Father and that same Holy Spirit given us in baptism. The commemoration of our baptism tonight is our participation in Christ’s death and resurrection and a dress rehearsal for that day when He will call us out of our tombs. The primeval disorder, which threatened to devour us, has been tamed by the Spirit of God
who moved across the face of the dark waters in order to turn them into the living waters of baptism. Tonight we are not at the entrance of our tombs. Ash Wednesday is behind us. Tonight we are standing at the exit. Our baptism was the first step in our resurrection. With Christ we are passing out of death into life. Even the oldest are born like babes. Tonight, Christianity is given a rational and historical foundation. We have been dealt a trump card. Among all the religions, only Christianity can claim that its founder came back from the dead. But tonight is not for our customs or traditions, our faith, or even for our rational confidence. Tonight belongs to God. He has settled the score once and for all. With the charges against us nailed to the cross and marked “Paid,” Satan, the ancient dragon, the deceptive serpent, has been gagged. Tonight, light and darkness clashed with a thunder that no summer night has ever known. The plates of the earth shifted against each other in endless earthquakes so that the lids of our graves could be pulled from their hinges. Jesus has gone into our prison to release the hostages. “Do you renounce Satan?” “Yes, we do!” “[Then] depart you unclean spirit and make room for God’s Holy Spirit.” Jesus has reclaimed the world for God and has disposed of the devil, who had enthroned himself as our governor. Even though it’s April, this night is a “March Madness” of cosmic proportions. God has gone into hell and cut down the nets. The Rose Bowl has been won and the goal posts torn down. The rafters of heaven are shaking and the ceiling is resounding with angelic roars. The foundations of hell are cracking. The troops storming out of the gates of hell have been ambushed. The enemy is everywhere in retreat. Christ has pillaged hell. Satan is bound. Death is conquered. The temple curtain is torn from the top to the bottom. The saints are streaming out of their graves into the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. The gates of Paradise are unlocked. Noah’s ark has survived the flood and takes us up to Ararat. Pharaoh and his host have been drowned in the sea and his chariots mired in mud. The Passover Lamb has been slain, raised from the dead, and eaten by the conquering troops. God stands in front of Israel and leads her through the Red Sea’s water. Jordan is backed up like a heap. Canaan is within our grasp. Jerusalem is in view. The temple, destroyed by God’s enemies from the day the world began, has been raised on the third day. Tonight is God’s night. His fortunes have been reversed. His enemy is placed in chains. It is a night of divine madness, a heavenly hysteria, a magnificent foolishness that could only have been contrived by God. Dr. David Scaer is the chairman of the department of systematic theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
learning to be a
wuss By Nathan Fischer
July 4th – Independence Day. It’s the day when rockets and missiles aren’t just associated with the military, but instead every American gets to legally set off his own combustible projectiles! The flags are soaring, the boats are roaring, and the fireworks rain down in the most brilliant and vibrant colors imaginable. Independence Day. It’s one of those days of the year that people associate with fun and laughter. Last summer, my July 4th became marked by something else. Fun and laughter were cast aside as my mom and I drove to the hospital. Pain is not what most people associate with the fun and laughter of the 4th of July, but it sure was what I was feeling. Upon arriving at the hospital, I was taken to the emergency room, where the doctors checked me over and took x-rays. After they were done, I waited anxiously for the results. It was not what I expected. The doctor walked in and looked at my mom and me very seriously. “I’ll be blunt,” he said. “You have a collapsed lung, and you can’t leave this hospital. Otherwise, you could die.” Mom started crying, while I tried to act tough and not let my sudden thoughts of doubt and worry show. Over the next several weeks, as the doctors tried to figure out how my lung had collapsed, they came to realize that I was sick. It is a chronic sickness, which means I’m not going to get better. Some people who have the same sickness die around 30 or 40, while others live to around 50 or 60. Regardless, I, an 18-year-old-boy about to head off to college, was presented with some mind-blowing thoughts. I have a sickness that, one of these days, will probably end my life. I’m already feeling the effects of it in various ways, like my lung collapse.
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For anyone, this would probably bring with it thoughts of despair and worries. It did for me; however, over time, it also has made me think about something else. My bodily sickness is a result of something greater—a soul sickness. I’m in a sin-sick body, and while there’s nothing the doctors can do to help me, I know someone who can help: my Father in heaven. I’ve tried to be strong; I’ve tried to muster up the resolve to carry myself along by myself. I can’t do it. The sickness of body and soul is an overwhelming matter, and it hit me hard. I wasn’t left without hope, though. One of my best friends wrote to me not long after with some advice:“Be a wuss who can’t stand on his own feet and needs a daddy who will take care of him.” It was then that I finally realized what it means to really, truly be a Christian. Being a Christian means being so sick that we can’t take care of ourselves, but we have someone who will take care of us NO MATTER WHAT. None of us are strong. None of us are good. None of us are healthy. But Christ, through His crucifixion and resurrection, gives us His strength and righteousness. He gives it to us in His Word, in Holy Baptism, in the Lord’s Supper, and in the form of a pastor who will forgive us no matter what we confess. We all have a sin-sickness that affects us spiritually and physically. We all will face death and thoughts of death in this lifetime. Some maybe sooner than others, but it’s coming for us all. As Christians, though, we can take comfort in the fact that our sin was taken from us and nailed to a cross, and one day our bodies will be refined and made into perfect bodies, free from all sin and physical illnesses. Christ is our physician, and He never ceases to take care of us. May we always be reminded of it during this Easter season, as we dwell on the new life our Father has given us in Christ. Nathan Fischer, 19, attends Concordia University Wisconsin, and is pursuing a career in the Pastoral Ministry
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Sports
by Gene Edward Veith
The Liturgy of It
has been said that the only places people sing anymore are in church and at ballgames. Now many churches are phasing out singing, in favor of hiring professionals to perform the music or piping it in electronically. But ballgames are far more conservative. In fact, at a time when many churches are abandoning liturgy, no one is asking sporting events to get rid of their rituals, rites, and ceremonies. The liturgy of sports exists on two levels: the ceremony of the game itself, involving both the players and the spectators. And the inner order of service, those formal actions that constitute the game. Notice what happens when you go to a game, whether football, baseball, basketball, basketball, hockey—you name it. There is an opening. The flag is presented, and we sing our national anthem. The teams are introduced—in the NBA with smoke, lights, and a musical fanfare; in baseball with the players taking their positions. Coins are flipped; a dignitary throws out the first pitch; teams huddle and break. Then and only then does the game begin.
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As the game goes on, the crowd chants in unison.There are half-time ceremonies. Baseball has its Seventh Inning Stretch, where the crowd rises as one to sing the Baseball Hymn (“Take me out to the ball game. . .”). When the game is over, there is the clipping of the net, the awarding of the game ball, lining up to shake hands, sometimes even kneeling to pray. Ceremonies are natural, and rituals emerge whenever groups of people gather together in some meaningful activity. But on a deeper level, liturgy—following a structure of meaningful actions—is at the essence of any sport. One might say that sport is a liturgy. To play a game means to fall in with its rules and conventions. Lining up for football; dribbling and shooting in all of their conventions about when, where, and how; the numerology of baseball (three strikes; four balls; three bases; four points on the diamond; three outs; nine innings)—these are formal actions, following historic conventions, but the game is impossible without them. Imagine an “informal” football or baseball game, in which all the players spontaneously do whatever they want. Or a basketball or soccer league that changes the rules every time the game is played, so that no one knows what is going to happen or what they are supposed to do.The game would no longer be fun.There would be no exhilaration in playing. The game would cease to exist. And so it is in church.The pattern of action (we rise, we sit, we kneel, we listen, we respond, we go to the altar) and of language (we pray, we recite, sing, listen to, and hear the Word of God) is no mere game, of course, but, like a game, it lifts us up out of our normal unstructured lives into something dramatic, orderly, and meaningful. Just as the rules in a game are not confining—but rather make the game possible— the liturgy of the church makes worship possible.When you are playing a sport, you don’t find yourself thinking about its rules, you just get caught up in the action, with all of the thrills and personal challenge that go along with the flow of the game. In worship, the liturgy likewise helps us get caught up into the relationship with God that it embodies. It may be that one reason sports are so popular in the United States is that
American Christianity has lost its sense of liturgy. To fill in the void, people go to a game on Sunday instead of to church. But individuals need to feel themselves as part of a larger, collective group, whether a congregation or an assembly of fans, and the way we feel part of that group is through participating in common rites. In the church, of course, we are part of a group that extends back further than any team’s glory years: the communion of the saints stretches back through time and forward into eternity.The analogy breaks down as the magnitude of what we do in church is infinitely more significant than what we do or watch on the playing field. And the
dramatic actions of church—in which we confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness, indeed, receive the Body of Christ Himself—is real, not play. Dr. Gene Edward Veith is the Culture Editor for World Magazine, he is the Director of the Cranach Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, and he is also on the Board of Directors of Higher Things magazine.
was home alone one Saturday when the doorbell rang. “Oh, great,” I thought,“Here come the JW’s!” It wasn’t the JW’s. It was worse. It was our next-door neighbor.
