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Contents T A B L E
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Clothed with Christ By Kathryn Ann Hill Through Holy Baptism you have been clothed with Christ. Will you dress like a wise virgin or a belly dancer?
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Sex. Little Word—Big Deal By Maggie Karner Sex. Such a little word, but such a big deal. Funny how something can be so wonderful, and in other ways, terribly destructive.
10 What Am I Thinking? By David Schoenfield What would convince a twenty-two-year-old recent college graduate to enter into holy matrimony? Hear the story of from David about how he and his fiancée decided to get married.
12 The Christian Teen’s Response to Mental Illness By Martha Brunn Ulmer Read about Jenny, Jacob, and Aubrey, three teens who struggle with mental illnesses. How can a Christian teen respond to family members, friends, and classmates with these difficulties?
14 The Voice of the Gospel by Rev. George Borghardt Have you ever heard the Gospel's voice? It sounds more familiar than you might think.
16 I Am Simply Urging You to Be a Christian By Lynnette Fredericksen
I DON’T WANT TO DO IT! Why has Pastor reinstituted private confession and absolution? Is it worth it?
18 Don’t Tell Dad By Rev. Tim Pauls Should you tell Dad when your bad choices cause bad problems? An innocent basketball game leads to a mangled curtain rod, some tough consequences, and some thoughts on confession and forgiveness.
22 An Enemy, A Friend, and Häagen Daaz By Kathy Luder A rumor, a betrayal, and snot-flavored ice cream—don't miss Kathy's latest adventures!
25 The 40 Six Days of Purpose: It’s ALL about You! By Rev. Daniel Woodring
What is God’s purpose for your life? Some would suggest that we are here to worship God or to serve Him through our works. Is that how God sees it?
COLUMNS 20 MINING THE RICHES: The Friendship of David and Jonathan By Rev. Rick Stuckwisch 26 Pulse: Reality Shows By Rev. Eric A. Andrae 28 News and Notes 29 Ex Cathedra This issue’s issues: believing in ghosts, dating non-Christians, and normal bodies.
30 The Catechism: Vocation: Fighting against the Devil By Rev. David Petersen
HigherThings Volume 4/Number 2 Summer 2004 Editor-in-Chief REV. TODD PEPERKORN Assistant Editor JULIE STIEGEMEYER
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Clothed with
Chri
With loving care the Lord God formed the first man and woman in His own image. “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (Gen. 2:25 NKJ). Soon after, Adam and Eve disobeyed God: they ate forbidden fruit. “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings” (Gen. 3:7).
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As soon as they heard the Lord God walking in the garden, the two guilty humans hid among the trees. Adam explained to his Maker,“I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself” (v. 10). For their own good, the Lord God had to expel the man and woman from Eden. Before He sent them away, however, God gave His beloved human creatures two gifts. First was the all-important promise of a Savior who would crush the enemy that had tempted them to sin (Gen. 3:15). Second was the gift of clothing: tunics the Lord God Himself fashioned of animal skin (v. 21). Blood was shed for the first time in God’s good creation in order to cover the shame of human sinners. They felt shame at their nakedness because God’s Law was at work condemning their sin. Later, God would take upon Himself their flesh and shed His own blood to provide them with forgiveness. Since mankind’s fall into sin, it has been important for humans to clothe their bodies decently. For that reason, the current trend in clothing for teenage females is distressing. Models for a moderately-priced department store smile happily while they reveal cleavage, a few inches of bare midriff, and six or more inches of thigh topped by a form-fitting skirt. This scanty look is suggested for the classroom. Their eyes may not be casting a come-hither look, but the clothes these young women sport are seductive. They model for today’s teenagers clothing that only prostitutes would have taken to the streets twenty years ago. Christian young women are tempted to follow this trend and do so. Their sin of baring their flesh is like
By Kathryn Ann Hill
ist
mankind’s first sin. Eve’s prideful aspiration to be like God was at work when she ate the forbidden fruit proffered by Satan. So pride in her own beauty is at work in the woman who shows off her body. She becomes, like Satan, a tempter of others, arousing lust in the men who see her. How can you escape your shame when you realize you have sinned this sin? Thanks be to God, who covers poor sinners in the splendid robe of His righteousness. How can Christian teenagers learn to resist the temptation to dress immodestly? You can begin by remembering whose you are. “You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Cor. 6:19-20 NIV). The price that bought you is the holy, precious blood and the innocent suffering and death of God Himself. Ponder God’s great love for you: The immortal, invisible God, the great I AM who has no beginning and no end, actually became true man so that He could die for your sins. God became man in a marvelous way. The Word of God took on human flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There He who created the earth and stars and humankind was knit together into a perfect man-child. Then at just the right time our Lord came forth from His mother. He who gives us our daily bread soon took nourishment at His mother’s breast. How our human race is honored by our Lord’s Incarnation. Jesus has a body like every human male. His birth from a woman gives honor to every human womb; His infant suckling conveys honor to every woman’s breast. He who first made us in His image honored us again by deigning to become one of us. Then, to make sure that we could be His own forever, He paid for our sins on His cross and arose triumphantly from His grave.To guarantee that we belong to Him, He washed us clean with His Holy Baptism, gifting us with faith in Him. “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself in Christ” wrote St. Paul (Gal. 3:27 NIV). A Lutheran rite of Holy Baptism demonstrates this teaching with the giving of a white garment to the newly baptized. “Receive this white garment to show that Christ has taken away and borne your sin and put upon you his perfect righteousness. So shall you in faith ever stand before him” declares the pastor (Lutheran Worship, p. 203). White garments are the fashion in heaven, too. St. John reports that the great multitude who stand before the throne of God are clothed in white robes that are washed and made “white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14 NKJ). With all this in mind, how ought you to cover yourself until God clothes you in your heavenly white robe? Choose garments that show reverence for the Christ who has created and redeemed your marvelous body. Showing reverence has to do with being covered. In icons of the Baptism of our Lord, angels bow respectfully, with hands covered, toward the Christ. At first it appears that they are holding towels, ready to dry their Lord when He emerges from the Jordan’s waters. A closer look shows that the folds of their garments are gracefully draped over their hands. The holy angels’ covering their hands in the presence of their Holy Lord is an ancient sign of reverence. You who belong to Christ cover your breasts and midriff and thighs as a confession of faith in your Creator. Next time you are tempted to offer the public provocative peeks of your body, remember who was carried in the Virgin Mary’s womb and who nursed at her breast. Then give thanks for your Savior from sin, who covers you in His righteousness. Kathryn Ann Hill, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is copyeditor of Gottesdienst: A Quarterly Journal of the Evangelical-Lutheran Liturgy.
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Sex.
Such a little word, but such a big deal. Funny how something can be so wonderful, and in other ways, terribly destructive. Sex lies at the heart of a lot of issues of our day and it seems to be a hot topic for discussion. A lot of people have a lot of opinions about sex that they want you to hear. . .or see. . .or believe.
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As a Christian, though, isn’t it great to know that opinions or viewpoints really don’t matter when we have something as valuable as the truth about this issue? We have someone who cares about us so much that he laid it all out for us, clearly and understandably—in His Word, the Bible. Huh? Sex. . .from the Bible? God actually has a tremendous amount to say about the subject of sex. He talks about it in every one of His epistles. Is it surprising to you that God wants you to have awesome sex? He created it— He’s the expert! God designed sex to be the wonderfully intimate, physical and emotional gift that two people experience together, but he intended this gift to be shared within a certain context that He created. And thus lies the problem: humans have always seemed to lose track of this important part of the plan. Sex is designed perfectly for boundaries that God has set. What many people never realize is that boundaries are good.Think about fire as an example. A campfire is very cozy and warms your cold toes when it’s in a fire ring. But allow that fire to jump outside the ring, spark a few dry leaves, and pretty soon you have a destructive forest fire on your hands. Boundaries are the same for us.There are lots of personal boundaries you can set for yourself. Some are optional (whether to pierce your ears, dye your hair or wear freaky clothes) and there are not many consequences involved except people may look at you funny. But God set up His boundaries because there are consequences—consequences we can’t
even begin to anticipate. For this reason, God gave us His law as a boundary. His aim is to give us joy and prevent us from being miserable. So he tells us very clearly in His Word that sex within His boundaries is awesome, sex without boundaries can be horribly destructive. Our God is a God who loves you so deeply and personally that He longs for your happiness! He wants you to have a great time in this life—the best of times! Not a life burdened by poor choices and dumb decisions. And just to help you out, he says,“I’ll make it easy on you—-I’ll help you avoid heartache, responsibilities that you’re not ready for, incurable diseases, poverty and even early death. I’ll give you some boundaries. I’ll lay it all out for you so when you’re tempted in your relationships—and you will be—you’ll have it all figured out ahead of time.” And to make things easy on us, God designed His boundary to be amazingly simple: Don’t have sex outside of a monogamous, married relationship. So why do we try to make things more complicated than they need to be? Either you are or you are not married. It seems like an easy question to answer. So why do I often hear,“but we’re almost married. . .but we love each other…but he’s different than all the rest…but we’re engaged. . .almost engaged. . .going steady. . .soul mates. . .but were gonna get married someday.” So many “buts”— so many excuses. “What’s the big difference,” people say.“It’s only a piece of paper! We love each other!” My response is this: Marriage means more than love. Marriage means “commitment”. And God did not create sex for the boundary of love. He created it specifically to be within the context of total commitment—and that means marriage. God knows if you are going to open yourself up completely, intimately, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, you had better know that your partner isn’t going to walk away. He created marriage for complete and total intimacy— an intimacy founded on commitment, trust and honesty. Engaging in a sexual relationship