I
“Hi, Mr. Winter. Are you okay?” “Hi. Is your dad here?” “No. He went to the hardware store. He should be back pretty soon. Is something wrong?” “Well . . . maybe I’ll wait out here for your dad.” We don’t see much of Mr. Winter. He is an old bachelor and none too fond of kids. When we were little, he was always calling my mom to complain. He was especially fussy about his grass. He got
really mad if we rode our bikes across his lawn. He yelled at us one time because we had drawn a hopscotch grid with colored chalk on the walk in front of his house. He said it would wash off and poison his grass. It didn’t. Another time, after two inches of snow in November, my brothers shoveled off his entire front lawn to get enough snow for their fort. It looked pretty awful, but from his reaction you would have thought they’d filled his mailbox with
by Kathy Luder
Love Thy Neighbor
rancid meat! Okay, so they did that once. But he was mean. That Saturday Mr. Winter was standing on our front porch, looking at the ground and trembling. My mind was racing as Dad pulled into the driveway. What was going on? I’d just gotten my license. Did it have something to do with my driving? I had driven over a few curbs that I hadn’t told my parents about and illegally given Susan a ride home from the game last night. Had Mr. Winter seen me? Mr. Winter and I walked over to Dad’s car.Then, Mr. Winter started sobbing and saying,“Mr. Luder, I am so terribly sorry. It
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was an accident.” My dad was bent over, pulling something out of the back seat. He turned around, holding the limp form of our dog Buster.Tears were running down my dad’s cheeks, but he wasn’t making a sound. I could see his leather jacket had blood and mud on it. It was ruined. I wondered why he hadn’t taken it off before picking Buster up. Mr. Winter kept starting to talk, but my dad wasn’t listening. He was just looking at Buster and stroking his head. Mr. Winter was finally quiet.Then my Dad said,“Okay,” and carried Buster into the backyard. “Kath—I’m sorry,” Dad said to me as he caught my eye. I walked up to him, and we hugged Buster between us. Then, Mr. Winter and I followed him behind the house. Standing in front of my mom’s garden Dad said, “Buster always ate the tomatoes off the vine as soon as they ripened.”With tears still on his face, but with a slight smile, he said,“You ever hear of a vegetarian dog before, Mr. Winter?” He laid Buster on the grass, next to the garden. Buster looked weird. Mr. Winter didn’t run over him. He hit his brakes when he saw Buster dash out. He just kind of bumped him, but still, here was Buster, dead. It looked like Buster was lying on the grass sleeping, except he was so still. Maybe if I was a farm kid I’d be used to this stuff. That is what my grandma is always saying. She says we miss out.We wouldn’t need sex ed in school if we had baby lambs every spring. We wouldn’t be so queasy if we grew up with life and death and sex like she did. Maybe she’s right. But if life on the farm is all about watching animals die, I’d prefer to remain ignorant. As I stood there I found myself getting angry, but I just watched and listened. I could feel something coming up from deep down inside me. My vision blurred with tears. I thought I was going to throw up. “Well, then,” said Mr. Winter.“Bury him in the tomatoes. It is a fitting tribute.” Dad went to the garage for a shovel. I watched as Mr. Winter pulled up the tomato plants by hand and took them to his garden. For a minute I was alone with Buster. I whispered his name, hoping he’d wake up. I knelt down and stroked his neck. Dad came back and starting digging. He was quiet. So was I. Mr. Winter returned and was silent also. Finally Dad said,“I guess that’s deep enough.” He stepped back and looked at me. I kept petting Buster. “We’ve got to bury him now, Kathy.” “Shouldn’t we wait until everybody is here?” “No. We need to get it done. Now is the right time. We can’t wait.” I could feel the blood rush to my head as I stood up, challenging him:“Why not? That’s stupid. He’s not going anywhere.” My voice was getting louder.“It can wait a couple of hours.You just want to get rid of him.” Then I threw up in the hole he had just dug and ran into the house crying. Dad found me in the living room, curled up on the couch, sobbing. He sat down next to me and started
scratching my back.“Are you okay?” I was silent.Then he said,“We’ll wait.You’re right.There is no hurry. I’m sorry.” I looked up to see that Mr. Winter had followed Dad in and was standing nearby. He said,“Buster was a noble spirit. He must surely have gone to the dog Valhalla.” Now that made me really mad, but I was exhausted. I whispered in disgust,“Valhalla! The Viking heaven for drinking and whoring! There is no such place. Heaven is heaven and Jesus is God. Not Oden or Thor. And it is for people, not dogs! We’ll never see Buster again.” I looked him right in the eye:“You killed him.” Sometimes whispering is louder for the lack of volume. He hung on my every word.Then he hung his head and left. Okay. It was a little over the top. But I was kind of freaked out, and Mr. Winter just makes me mad.That was a stupid thing to say. Buster had a personality. He was unique. He had favorite foods and toys and places to lie in the sun. And he loved us. But he didn’t have a soul and he didn’t have a Savior. Buster died not just because Mr. Winter hit him, but because Adam and Eve sinned in the garden. We introduced death: me, my Dad, Mr. Winter, Adam and Eve, even you. All of creation suffers and dies because we are all sinners. Jesus Christ redeemed the world by suffering death in our place. All of us who believe in Him will go to heaven. But dogs still die. People are still mean.The world is still chaotic and unpredictable. It makes me sad that I’ll never stroke Buster’s tummy again or scratch behind his ears. He wasn’t perfect, but he was a good dog. I miss him, but Buster was just a dog. It is not like I lost a person. And I am sure that Dad and Mr. Winter were just coping in their own way. But there is something wrong with death. It hurts. It is not natural. It was not meant to be. I can’t wait for the time when it will end and Jesus Christ will complete the good work He has begun in us, for the time when dogs and grandmas don’t die and neighbors love one another as neighbors should. Mr. Winter is doing his best. He is even supplying us with tomatoes, more, in fact, than we’ve ever had before. But what nobody knows is that I taught and encouraged Buster to eat tomatoes—so that I wouldn’t have to. Now I have to. Kathy Luder loves high fantasy and Johann Sebastian Bach. She spends a lot of Sunday afternoons at the movies at University Park Mall in Mishawaka, Indiana.You can e-mail Kathy about most anything at kathyluder@hotmail.com but you can’t bribe her with food or drink.
ur culture is obsessed with selfinduced death. Type “suicide” into Google and find websites like “The Top Ten Songs to Kill Yourself To,” or “Suicide— Give It a Chance,” or even a toy for sale called “Suicide Bomber Barbie.” A sense of intrigue surrounds men such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian who, after becoming infamous as the physician who assisted others in killing themselves, claimed,“When society reaches the age of enlightenment, then they’ll call me and other doctors Dr. Life.”1 Religions like Islam garner attention by promising that “he who gives his life for an Islamic cause will have his sins forgiven and a place reserved in paradise.”2
O
CHRIST PUTS
DEATH TO DEATH:
SUICIDE GIVE
LIFE TO DEATH?