short of this total commitment ends up leaving you feeling even more vulnerable and alone. God designed marriage because He understands the risks of living in a world filled with sin, disease, and heartaches, and He wants us to understand and avoid those risks. Pregnancy is a big issue here as well. Make no mistake; there are many people who can walk you through the difficult decisions that need to be made if you or a friend becomes pregnant, people who want to share a listening ear and a confidential hand of hope as you walk through these life-changing moments. Christian crisis pregnancy centers have made this their mission and you can find one of these centers in your area by asking your pastor or by looking under “abortion alternatives” in the Yellow Pages. But suppose the pregnancy test comes out negative. Crisis over, right? Wrong. Did you know that in the next 24 hours 12,000 teens will contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) – 30% of them being incurable? Teens have a four-times greater chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease than they have of getting (or getting someone else) pregnant? Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) causes this highly contagious disease that is the fastest growing STD among 16-24 yearolds. And here’s the scary news: 46% of teenage girls will get HPV after their first sexual intercourse! You can be unaware that you have this virus because many strains show no symptoms—until the damage begins later in life. HPV is the number one causal agent of cervical cancer in women.This cancer kills more women in the US every year than AIDS. Oh yes, and condoms are completely ineffective in preventing the spread of this disease because it has nothing to do with bodily fluids—this disease results from skin contact alone. You see, when you have sex with someone, you are having sex with everyone else they have had sex with for the last ten
years, and everyone else they have had sex with within the last ten years! You remember from math how numbers can grow “exponentially”. It’s the same here, folks.Today, 1 in 3 single people have some form of an STD. Teens and young adults are old enough to make decisions about a lot of stuff. And one of the things only you can decide is what goes on with your own body. Most young people that I talk to claim to get most of their information about sex from friends and other peers.This worries me.Truthful and factual information about sexuality is critical.Your sexuality includes decisions that can literally affect the entire course of events in your life. What if your decisions are based on information from friends who are, unknowingly, less informed than you? And once you’ve decided, don’t allow your good decisions to be sabotaged by drugs and alcohol. Often, our defenses are lowered and our common sense jeopardized (not to mention our health!) in these situations. Make a pact with yourself to never, never make any decisions about your sexuality if you are influenced by any form of drugs or alcohol. I encourage you to take control of your own body and dedicate (or re-dedicate) it as something that deserves respect and honor. Make decisions based on facts. Make a plan, before the moment happens. 1Corinthians 6:19-20 says:“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price.Therefore honor God with your body.” You are precious. God took great care in designing you. In your baptism, He adopted you as His child and gave you the lineage of royalty.You have a future and a hope that no one can take away. Enjoy your future and live big! If you have questions, don’t forget to talk to your parents.Trust me; they will listen.They will take you seriously and will get you answers. If that’s not an option, feel free to contact me. I will keep correspondence completely confidential and would love to hear from you. Just e-mail me at mskarner@juno.com . Maggie Karner is Director of LCMS Life Ministries.
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Ultimate Event
The
C
hrist Academy is a two-week residential program for high-schoolaged men, founded by Concordia Theological Seminary. It is a place where students can study about Christ who is present in His Word and Sacraments and who died that their sins would be forgiven. It is a place where students can experience seminary life. It is a place where students can explore the possibility of someday becoming a pastor. @ @ @ @ @
Worship, the Center of the Experience Life Changing Studies Clarity of Direction Fun Activities June 19 - July 2, 2005
For more information, please call:
1-800-481-2155 www.ctsfw.edu ChristAcademy@mail.ctsfw.edu
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By David Schoenefeld
“What am I Thinking?” Here I am
—22-years-old, just — graduated from college (an all-male college, at that), and I have decided to enter into marriage three months after graduating. What am I thinking?
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I hear this comment all the time from friends and associates where I work. Many of them say I’m too young—that these years in my life are meant to be spent free from commitment, free from consequence, and free from thought. They tell me to do what I want, when I want, and if it feels good, do it twice. As easy and fun as that life sounds, I’ve come to realize that this advice is coming from people who live for the moment and rarely think of the future — certainly not into the realm of eternity. I prefer to get my advice from someone who is “otherworldly”; someone who is not con-
strained by time and space, but who created time and space: a Creator who can see all, do all, and knows all.This Creator is revealed to us in His written Word. This isn’t to say that Christine and I made our decision to get married through some personal divine revelation from God. Nor was it done on a whim. Rather, it was a process that we spread over weeks of conversation and contemplation. There was no question that we loved each other enough to spend every day together for the rest of our lives. Whether we had the maturity for such a sacred
union at such a young age was the question. After weeks of prayer, deliberation and conversation, we decided as a couple that we were ready to make the change from existence as individuals to a united life as one flesh. Christine and I met and started dating while we were in high school. Contrary to the popular culture, we decided to continue living a chaste life by abstaining from sex until we were married— whether we married one another or someone else. Fortunately, the former came true. In our marriage, we will be able to share the gift of our bodies with one another in the way intended by God and not by pop culture. Our society is blanketed with the message that conveys sex as an act centered only on “love” and “emotion”. The entertainment industry constantly reminds us that sex feels good. We are told that if both parties love each other, sex before marriage is not only “o.k.” but also expected! By this standard, the only factor needed for sex is love. It sounds romantic, but this changes the entire purpose for sexuality from one of procreation to that of personal physical fulfillment.This type of understanding allows for premarital, homosexual, adulterous, and just about any other sexually immoral act to be validated by “love” and stimulation. Instead, God created sex to serve a couple of crucial functions; it unifies a man and a woman into one flesh, but most importantly, it is the earthly source for all human life. Sex is sacred. It can’t be taken lightly. It creates life and should be saved for the unity of a man and a woman in marriage. In Hebrews, God explains in very clear terminology that marriage is a very serious thing and the sanctity of this union should not be violated. It says,“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Hebrews 13:4). Despite a person’s past, this is not a hopeless message. Instead, this is a
message from our God who loves us enough to care about our emotional, physical and spiritual health. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It’s for that reason Jesus was sent to conquer sin, death, and the power of the devil. Baptized into His death, we can be born again and made completely pure because of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us. We can start over. We are “brand-new” in Christ. This isn’t to say that we should follow what our friends say and “do it twice” if it feels good. Rather, we can embrace the gift of grace that Christ freely gives to us and make a commitment to live a life as He instructs and describes in His written Word. I hope our society can begin to understand that both sex and marriage require more than just human “love”. Most of all, great sex and a great marriage is dependent upon God’s love. His love shows us that many other variables are needed. Variables like commitment, faith, trust, cooperation, humility, servanthood, unity, raising children (in some cases), and many responsibilities. Until our wedding, Christine and I will be focused on a ton of decisions—big and little. Our daily life and conversation includes color schemes, dress styles, shower curtains, comforters, DJ’s, cakes, flowers, showers, and the big decision about bow ties or neckties! But on August 7, 2004, Christine and I have willingly chosen to leave the world of individualism behind in order to enter the sanctified unity of marriage. We will stand before God and man to pledge our unity as “one flesh”— from August 7 until the end of time. David Schoenefeld is a member of the Sanctity of Life Committee of LCMS Life Ministries.