By Adrianne Dorr
DOES
The culture does not realize, however, that God did not create man to die. Men were never intended to view death as something natural. Instead, suicides are a consequence of our first parents’ sin which caused us to be “the prey of death forever.”3 The delicate subject of suicide is cloaked in mystery within the church. While the Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod does not have an official stance on what happens to the souls of those who kill themselves, Dr. Martin Luther wrote that suicide ought to be seen as “sinful as well as foolish and cowardly. He who commits it robs himself of the opportunity to repent, and leaves others to bear the burdens from which he shrank.”4
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The fate of Judas
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Indeed, suicides are serious matters. Several, such as Saul’s and Judas’s, are mentioned in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us that we are not to do harm to our bodies for “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” In light of this, Dr. Luther wrote that men ought not anticipate death or work actively to bring it upon themselves. “Great saints do not like to die. The fear of death is natural, for death is a penalty; therefore it is something sad.”5 As punishment for the sin of Adam, death is “evidence of the wrath of God.”6 Simply put, sin tampers with the body and soul, the holy handiwork of God. It makes death appear to be our welcome friend. It entices us to choose the hour in which we die, claiming that we can be masters of our own destiny. It does away with the Fifth Commandment:“Thou shalt not kill.” But all this is a lie from Satan. For in the end, sin itself is our killer. However, there is another side to the issue. During Luther’s time, the Roman Catholic Church held that any individual who committed suicide was going to hell since he had no chance to repent of his sin. But Luther, seeing both sides of the matter, found no proof for such a belief and, in fact, wrote that,“I don’t have the opinion that suicides are certainly to be damned. My reason is that they do not wish to kill themselves but are overcome by the power of the devil.”While not reducing the danger and weightiness of suicide, Luther knew that God, not the church, sees the hearts of men upon their death. In the recently released Luther movie, a scene portrays the newly ordained Luther burying a young suicide victim amongst the bodies of the churched saints. His Roman Catholic parish was aghast and heard with astonished ears what the young priest preached on the next Sunday.“Those who see God as [solely] angry do not see him rightly. We have a God of love.” Dr. Luther wrote that believers may cling to one comfort when faced with
the tragedy of a suicide: our Lord is gracious. We have hope since Christ has already swallowed up death forever in His own death upon the cross. Through one’s baptism, death has already been defeated and Christ has gifted us with new life. The particulars of suicide may well remain a mystery to those who attempt to reason it out in this life. Ultimately, we can not know what happens to the souls of those who kill themselves since death was never meant to be man’s intended end. Those who desire to bring it upon themselves quickly step into uncertain territory since, as Thomas Aquinas wrote, our death “is subject not to man’s free will but to the power of God.”7 But, thanks be to God, Christ has “come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). In this alone the Christian can find comfort and peace in the face of suicide. Adrianne Dorr is currently a junior at Concordia University Wisconsin. She is majoring in English with a double minor in Theology and Writing. 1 ABC News interview. Dec. 8, 1993 http://abcnews.go.com/reference/bios/k evorkian.html 2 Ellis Shuman.“What Makes Suicide Bombers Tick?” http://www.israelinsider.com/channels/security/articles/sec_0 049.htm 3 Ewald Plass.“What Luther Says – An Anthology” (St Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959), 363. 4 Martin Luther.“An Explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism by Joseph Stump.” (Philadelphia: United Lutheran Publication House, 1907). 5 Ibid, 368. 6 Plass, 368. 7 “Suicide as Murder.” http://www.catholic-forum.com/ luxveritatis/AquinasLessons/ aq102598.htm 1.7.2004
One of the hardest teachings in the Scriptures is that Judas is in hell. We don’t like that. We are moved by his regret and remorse. We want him to get off the hook like the repentant thief or the woman caught in adultery. But he doesn’t. He dies in his unbelief. We know this because our Lord says of him that it would be better for him if he’d never been born. (Mark 14:21).” Our Lord does not say that of His lambs. Not being born is not better than being in heaven. Judas died an evil death. He died in a last act of rebellion against the Lord of Life. He didn’t repent and throw Himself upon the Lord’s mercy as Peter did. He didn’t pray that the Lord remember him the way the repentant thief did. Instead he tried to take control and take care of himself. That is not to say that Judas went to hell because he committed suicide. Though a dire and most dangerous sin, suicide was just one of Judas’ sins, sins for which Our Lord died. Judas went to hell because he rejected Jesus as the Messiah and did not trust in God’s mercy and love. That is the only reason anyone ever goes to hell. It is always unnecessary, because there is no one that Jesus does not love, no sin He has not already forgiven, no soul that He has not already reconciled to the Father. But He won’t force Himself. He allows us the freedom to reject Him. And thus the case of Judas as a warning. But, also, thanks be to God, the cases of Peter and the penitent thief as a promise. – The editors
Compiled By Re v. Chad Bird
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letters to the
editor
Feedback THANKS and THANKS. The first thanks is for including the article about us in the Winter 2003 edition. I showed the article to the kids and they are very excited about being in this publication. Pam did a great job. Which leads me to my second thanks—I was able to show them the article because we got our first copy here at the office. We appreciate having the finished product so the kids can see what they are working on!! By the way—as an update—we now stand at 109 Braille subscriptions—fabulous!!! All the samples have been out for a while so this will probably not change much now—but a far cry from the 58 we reported in the article!!! Blessings on your ministry. –Lynne Borchelt Lutheran Blind Mission What a great opportunity! We look forward to continuing to work together for the sake of the Gospel! –Pastor Peperkorn
Dear Pastor Peperkorn: My youth group and I attended the Higher Things conference in Arlington, TX. While there, I decided to take the sectional you taught regarding The Five Myths of Youth Ministry. I was a struggling youth leader. While this is the 3rd congregation where I had been the youth leader, I seemed to be lost as far as what exactly to do. After Arlington I put your theories into practice (without telling my kids). From then on, everything we did, was done with the Word of God being put first. Suddenly my group and
“Leading the Blind to Higher Things” Higher Things Winter 2003
I didn’t seem all that lost. At dull moments in fund-raisers we would discuss matters of theology that were quite in depth instead of what the current trends in society were. When the Fall issue of Higher Things came out I decided to use your article as our bible study during our youth meeting. The kids very much agreed with everything you had to say . We are a small youth group and they resent anyone telling them they are not a “group” simply because of their size. While we are limited by “fun” things to do because of geography, we do find some fun activities to do. Since Arlington, my kids have been very proud of their Lutheran identity (a rare trait not easily found in smaller congre-
gations in the rural south). No matter what we do, we always study God’s word. Their attitude has changed about what a youth group’s purpose is. What a joy it has been to see this in my kids and in their parents as well. Thanks, –Hanna Mercier It is amazing what God can accomplish by His Word. Please let us know what else we may do to help serve you and the youth of your church. God bless you! –Pastor Peperkorn
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MINING THE RICHES
The
Meat
Chili con carne
is chili with meat.The Latin of the Apostles’ Creed confesses that we believe in a carnis resurrectionem. A resurrection of meat! That is, what God raises from the dead on the Last Day is not just some piece of you, but the whole of you, including your body. Especially your body.
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When God created you, He didn’t just make you a soul or a spirit. He made you with a body—He put some meat on you! One of the oldest heresies (false teachings) is that God is somehow less than pleased with the “meat” aspect of you. That kind of thinking leads to all sorts of mischief. People could conclude then that it really doesn’t matter what they do with their body. St. Paul had to confront this dangerous thinking with the people of Corinth. He reminded them about the importance of their bodies: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:1920, emphasis added).You see, God really does care if we sexually join our bodies to people we are not married to; he really does care if we torture or abuse ourselves, treating our bodies as if they were of no consequence. He cares about such things because He has great plans for that body. He is going to raise it from the grave (John 5:25-29)! He is going to make it indestructible (1 Corinthians 15:42)! He is going to stuff it full of glory, so that it literally shines (Matthew 13:43)! We can know this with absolute certainty not only because God’s Word tells us so, but because He has provided
us with a sneak preview of our own future. It’s called the Transfiguration. Read about it in Matthew 17:1-9. There Jesus was, shining with all the glory that is His as the eternal Son of the Father, and He was shining that glory in and through the flesh, the flesh He had taken as His own from His mother’s inviolate womb (a miracle, by the way, that we call the incarnation—the en-meat-ment of God). He came to do the exact same for your flesh. That’s why He took on flesh and blood for you! That’s why He went to the cross carrying, in His own flesh, your sin and the sin of the world! That’s why He was raised again—raised in His flesh! Think how adamant He was about that: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39). It was the carnis, the meat of Jesus that was raised from the dead in glory—and He promises to do the exact same thing for your body. He makes that promise yours every time He puts His very real Body and Blood into your very real body and soul: “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:54). Chili con carne. Chili with meat. Carnis resurrectionem. Resurrection of the meat, of the flesh, of the skin and bones. So now you know why we speak these powerful words over the dead bodies we bury in our cemeteries: “May God the Father who created this body; May God the Son who by His precious blood redeemed this body together with the soul; May God the Holy Ghost, who by Baptism sanctified this body to be His temple—keep these remains until the Day of Resurrection of all flesh. Amen!”That meat is going to live again—forever, indestructible, and shining with God’s glorious light! Rev.Will Weedon is pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamel, Illinois.
of the Gospel
By Rev. Will Weedon
“See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39)
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hen you think of Plano, Texas, what comes to mind? An All-American City close to Dallas? The JCPenney Museum? Southfork Ranch? Perhaps, but Plano, Texas is much more than that. It is home to a youth group who are not afraid to be Lutheran. All members at Faith Lutheran Church in Plano, these young people dare themselves and others to be Lutheran with the help of Higher Things.
W
“It’s difficult for our youth to remain Lutheran especially in our pluralistic society. It’s good, then, to have a youth organization like Higher Things which is proud to be
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Lutheran,” explained Rev. Jim Woelmer, Pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Plano.“Lutherans have a rich heritage of standing on the foundation of Christ and His gifts of life and salvation. Higher Things is not afraid to talk about the catechism, the sacraments, sin and grace, and about the life of Christ.These things are ‘higher’ in value than anything the world has to offer.” Formed in 2001 by a handful of Lutheran pastors and laity, Higher Things is an organization serving the Lutheran Church in a number of ways, including organizing and convening youth conferences for the spiritual edification of youth to help them become informed and effective adult members of their congregations. Held in locations like Laramie, Wyoming; Duluth, Minnesota; Arlington, Texas; and this summer in Seattle, Washington, attending Higher Things youth conferences has become an annual tradition for the Plano youth group. “The youth group at Faith Lutheran has been to every Higher Things conference and enjoyed each one,” explained Pastor Woelmer.“The members at Faith Lutheran have been very supportive through monies raised and donations in order for the youth to attend these conferences.” Amanda Molsberry, a member of Faith’s youth group, finds the Higher Things conferences very informative and fun at the same time. “Personally, I really enjoy the different sessions you can attend during the conferences,” said Molsberry.“Everyone can always find a session they are interested in attending.” Virginia Naville, a parent at Faith Lutheran Church, says that one of the most important things about the conferences is “a sense of belonging”. “Our youth discovered that there are other youth from all over the country who are also not ashamed to be Lutheran,” said Naville.“Many of our youth still keep in contact with friends that they met at the conferences.” Cathy Molsberry, a youth leader from Faith Lutheran, says,“The conferences talk about current issues yet within the context of good Lutheran doctrine.We have had many positive comments about the conferences from both the youth and their parents.”
By Pam Knepper Pastor Woelmer further explains that if the youth leaders are excited to attend a uniquely Lutheran conference, then their enthusiasm will rub off onto the youth. “The success of a youth group attending Higher Things conferences depends on the pastor and/or youth leader believing that the conference is healthy for the youth and solidly Lutheran” explained Pastor Woelmer. Since Lutheran pastors who care about youth and Lutheran doctrine organize Higher Things conferences, Pastor Woelmer says his youth feel safe and comfortable at the conferences. “The theology at the conferences is the same as what is being taught at Faith Lutheran Church,” explained Pastor Woelmer.“Surprisingly, when talking to our youth, the one thing
that they enjoy the most at the conferences is that worship is done the right way. They love the liturgy and the good Law/Gospel preaching.” Along with offering conferences, Higher Things also prints, publishes and distributes periodicals, literature, curricula and other resources for youth and adult leaders in congregations, schools, and institutions of the Lutheran Church. One of these resources is Higher Things magazine. “Our youth have a group subscription to Higher Things magazine,” explained Pastor Woelmer.“Every
Sunday we read and discuss one article at a time. When we finish the whole magazine, the youth are free to take an issue home with them.” The youth at Faith Lutheran like how the articles relate to and talk about teen issues, as well as the variety of topics that are dealt with in a Lutheran perspective. “It is hard to find a magazine that is as theologically sound as Higher Things,” said Brian Naville, a youth at Faith Lutheran.“It tells the difference between right and wrong and beautifully presents the Gospel.” To find out more about Higher Things or how to get your church involved, go to www.higherthings.org. Pam Knepper is a freelance writer and CPH editor who resides in Seattle,WA with her husband the Rev. Grant Knepper and their daughter, Renee
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R e v i e w
o f
“Jesus, I Will Ponder Now”
“O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”
(LW 109)
(LW 113)
Make me see your great distress,
O sacred head, now wounded,
Anguish, and affliction,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Bonds and stripes and wretchedness
Now scornfully surrounded
And your crucifixion;
With thorns, your only crown.
Make me see how scourge and rod,
O sacred head, what glory
Spear and nails did wound you,
And bliss did once combine;
How you died for those, O God,
Though now despised and gory
Who with thorns had crowned you.
I joy to call you mine!
t’s hard to imagine that there is anyone on the planet by now who has not heard about the movie “The Passion of the Christ,” directed by Oscar-winner Mel Gibson. It seems like everyone I’ve talked to falls into one of three categories: • Those who’ve seen the movie, • Those who plan to see the movie, or • Those who are intentionally choosing NOT to see the movie.
I
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A Review ofBy Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer
A
It’s being talked about in churches, synagogues, classrooms, and everywhere in between. Please note that this film is rated R. That stands for “Restricted.” Theaters are not supposed to let children or teenagers under 17 into R-rated movies
without a parent or guardian over the age of 21. When parents have asked my opinions about taking their poopsies, I have said that parents probably ought to see the movie themselves first before deciding whether Johnny and Janie can handle it. Pre-teens and early teenagers might want to chill out and wait. It’ll still be around in five years on DVD. Some very tough, flannel-shirted, truck driver, weightlifter macho guys I know will have to squint or peek through their fingers more than once. It is a very graphically violent movie, but it’s not violent or gory in the sense that you see heads exploding or guts spilling out. So some teens will think,“What’s the big deal? It’s not as bad as the hype.” What makes the violence in this film hard to take is the cruelty and the duration. It’s almost the whole movie. That’s something every viewer should take into consideration. One Sunday after church, I passed out an informal survey to those in my congregation who’d seen the film. Most of them thought “The Passion” was good, but some thought the violence was over-the-top. Others appreciated getting a clearer picture of what our Lord endured for us. One lady told me, after she saw the film on Ash Wednesday, that now for the first time she really understands the meaning of the word “scourge.” Many wished there had been more flashbacks to the ministry of Jesus and more focus on the resurrection. Jesus died for our sins, but if He hadn’t been raised, our faith would be worthless, as St. Paul said. One person had this to say,“I was worried about the gore ahead of time, but knowing about the resurrection got me through it.” Amen to that. I thought this comment hit the nail on the head: The movie shows what we believe happened to the baby in the manger…. Hopefully, it may be a rude awakening to people who think religion is just making nice-nice to your neighbor. In a column on her website, writer Ann Coulter pointed out that some folks are “testy with Gibson for spending so much time on Jesus’ suffering and death while giving ‘short shrift to Jesus’ ministry and ideas’…. According to liberals, the message of
Jesus, which somehow Gibson missed, is something along the lines of ‘be nice to people.’ “In fact, Jesus’ distinctive message was: People are sinful and need to be redeemed, and this is your lucky day because I’m here to redeem you even though you don’t deserve it, and I have to get the crap kicked out of me to do it.” Yep, she’s right. The lesson of Christianity 101 is that Jesus Christ had to shed His blood as the sacrifice to provide forgiveness for sinners.The cross was not an afterthought of God.The cross was not an accident or a mistake or some kind of plan B. It’s why He came and we’re not ashamed of that fact at all. “He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities… by His wounds we are healed” (Is. 53:5). Some criticize Gibson’s movie saying the flogging lasted too long, but for that matter, even one single stroke would have been more than He deserved. I find a curious comfort in the flogging of Jesus because God promises that “by His wounds we are healed.”When I see the torn and broken body of my Lord, I know that every single one of my sins has been paid for. And in that case, I feel almost like crying out:“Flog him longer. Flog him harder.” If the blood of Jesus atones for our guilt, then let it flow. If the wounds of Jesus bring us eternal life, then let the soldiers do their worst. It was Peter who said,“No Lord, this shall never happen to you.” And Jesus responded,“Get thee behind me Satan.” Admittedly, the cross and its accompanying gore can be a real turn-off.That’s why we Christians really are a bunch of weirdoes. Christians are the people of the cross. We hang them in our churches and around our necks. We sing hymns with titles like:“Lift High the Cross” and “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” and “In the Cross of Christ I Glory.”You see, we know something that most of the people who were actually there didn’t know or didn’t quite understand. We know that by an instrument of torture, pain and death, God delivers healing, salvation and eternal life. Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer is pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Brentwood, Pennsylvania. S P R I N G
All photos © 2003 Icon Distribution Inc. All Rights Reserved. A Newmarket Films release.
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We Lutherans believe
that it is our duty to thank and praise God for His gifts of creation, for all the wonderful things He gives us purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy (Small Catechism). We love the things that make the fallen creation loveable—music, literature, the beauty of nature, and, yes, sports. I love sports. God thinks that sports are great, too: He tells us specifically that “physical training is of...value.” (1 Timothy 4:8). He thinks our bodies are great: He created our bodies inside of our mother, He saved our bodies by the incarnated and crucified body of His Son, and He sanctified our bodies, made them holy by Holy Baptism, to be His temple. To receive the Lord’s physical Body and Blood in Communion,“bodily preparation [is] certainly fine outward training” (SC). Today, sport in America is a huge and ever-growing business and entertainment force in our culture. Let’s take a look at some of the chief media in the world of sports. Show: Pardon the Interruption Airs: Weekdays, 5:30 p.m., ESPN Critique/Summary: There are tons of fairly new discussion/interview sports shows: PTI, Around the Horn, The Best D*** Sports Show Period, Real Sports, Rome is Burning, Cold Pizza, etc. For my money ($13.66/month for basic cable), PTI is the best. Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon yap/argue/shout with a running clock for each issue. The right-hand column lets you know time and upcoming subjects (good for flipping to ESPN2 or FoxSportsNet if it’s not one of interest). I don’t always agree, but the hosts are truly funny, informative, provocative, and the show is fast-paced and unique. World-View: PTI doesn’t take itself or sports too seriously. Kornheiser is wonderfully ignorant of some of the details of sports news and names. Their commentary is sometimes colored by a “politically correct” streak, but, just as often, they rightly criticize the popular powers and opinions that be. Objectionable Material: Stray, infrequent foul language; harsher stuff is bleeped. Of course, keep in mind that what passes for sports news nowadays includes arrests, suspensions and Janet Jackson. Recommendation: For older teens and adults, this is great stuff.