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THE CHRISTIAN TEEN’S RESPONSE TO
MENTAL ILLNESS
By Martha Brunn Ulmer
Jenny wore longsleeved sweaters and anklelength pants to school, always, no matter what the weather. She slipped along the fringes of the crowd as students passed from one class to another, carefully avoiding bodily contact with others. She hurried to duck into a classroom before the door was closed. If she happened to be a few seconds late and found herself forced to open a door, she’d pull down the sleeve of her sweater to cover her hand before touching the doorknob. In the restroom, Jenny scrubbed her hands at least three times, both before and after using the toilet. At lunch Jenny always sat apart from others, and she never let her food or her hands touch the table. Jacob was unpredictable. Some days he’d come to school and keep all his classes in an uproar with his antics. He would speak out of turn, laugh loudly, and brag about his grades or his plans for the weekend. Occasionally Jacob would explode in a temper, surprising everyone with how quickly his anger spiked. But the next day he might show up late, slump unresponsively in his chair during classes, and speak hardly a word all day. Kids gave Aubrey lots of space. She was odd…she didn’t make much eye contact, for one thing. Somehow it seemed she was never on the same page, conversationally, with other people. And she could often be heard talking to herself or to someone who wasn’t there. Was she hearing voices? Do you know a Jenny, a Jacob, or an Aubrey? You probably do. Jenny has a mental illness called obsessive compulsive disorder. Jacob is bi-polar, and Aubrey suffers from schizophrenia. These are just a few examples of the serious mental illnesses that are found in the teen population today. People with these conditions often struggle just to accomplish
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daily tasks. Jenny spends so much time washing that she has trouble getting her homework done. Her hands are raw and red all the time, but she is compelled to continue scrubbing them. When Jacob is in his depressive state, even starting his homework can be a huge undertaking. And the voices keep Aubrey so busy; she often can’t even hear what the teacher is saying. Serious mental illness is not the same thing as having mood swings or a quirky personality. Mental
illness is just that—an illness—just as cancer or diabetes is an illness. There are chemical and even physical abnormalities in the brain that cause these conditions. Jacob doesn’t swing from extreme highs to extreme lows because he wants to or because he likes to keep people guessing who he’ll be from day to day. He has a chemical imbalance. Aubrey does hear voices, and to her they are very real. If you could be inside Aubrey’s head, you’d hear those voices too. Many mental illnesses can be treated with medications. These drugs are often helpful in relieving symptoms but the side-effects are sometimes very difficult to live with. Other treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and support groups can also be effective. Being diagnosed with a serious mental illness does not indicate a lack of faith or a specific sin. People with mental illness sin just as we all do, but their condition is not the result of something in particular they did wrong. People with mental illness cannot simply decide to change their behavior and act more “normal.” They cannot will themselves to
be healthy, any more than a diabetic can will himself to produce insulin. Neither is mental illness the result of a bad upbringing. Many people with these problems come from loving Christian families in which the parents did everything they could to raise their children well. So, how should you treat the Jennys, Jacobs, and Aubreys in your school or church? Certainly, we know from Jesus’ own words that we should love them. “And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:21). Compassion is always appropriate. Kindness is always correct. Speak to them; listen to them, even if they don’t seem to be making sense. The teen with serious mental illness is simply a teen with an extra burden to carry. He has all the same wants and needs you do, and an offer of friendship is always a good thing. It is also important to become educated about the issue of serious mental illness. The more you understand about the different diseases, symptoms, and appropriate responses to them, the better able you will be to befriend someone who suffers from mental illness. Mental illness is not something to be whispered about or laughed at. It is a human condition requiring and deserving the same understanding support Christians offer to anyone with any illness or difficulty. Let the teen you know who deals with this problem realize that you pray for him and care about his welfare. Above all, share the good news of God’s love and salvation through Jesus with him. That’s the very best help you can give anyone. Martha Brunn Ulmer is the mother of five adult children, one of whom experiences serious mental illness. She is a free-lance writer and is currently contributing to an educational project for LCMS Human Care Ministries on the subject of mental illness. She and her husband Robert live in Olathe, Kansas and are members of Augsburg Lutheran Church.
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, or NAMI, is the best source for factual material on this subject. NAMI offers excellent educational resources on its website (www.nami.org) as well as local assistance. It also offers support for people experiencing mental illness and for their families. The toll-free telephone number is: 1-800-950-NAMI.
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Have you heard the “voice of the Gospel”? Yes, the Gospel has a voice. In fact, the Gospel has a very distinct voice! We hear the “voice of the Gospel” every Sunday in the Divine Service.The Gospel’s voice is not hidden, and it doesn’t take a trained ear to hear it. Older folks, teenagers, even little kids hear the voice of the Gospel every Sunday. All that it takes to hear is a pair of ears on the sides of your head! Do you know what I’m talking about yet? I’ll give you a hint: The voice of the Gospel says this to you:“As a called and ordained servant of the Word, I announce the grace of God unto all of you and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The voice of the Gospel is Holy Absolution, the very voice of Jesus Himself. Where there are sins confessed, the “voice of the Gospel” washes them away.There are no guilty consciences after the Gospel has spoken, no more death, and no more hell.There are the words “I forgive you.”Where those three words are, there is also life and salvation! Every week the Lord speaks those words into our ears through the mouth of the ones sent by Him.Your ears hear a pastor’s voice say them, but the words are from the very mouth of God. From the pastor, as from God Himself, you hear the voice of God’s forgiveness! “But can’t I get forgiveness straight from God?” Most certainly you can! But the Lord has given the “voice of the Gospel” for those sins and times when we need to hear God speak to us into our ears,“I forgive you.” Do you have something that you have confessed to God, but whenever you think about standing before God on the Last Day you think,“I certainly hope He doesn’t bring that up”? Is there is a sin you just can’t get a handle on? There is a place you can go to unburden yourself of that sin. At Holy Absolution, you will hear that the sin troubling you can indeed send you to hell.You will also hear the good news that Jesus died on the cross for every last one of your sins! Then, you will hear the voice of God say,“I forgive you all your sins in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The only thing to say after that is “Amen.” I am free! I have heard the voice of the Gospel, the very voice of God, say my sins are forgiven because of Jesus.