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Show: The Super Bowl Aired: 1 February 2004, CBS Critique/Summary: This mega-event is annually the most-watched show in America. Families and friends gather together to watch the physical action, the cheerleaders, the uniforms, and the bright lights. And I’m only talking about the halftime show. Seriously, with a 7 1/2 hour pre-game show, a 20+ minute halftime MTV “live video,” a streaker, and fatal post-game rioting in Boston, the XXXVIIIth rendition of the super game, despite its high-scoring and last-second excitement, was sadly overshadowed. The halftime (peep) show gave us P. Diddy and Nelly apparently in need of Tinactin,“cheerleaders” seemingly in need of air conditioning, and, not to be outdone, Janet Jackson—seeking to rival the unholy trinity of female pop (Madonna, Britney, and Christina) in shock, sleaze, and slutiness—promoting her new single and album with old songs and a bit of obviously premeditated “northern exposure” (why else the nipple jewelry?!). CBS and the NFL claimed to be shocked, though if they had watched just a few minutes of MTV in the past decade they would have known what was coming. Ms. Jackson’s greedy and gratuitous publicity stunt is simply, in content and especially in purpose, immoral and unethical (talk about “sex-ploitation” of the naive).Too bad she didn’t follow the lead of Beyonce’s classy rendition of the national anthem.
By Rev. Eric R. Andrae World-View: The Super Bowl was at least two very different shows. The game itself presented the best of sport: physical competition and skill, team-play, learning to win with humility and lose with grace: many life-lessons can be taught and learned from sport. However, the halftime show was something different altogether, and aimed at a very different audience:“any publicity is good publicity” was its creed, sex its means, greed its faith, and your focus, trust, and money its aim. Are you buying? Objectionable Material: Sport, in and of itself, is probably the best thing on mainstream TV; it is essentially neutral. Sure, the camera catches the sporadic curse and some behavior can be unsportsmanlike, but the contests themselves, unlike so much else on TV, do not glorify illicit sex, senseless violence, or cruelty. Now, the halftime show, well....(see above). Recommendation: Watch sports on TV, but not too much. Win or lose, take the results of “your” teams in stride. And get outside and actually play sports, too!
Show: Sports Illustrated (SI) Critique/Summary: This veteran weekly sports magazine is the #1 seller in the U.S., and has spawned SI for Kids and SI on Campus. As its name suggests, it is the leader among publications in photography. It covers virtually all sports of interest to the general American audience, with emphasis on the “Big 3/Big 4,”and also includes essays and special reporting by such excellent writers as Gary Smith and Frank Deford. Over the past decade, it has become more intentional in providing raw data, perhaps in response to The Sporting News’s practice of thorough statistical analysis. (TSN generally coves only football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and NASCAR.) World-View: Sport is beautiful. Objectionable Material: SI often takes the PC route, especially in its editorials and popular column by Rick Reilly. A recent one condoning/promoting sodomy caused me to cancel my subscription. Also, each winter the (in)famous “swimsuit issue” comes out. Over the years the pictures have gotten racier and racier; and, while the human form is certainly beautiful, how one can view this issue without lusting is beyond me. Furthermore, the models are not exactly doing the 100 m butterfly, so why Sports Illustrated puts it out is a mystery (well, actually, see above: greed, money, etc.). Recommendation: Read TSN. More sports, stats, analysis, local coverage, and less PC; get your international sports kick from the ‘net’.
Show: ESPN the Magazine Critique/Summary: ESPN the magazine is your hip-hop, GenX, young, bi-weekly flavor of SI. Bigger (figuratively and literally) and bolder and in yo’ face. World-View: Sports is big and bold and in yo’ face...and colorful and graphic and fun and exciting. Recommendation: I like it a lot. Of course, if you like sports, you generally love all things ESPN: magazine, network, sports zone, radio, etc. Rev. Eric R. Andrae is campus pastor of First Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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HIGHER THINGS
News & Notes Subscription rates raised in 2004
Support Higher Things
Beginning with this issue, our subscription rates have gone up to $15 for an individual subscription, and $12 for group subscriptions. To find out when your subscription expires, just look at your name on the address box, or email Subscriptions@higherthings.org.
We are asking for your support of Higher Things. We exist solely on the good will and generosity of our readers and supporters. Each issue of the magazine costs over $12,000 to produce, and is not covered entirely by our subscriptions. All donations to Higher Things are tax deductible. Thanks for your support! Please make your checks out to: Higher Things, PO Box 580111, Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158-8011.
Registration for City of God (Seattle) Remains Open
Higher Things Audio In the Works
Registration is still open! You may download the registration forms at www.higherthings.org. Registration costs only $129 per person, plus $120 for housing and meals. Conference registration will close on March 30, 2004 or when our capacity of 650 registrants is reached.
Thanks to the ongoing dedication of the people at the Lutheran Library for the Blind, Higher Things will soon be available in audio format! Higher Things now has 116 subscribers to the Braille edition, and the audio edition sounds very promising. If you are interested in learning more about Higher Things in either Braille or audio format, please contact Lynne Borchelt at lynne.borchelt@lcms.org.
Art for the Church Year
Higher Things 2005
Thanks to the generous donation of Mr. Ed Riojas, Higher Things has produced a CD of line-art for the entire church year. Over two hundred high quality drawings will be available that is churchly and engaging. Go to www.higherthings.org for more information
We are already hard at work on our 2005 conference. Without giving away too many details early, it will be in July 2005 and it will be in the Midwest. More details to come soon!
HIGHER THINGS
E-Mail Lists H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 28
@ Higher Things News E-Mail List Receive information via e-mail from Higher Things, Inc. about conferences, retreats, publications, web sites, e-mail lists, and leadership training opportunities for youth.To subscribe, send an e-mail to: HTNews-on@lists.HigherThings.org
@ The Mouth House Mouth House... the place where you can make new friends while talking about the silly and the serious.Topics range from politics to ketchup, and it’s always amusing.To subscribe, send an e-mail to: MouthHouse-on@lists.higherthings.org
@ Didache: Q&A for Youth “Didache” is the greek word for “teaching.”This group is a forum focused specifically on questions of a theological or religious nature. All youth are welcomed to ask questions or comment on other questions. In addition, several pastors have been enlisted to help when needed.To subscribe, send an e-mail to: Didache-on@lists.higherthings.org
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Ex Cathedra From Advice to Absurdity Dear Ex Cathedra, As a follow-up question related to last issue’s article “Leading the blind to Higher Things,”- why do drive-thru ATM machines have Braille keypads? Joel, 15
Dear Ex Cathedra, I know it’s illegal, but what is the big deal about downloading our favorite music from the Internet? If I didn’t do this, I would have never heard of my favorite bands. I spend a lot of money on these bands, and they are therefore still making money. What’s the big deal? Hilary, 17 Dear Hilary, If you think you can justify stealing MP3’s, you are wrong and you could get into serious trouble. You said yourself that it is illegal. As Christians, we are to subject to the governing authorities. That means we have to follow the laws, even if we think they are stupid or wrong. I have heard a lot of lame excuses for this type of stealing. Some say that it’s okay because the rock stars are so rich. So I guess I can steal anything I want from people who have money?Regardless of what you might think, the artists and record companies have a right to charge you for listening to the music they produce. If you don’t want to pay or if you think they are being unreasonable, don’t listen to their music. But under no circumstances can you rationalize your way out of the fact that you are breaking the 7th commandment, not to mention the 4th.—EC Dear Ex Cathedra, I have been shy as long as I can remember. I don’t have a lot of friends, and I have a hard time meeting new people. I can’t stand this anymore. What’s wrong with me? Dave, 17 Dear Dave, A lot of people are shy, and that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with them. I suspect that you will simply grow out of your shyness. The trick is simply to start interacting more with other people. The more you talk with them, eventually you will feel more comfortable doing so. There are a lot of ways to do this: getting a job (one where you are not alone—duh), or becoming involved in church activities, joining a club or doing volunteer work. Here’s another tip. Join the Higher Things “Mouthhouse” email group. This is a great way to break out of your shell without being intimidated. Send any e-mail to mouthhouseon@lists.higherthings.org.—EC
Dear Joel, Regarding all of the inquiries which have been conveyed to the wit of my investigations, none have afforded a question so far afield and strange in its inception as this. Thus I aroused myself from my pipe and den, rapidly threw on my overcoat, and engaged my keenest intuitions in search for the logical basis by which I might unravel the mystery upon which I have been called. I proceeded first, by automobile, to a location upon which I might examine the device and circumstance in question. In short order, my quest was completed and I found the numbered keys were as they had been reported. I sat silently for several minutes contemplating this riddle with my finger-tips pressed together and gazing upward to the ceiling of my vehicle. Suddenly I was jarred from my calculations by the blaring and relentless clarion that issued forth from the motorized steed that waited behind mine. Looking over my shoulder, I dimly perceived a maiden of sizeable stature though her windshield. She oscillated the fist of one hand backward and forward toward me, and with the other she pounded upon the steering wheel to produce the din previously mentioned. Upon her face, she had the look of infinite vexation as she hurled vulgarities against my person. I promptly pulled several yards forward, and returned to my most trenchant thoughts and deliberations. Suddenly, by the aid of my subtle powers of reasoning I reached the denouement of the singular mystery that I had been called upon to fathom. Indeed, the solution to this enigma became obvious. May not a passenger of impaired vision operate the device from the rear seat of a carriage chauffeured by a sighted driver? Or for that matter, could not a sightless pedestrian utilize the apparatus while afoot? Having deciphered the conundrum, I returned to my den and set my mind toward the questions of how an unsighted visitor employing the ATM’s Braille keypad might decipher its instructions only displayed by computer screen, and even more lofty queries such as the purpose of the inherent redundancy in the phrases “ATM Machine” and “PIN number”, not to mention the many other commonplace mysteries that punctuate our existence.—EC If you wish to have your questions forwarded to Ex Cathedra, please email them to editor@higherthings.org.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 4 __ 29
pon physical death, that is, when the soul is separated from the body, it is our custom to embalm, dress, and then pose the bodies of our loved ones so that they appear to be sleeping. We like the insides of our coffins to be quilted, to look comfortable.The family gathers and the public is invited to come and offer their condolences, to pay their last respects, and to “view” the body before the coffin is closed for the funeral. Some have criticized this custom.They have claimed it is a denial of death.They would honor the person’s personality, achievements, and soul, but not the body. Some, too, are simply squeamish.They do not want to look. I propose, however, that despite its awkwardness, this is the ideal way to bury a Christian. We must never forget that the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh to redeem our flesh. He did not merely suffer in His soul or seem to be hurt and to die. He paid for our sins in His body and soul. He died and rose and ascended in the flesh, in body and soul. He is still flesh of our flesh, bone of our bones, fully human. His ascension to His Father has elevated human nature and opened heaven’s gates for us. It is in that same body and blood, born of Mary, nailed to the cross, and now ruling all the universe, that He comes to us in the Holy Supper and joins our flesh to His, purifies our hearts and minds, and claims us as His own. We dare not despise the body. The Scriptures also teach us that those who believe in Jesus will never die.They only pass through death and into life. St. Paul describes this as “falling asleep in Jesus.”We died in Christ when we were baptized. We will never die again.The bodies we commit to the earth will not stay there forever.They may decay, but they will be put back together again.They will rise. They will be perfected and rejoined to their souls and bask in the gracious presence and bliss of the Lamb forevermore.To make
U Luther’s explanation in the Small Catechism to the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed. I believe that I cannot by my own reason of strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.
On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true. H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 30
By Rev. David Petersen
Asleep in Jesus
the body look comfortably asleep is a bold confession for the mourning Christian. We stand on the edge of the grave with our dead and through our tears say,“O Grave, where is thy victory?”We are hurt, but we have not lost.The devil cannot steal our faith for we know the truth. Our believing loved one has gone before us. We are separated for a time, but not forever. That is why we treat the body with respect.This is not an “empty shell”; it is our loved one.The arms that held us, the lips that kissed us, will do so again on the last day. In a very real sense it is not they who are dead, but us. For we still abide in this living death. We have been brought to life in Christ Jesus. Faith has been planted in us by the Holy Spirit in the waters of Baptism. But our bodies are decaying, weakening, growing sick, and frail. We still contend and suffer with our sins. We hurt ourselves and those we love. The good work God has begun. He has not yet completed in us. Our faith is not yet full. Our sanctification is not yet perfect. But theirs has stopped. Their souls are free. They have no sin. They are perfect in Christ, now in the eyes of God and man. They have come to their reward. Already now their souls are in Abraham’s bosom, and already now they are praying for us with the other saints “How long, O Lord?” They are eager for our sorrow to also end, for the trumpet’s blast, for the Son of Man to show Himself to all creation, for the graves to open and for every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Soon we all, who also confess that Jesus is the Christ, shall enjoy what they already know. Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly! + + + The Rev. David Petersen is pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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Seattle, WA - August 3-6, 2004 Registration: $129 per person Housing and Meals: $120 per person. Conference Speaker: Rev. Matthew Harrison,
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Information Inside Front Cover
Bible Study Leaders’ Guide Pastor Mark Selby On the back of our church’s Victory Service (funeral) bulletin, at the top, reads: “Asleep In Jesus.” Next, the life lived by the person in faith in Jesus is summarized, with special dates mentioned, such as his rebirth in Holy Baptism and his transfer date to God’s Kingdom of Glory (heaven). How can we say that those who die in faith in Jesus are asleep in Jesus? I.
Read St. Luke 8:40-42, 49-55. 1. Who comes to Jesus? What was his request? Did Jesus make it to the house in time? What had happened to the girl? What do the messengers say about the girl? Does Jesus stop and turn back? Jairus was a synagogue ruler whose daughter was deathly sick. He asks Jesus to heal her. Jesus is delayed and doesn’t make it to the house before she dies. Even though word comes that she had died, Jesus still goes with Jairus to his home. 2. Look at vs. 50. What words does Jesus speak to comfort the father? Jesus also instruct the father to believe (have faith). Then Jesus arrives at the house. What does He say about the girl? Who uses that term “sleeping” first? What else does He say to the people? How do they react? Jesus speaks words of comfort and truth that she is not dead, but sleeping and He says don’t weep. The people ridicule Him because they have seen the evidence: She is not breathing, and her heart is not beating. They might have been there when she breathed her last. We react much the same way sometimes when God’s Word seems contrary to our experience and the situation. The underlying problem is unbelief in God’s Word of truth. 3. Read Isaiah 41:13 and 42:6. Look at what the LORD does with the girl, even with the unbelief of those outside. What word does Jesus speak to the dead girl? What happens to the girl when Jesus speaks? The verses in Isaiah 41 and 42 refer to the LORD God taking hold of a believer’s hand and helping him. Jesus (God’s Son) does just that with the girl. Then, Jesus speaks to her: “Little girl, arise.” Her spirit is returned and she gets up. (You may also refer to 1 Kings 17:21-22.)
II. Read Acts 7:54-60 1. Who was Stephen? What happened to him? For background information, read chapter 6 and skim chapter 7. Stephen was a believer in Jesus and was a member of the church in Jerusalem. He was appointed to help the apostles in ministering to the people of God. God graced Stephen to do extraordinary things in the sight of the people. Stephen also spoke in truth the Word of God. Stephen was stoned to death for the way he proclaimed God’s Word of truth to the people and pointing them to the sins as well as their Savior. However, the people hardened their hearts and killed him, as they did Jesus. 2. Compare Stephen’s last words in vv. 59-60 to Jesus’ words on the cross in Luke 23:34 and 46. What are the final words St. Luke says about Stephen in vs. 60? Both Jesus and Stephen pray for their enemies and God’s forgiveness towards them and both commend their spirits to God’s hands. St. Luke says that Stephen fell asleep. III. Read 1 Corinthians 15:6 1. 1 Corinthians 15 has a nickname. Do you know what it is? To whom did Jesus reveal himself to after His resurrection? Many were still living at the time Paul wrote. But, what had happened to the others? St. Paul says that if Jesus Christ has not risen from the dead, then our faith is worthless and we are still in our sins (v. 17). What does he say about those who have fallen asleep in Jesus if that was true (vs. 18)? Not good, is it? If this were to be true, there is no hope for us, nor our loved ones. This chapter is referred to as the “Resurrection Chapter”. Jesus showed Himself alive to some 500 believers. Many were still alive when Paul wrote, but some had “fallen asleep.” If Jesus had not risen, then all people (including those asleep in Jesus) would perish.
2. Now, read 1 Corinthians 15:20. What has Jesus done? What does Jesus say to the criminal while they were dying together in St. Luke 23:43? He has risen. He is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To help the students understand, explain that in Bible times, the first fruit or grain that ripened was dedicated to the LORD; it was the LORD’s. Since Jesus is the LORD’s first fruit, those in Him will be gathered for the LORD in His kingdom. Jesus says, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” IV. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 1. St. Paul, how does St. Paul refer to the dead here? St. Paul doesn’t say not to grieve. However, he does say not to grieve like the rest of the world who do not have hope (the hope we studied about in 1 Corinthians). What does St. Paul say Jesus did in vs. 14? It’s pretty easy to die, but what about to rise again? Notice, when Jesus comes again in all His glory, who is He bringing with Him? St. Paul talks about those who have fallen asleep. Our hope is what we already know and believe: Jesus not only died, but also rose again. It is impossible for us by ourselves to rise again. But, with God nothing is impossible (Lk. 1:37). And in fact, we have already risen with Jesus in Holy Baptism (Rom. 6:3-4). Jesus will bring those asleep in Him (see also chapter 3, vs. 13). 2. Looking at vs. 15-17, discuss what will happen on the last day. Jesus will descend again, on a day when some of us (Christians) will still be living here. He will come as a victorious captain with His army. The voice of the archangel will call the heavenly hosts, and the trumpet blast of God will sound forth for the terror of His enemies. Notice what happens next, the dead in Christ (asleep in Jesus) will rise first. Then we will be joined with them to meet the Lord. Then, we will be with the Lord forever. V. What does the Lord Jesus say in St. John 11:25-26? Looking at the verse preceding and following these words, what is the occasion in which Jesus says this? Just a note here, this is Jesus’ last miracle in His ministry before His own suffering, death, and resurrection. After completing His work for our salvation, Jesus falls asleep in His Father’s care, He is placed in the tomb for His due rest, and to our joy and wonder, He rises again on the third day for our certainty. “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Him will never die.” Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus had died. Jesus raises Lazarus back to life, after he had been dead for 4 days. As St. John heard in his Revelation (14:13) the angel’s words, and we hear through him, “Blessed are those who die in the Lord.” For as the Holy Spirit continues, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Close with reading the hymn “Asleep in Jesus” (TLH #587) and pray the following prayer: For those who don’t have TLH, here are the words: 1. Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep, From which none ever wakes to weep; A calm and undisturbed repose, Unbroken by the last of foes. 2, Asleep in Jesus! Oh, how sweet To be for such a slumber meet, With holy confidence to sing That death has lost his venomed sting! 3. Asleep in Jesus! Peaceful rest, Whose waking is supremely blest; No fear, no woe, shall dim that hour That manifests the Savior’s power. 4. Asleep in Jesus! Oh, for me May such a blissful refuge be! Securely shall my ashes lie And wait the summons from on high. O Lord, support us all the day long of this troubled life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in Your mercy grant us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and always. Amen.
Bible Study Pastor Mark Selby On the back of our church’s Victory Service (funeral) bulletin, at the top, reads: “Asleep In Jesus.” Next, the life lived by the person in faith in Jesus is summarized, with special dates mentioned, such as his rebirth in Holy Baptism and his transfer date to God’s Kingdom of Glory (heaven). How can we say that those who die in faith in Jesus are asleep in Jesus? I.
Read St. Luke 8:40-42, 49-55. 1. Who comes to Jesus? What was his request? Did Jesus make it to the house in time? What had happened to the girl? What do the messengers say about the girl? Does Jesus stop and turn back? 2. Look at vs. 50. What words does Jesus speak to comfort the father? Jesus also instruct the father to believe (have faith). Then Jesus arrives at the house. What does He say about the girl? Who uses that term “sleeping” first? What else does He say to the people? How do they react? 3. Read Isaiah 41:13 and 42:6. Look at what the LORD does with the girl, even with the unbelief of those outside. What word does Jesus speak to the dead girl? What happens to the girl when Jesus speaks?
II. Read Acts 7:54-60 1. Who was Stephen? What happened to him? 2. Compare Stephen’s last words in vv. 59-60 to Jesus’ words on the cross in Luke 23:34 and 46. What are the final words St. Luke says about Stephen in vs. 60?
III. Read 1 Corinthians 15:6 1. 1 Corinthians 15 has a nickname. Do you know what it is? To whom did Jesus reveal himself to after His resurrection? Many were still living at the time Paul wrote. But, what had happened to the others? St. Paul says that if Jesus Christ has not risen from the dead, then our faith is worthless and we are still in our sins (v. 17). What does he say about those who have fallen asleep in Jesus if that was true (vs. 18)? Not good, is it? If this were to be true, there is no hope for us, nor our loved ones. 2. Now, read 1 Corinthians 15:20. What has Jesus done? What does Jesus say to the criminal while they were dying together in St. Luke 23:43?
IV. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 1. St. Paul, how does St. Paul refer to the dead here? St. Paul doesn’t say not to grieve. However, he does say not to grieve like the rest of the world who do not have hope (the hope we studied about in 1 Corinthians). What does St. Paul say Jesus did in vs. 14? It’s pretty easy to die, but what about to rise again? Notice, when Jesus comes again in all His glory, who is He bringing with Him? 3. Looking at vs. 15-17, discuss what will happen on the last day.
V. What does the Lord Jesus say in St. John 11:25-26? Looking at the verse preceding and following these words, what is the occasion in which Jesus says this? Just a note here, this is Jesus’ last miracle in His ministry before His own suffering, death, and resurrection. After completing His work for our salvation, Jesus falls asleep in His Father’s care, He is placed in the tomb for His due rest, and to our joy and wonder, He rises again on the third day for our certainty. As St. John heard in his Revelation (14:13) the angel’s words, and we hear through him, “Blessed are those who die in the Lord.” For as the Holy Spirit continues, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Close with reading the hymn “Asleep in Jesus” (TLH #587) and pray the following prayer: O Lord, support us all the day long of this troubled life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in Your mercy grant us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and always. Amen.
Bible Study Leaders’ Guide Pastor Timothy Schellenbach I.
Dr. Scaer describes in detail how Christ’s risen, glorified body still shows the marks of His suffering and death. “His glorified body remains a portrait of His suffering.” A. Read John 20:24-29. How did Thomas know that this was “my Lord and my God”? He still bore the marks of the spear and nail. B. Is the following statement true or false? Why?: “Easter is the opposite of Good Friday; Jesus lost the battle on Good Friday but won the war on Easter.” False. Easter is not the opposite of Good Friday but the fulfillment of it. Jesus won the battle, not on Easter, but on Good Friday. His death was not defeat but victory. This is why His resurrected body “remains a portrait of His suffering,” as Scaer puts it. It is precisely as the One who was crucified for us that He is resurrected for us.
II
“[Jesus] came into the house of the well-armed man, took his weapons, stripped him of his military paraphernalia, and left the place in a shambles.” A. Read Luke 11:21-22. According to Dr. Scaer, who is the “stronger man” of v. 22? Christ, who conquered Satan. Also point out to the students that Christ didn’t just “win” over Satan, He plundered him, that is he took everything Satan had and made it His own. This puts an added dimension on what Paul writes to the Church in Rome in 8:28. Even those things Satan thought to use against us, even temptations, problems, and troubles in life, are now God’s own tools to use for His good purposes. B. Read TLH 195 or LW 123, stanza 2. Why doesn’t Luther write, “Death is swallowed up by life”? Because it was precisely by dying in our place that Christ conquered death. Victory was won by a that which is normally seen as defeat. Even death itself has been stripped from Satan’s arsenal and used against him.
III. “This was a battle between Christ in the weakness of our humanity and the full force of all the devils in hell. Christ won the game, coming from behind. He fought, not with divine omnipotence, but by trusting in God the way that our first parents did not.” A. Read Romans 5:12-21. Why is it important that Christ won the victory not just as God but precisely as man? Because it was to save men that He came. He couldn’t take our place under the Law if He weren’t true man. But He was. And He did. Thus it is the salvation of us men that is the result of His victory. B. In confirmation class we learned about Christ’s state of humiliation, that is, that He did not always or fully use His divine powers before His resurrection. In view of what we’ve said above, why was it important to our salvation that He did this? Because He took our place, which meant that He could only use those resources we would have at our disposal. In order to win our victory, He had to live our life and die our death. Which meant that He had to rely on His Father’s providence (just as we do) rather than on His own divine power in situations of temptation and affliction. And that also means that He understands what it’s like for us when we experience these things, as well as the fact that we too join with Him in that new creation where these troubles and afflictions no longer exist.
Bible Study Pastor Timothy Schellenbach I.
Dr. Scaer describes in detail how Christ’s risen, glorified body still shows the marks of His suffering and death. “His glorified body remains a portrait of His suffering.” A. Read John 20:24-29. How did Thomas know that this was “my Lord and my God”?
B. Is the following statement true or false? Why?: “Easter is the opposite of Good Friday; Jesus lost the battle on Good Friday but won the war on Easter.”
II
“[Jesus] came into the house of the well-armed man, took his weapons, stripped him of his military paraphernalia, and left the place in a shambles.” A. Read Luke 11:21-22. According to Dr. Scaer, who is the “stronger man” of v. 22?
B. Read TLH 195 or LW 123, stanza 2. Why doesn’t Luther write, “Death is swallowed up by life”?
III. “This was a battle between Christ in the weakness of our humanity and the full force of all the devils in hell. Christ won the game, coming from behind. He fought, not with divine omnipotence, but by trusting in God the way that our first parents did not.” A. Read Romans 5:12-21. Why is it important that Christ won the victory not just as God but precisely as man?
B. In confirmation class we learned about Christ’s state of humiliation, that is, that He did not always or fully use His divine powers before His resurrection. In view of what we’ve said above, why was it important to our salvation that He did this?
Christ Puts Death to Death Bible Study Leaders’ Guide Pastor Timothy Miille I.
The first thing that we need to understand is that death is not a natural part of life. Two passages from God’s Word help us to see this. A. Read Genesis 2:9; 2:16-17 and 3:22-24. 1) What two trees were in the middle of the garden? 2) Which of the two was forbidden before the fall into sin? 3) After the fall, which one was forbidden? 4) Seeing this, was death a part of the plan of God? 1) The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 2)The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 3) The tree of life. 4) Since only the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was forbidden before the fall and the tree of life was forbidden after the fall, it is obvious that life is God’s desire and design for Adam and Eve. B. Read Romans 5:12-18. 1) Death comes as a result of what? 2) What words or verses in the passage tell us that death was not part of creation? 1) Death comes as a result of sin. 2) Verse 12 states clearly that through Adam’s sin death came into the world. C. 1) How do the above passages speak of death? 2) Is this view different from our culture’s view of death? 3) If death is a judgment from God, is it appropriate to take someone’s life? 4) What exceptions are there according to Romans 13:1-7? 1) Death is clearly seen as punishment for sin and contrary to God’s creation. 2) Our present culture, as indicated from the opening paragraph of the article, sees death as a normal part of life. 3) Review the First and Fifth Commandments. Ask the students to explain how this usurps God’s prerogative to judge. 4) The government has God’s authority to punish and therefore may kill evildoers and fight just wars.
II.
Christ has indeed dealt with death in a most powerful way. The Apostle Paul makes this clear in his treatise on the Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. A. Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. 1) How important is the resurrection of the dead? 2) If there is no resurrection, where does that leave believers in Christ? 1) The resurrection of the dead is our only hope. Verse 19 says it best: “We are of all men most to be pitied.” (NASB) B. Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-38. 1) To what does Paul compare the resurrection? 2) Is this a helpful picture in grasping the power of the resurrection? 1) Planting seeds in the ground. 2) This is basically a discussion question, no right or wrong answer. C. Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. 1) What is the power of the resurrection? 2) What is the result of the resurrection in regard to death? 3) Who gives us this victory and through whom? 1) The perishable and mortal are clothed in the imperishable and immortality. 2) Death is “slain” so to speak and has not power any longer. 3) God the Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
III. If Christ has conquered death, suicide does seem to restore death’s power. Suicide is, however, just like every other sin. Satan is still trying to get us to judge others, a right that belongs only to God. Whereas we judge harshly, God is constantly showing mercy. A. Read Romans 8:31-34. 1) Could this passage help us to understand God’s judgements? 2) In this courtroom scene, who is the Prosecutor? 3) The Judge? 4) The Defense? 1) The purpose of this and the following questions is to stir discussion in regard to suicide, death and judgement. 2) God 3) Christ 4) Christ B. Read Romans 8:35-36. 1) Who will try to separate us from the love of Christ? 2) What is our condition as believers? 1) Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril and sword all seek to separate us from the love of God. 2) The quotations in verse 36 make it quite clear. C. Read Romans 8:37-39. 1) Barring a note of rejection of the faith, what comfort might these verses give to the family of a suicide? 2) What comfort might these verses give to any believer? 3) Consider all the verses from 31-39. What will be able to separate us from the love of God? 1) Answers that indicate that God seeks to preserve us through the difficulties that Satan, the world and our sinful flesh try to throw at us are the most helpful. 2) Paul’s words, “For I am convinced. . .” are the key to our comfort. 3) In essence, nothing from outside of us will be able to remove us from God’s hand, only our sinful rejection of Christ’s death and resurrection can remove us.
Christ Puts Death to Death Bible Study Pastor Timothy Miille I.
The first thing that we need to understand is that death is not a natural part of life. Two passages from God’s Word help us to see this. A. Read Genesis 2:9; 2:16-17 and 3:22-24. 1) What two trees were in the middle of the garden? 2) Which of the two was forbidden before the fall into sin? 3) After the fall, which one was forbidden? 4) Seeing this, was death a part of the plan of God?
B. Read Romans 5:12-18. 1) Death comes as a result of what? 2) What words or verses in the passage tell us that death was not part of creation?
C. 1) How do the above passages speak of death? 2) Is this view different from our culture’s view of death? 3) If death is a judgment from God, is it appropriate to take someone’s life? 4) What exceptions are there according to Romans 13:1-7?
II.
Christ has indeed dealt with death in a most powerful way. The Apostle Paul makes this clear in his treatise on the Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. A. Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. 1) How important is the resurrection of the dead? 2) If there is no resurrection, where does that leave believers in Christ?
B. Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-38. 1) To what does Paul compare the resurrection? 2) Is this a helpful picture in grasping the power of the resurrection?
C. Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. 1) What is the power of the resurrection? 2) What is the result of the resurrection in regard to death? 3) Who gives us this victory and through whom?
III. If Christ has conquered death, suicide does seem to restore death’s power. Suicide is, however, just like every other sin. Satan is still trying to get us to judge others, a right that belongs only to God. Whereas we judge harshly, God is constantly showing mercy. A. Read Romans 8:31-34. 1) Could this passage help us to understand God’s judgements? 2) In this courtroom scene, who is the Prosecutor? 3) The Judge? 4) The Defense?
B. Read Romans 8:35-36. 1) Who will try to separate us from the love of Christ? 2) What is our condition as believers?
C. Read Romans 8:37-39. 1) Barring a note of rejection of the faith, what comfort might these verses give to the family of a suicide? 2) What comfort might these verses give to any believer? 3) Consider all the verses from 31-39. What will be able to separate us from the love of God?
Learning to Be a Wuss Bible Study Leaders’ Guide Pastor Darrin Kohrt “This sickness will not end in death…John 11:4” Begin your study of God’s word by singing or praying “Grant, Lord Jesus, that My Healing” (LW #95 or TLH #144) People today spend large amounts of money attending to their health. Despite significant advances in medicine, disease remains widespread and many maladies are yet incurable. Efforts to find the proverbial “fountain of youth” remain elusive. Sickness can strike at any age and without warning. The discussion of sickness should not be relegated solely to the realm of science. The experience of Nathan Fischer gives us the opportunity to consider it from a theological perspective. I.
Sickness: Its Cause A. Put succinctly, the cause of sickness is sin. Read the account of the man born blind in John 9. 1) What assumption were the Pharisees operating with in verse 2? 2) What misunderstanding does Jesus address in verse 3? 1) They were working with the assumption that sin is the cause of sickness. 2) The Pharisees thought that either the blind man or his parents had sinned to cause his blindness. Jesus says it was neither. God’s glory was revealed through this man when Jesus healed him. B. Can specific sins lead to sickness? Defend your answer. They can but they do not necessarily lead to it. A drug addict using an infected needle may get hepatitis or AIDS. But since sin is a tangled web we are all part of, sickness will always be pandemic and unavoidable.
II. Sickness: Its Effects A. Read James 1:15. Though sickness is not mentioned specifically here, how would it fit into the progression James outlines? Sickness is one significant expression of the consequences and progression of sin. Physical death results when sin has reached full maturity in the body. In this sense, no one really dies of “old age.” B. Give examples of how sickness typically affects people’s lives. Can you think of some Biblical examples as well? Answers will vary. Biblical examples may include the story of Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 and the lepers in Luke 17:11-17. III. Sickness: Its Defeat A. Christ, by His death and resurrection has defeated all the powers and effects of sin, including sickness. What phrase do we confess in the Apostles’ Creed that reminds us our salvation is both of soul AND body? “I believe in . . . The resurrection of the body” Point out to the students that this entails a restored perfection as noted in many places in Scriptures such as Philippians 3:21. B. Nathan writes, “Being a Christian means being so sick that we can’t take care of ourselves . . . None of us are strong. None of us are good. None of us are healthy.” Discuss these statements. How can sickness help keep a person spiritually healthy? It may help to keep us humbly focused on the strength and promise of God in Christ. C. Holy Communion has been referred to as the “medicine of immortality.” 1) What basis is there for this claim? 2) According to 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 what was the judgment on those who misused this medicine? 1) In Holy Communion we receive the body and blood of Christ for forgiveness, strength, healing and restoration. 2) Sickness and even death. Close the study with a reading of 2 Corinthians
Learning to Be a Wuss Bible Study Pastor Darrin Kohrt “This sickness will not end in death…John 11:4” Begin your study of God’s word by singing or praying “Grant, Lord Jesus, that My Healing” (LW #95 or TLH #144) People today spend large amounts of money attending to their health. Despite significant advances in medicine, disease remains widespread and many maladies are yet incurable. Efforts to find the proverbial “fountain of youth” remain elusive. Sickness can strike at any age and without warning. The discussion of sickness should not be relegated solely to the realm of science. The experience of Nathan Fischer gives us the opportunity to consider it from a theological perspective. I.
Sickness: Its Cause A. Put succinctly, the cause of sickness is sin. Read the account of the man born blind in John 9. 1) What assumption were the Pharisees operating with in verse 2? 2) What misunderstanding does Jesus address in verse 3?
B. Can specific sins lead to sickness? Defend your answer.
II. Sickness: Its Effects A. Read James 1:15. Though sickness is not mentioned specifically here, how would it fit into the progression James outlines?
B. Give examples of how sickness typically affects people’s lives. Can you think of some Biblical examples as well?
III. Sickness: Its Defeat A. Christ, by His death and resurrection has defeated all the powers and effects of sin, including sickness. What phrase do we confess in the Apostles’ Creed that reminds us our salvation is both of soul AND body?
B. Nathan writes, “Being a Christian means being so sick that we can’t take care of ourselves . . . None of us are strong. None of us are good. None of us are healthy.” Discuss these statements. How can sickness help keep a person spiritually healthy?
C. Holy Communion has been referred to as the “medicine of immortality.” 1) What basis is there for this claim? 2) According to 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 what was the judgment on those who misused this medicine?
Close the study with a reading of 2 Corinthians