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“But I don’t want Pastor to know that I did that sin.” Don’t be deceived! Your pastor already knows you are a sinner because the Word of God says you are a sinner! He isn’t going to be surprised that you have sins.What might surprise you is that he will take them away with the words,“I forgive you.”Then, your pastor won’t tell anyone that you even talked to him, let alone your sins.Why should he? God has remembered your sins no more. “Pastor, this all sounds too Catholic to me!” No, confessing your sins to your pastor is not a “Roman Catholic thing,” it is a “Dare to be Lutheran thing!” How do I know? Confession and Absolution is in the Scriptures and in the Catechism! One last question:“Pastor, do your teenagers come for Absolution?” I can’t answer that because I can’t talk about it. But, I can say that they hear the voice of the Gospel! Rev. George Borghardt is the Assistant Pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Conroe,TX.
the Gospel� By Rev. George Borghardt S U M M E R 2 0 0 4 __ 15
“I Am Simply Urging You to Be a Christian” By Lynnette Fredericksen
I DON’T WANT TO DO IT!
I am scared! What will I say? What if what I say sounds stupid? What if I make a fool of myself? What will others think of me if they find out I do this “churchy” thing? What will pastor think of me? Can I trust my pastor?
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Auugh! Why has pastor reinstituted private confession and absolution? He says it has been around from the time of Reformation. Martin Luther even said that he would not exchange it for all the wealth of the world for he knew what strength and comfort it had given him. I check my Book of Concord, and find this: Holy Absolution is the “voice of the Gospel,” and says “we must believe the voice of the one absolving no less than we would believe a voice coming from heaven.” But why couldn’t pastor have left it hidden on the back shelf like it has been for the past couple hundred years? Do I really need to do this? I have not robbed a bank or killed anyone, but I am troubled by guilt because of little, dumb sins. I need to dump this load of guilt. But preparation is scary. There is nothing pretty about looking at myself and seeing what sin I have committed against God. It is hard to face the hurt I have caused others by what I have said or done; or the things I have not done. The evil in my heart is horrible to dig out and look at. It is hard to face the truth of my sin once I strip off all the excuses, blaming of others, and explaining it away. I am not very good at accepting responsibility for my sin.
What about pastor? Can I trust him not to reveal to others what I confess to him? Will he think less of me when he hears what sin is in my heart? As pastor, he has sworn before God in his ordination vows “never to divulge the sins confessed to you.” I just have to trust. It is what God has ordained. I see my pastor go to confession. It is reassuring to know that he understands what it is like to be the penitent. I go to confession. I confess my sins to God. My pastor is just the puppet for God. He is there with his ear facing me as a tomb. My sins will be buried in forgiveness, hidden as if in a tomb. Still, it is hard to confess my failures, and the words do not come easily. I have prayed before confession for the Holy Spirit to help me since I cannot even repent or confess my sins without God’s help. Then, the truth pours out. God absolves me of my sin through this man I know as my pastor. What peace knowing my sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. I know my sin has been crushed in the nail prints in Christ’s hands as my pastor puts his hand on my head during the absolution. I am reminded of the forgiveness of sins I have received
through my Baptism when he makes the sign of the cross. He even sometimes does it on my forehead just like when I was baptized as a baby. I am sent off knowing I am free. Free from the sin and the guilt. When Satan brings up sins of my past, I can confidently tell Satan to get behind me as God has forgiven my sins. Absolution is what this whole process is about. Why go though such angst? Is personal confession and absolution worth it? It certainly is! I now know a peace through forgiveness of sins that I never received in the general absolution I had heard thousands of times. It even has made hearing the general absolution in church more meaningful. Why did our church fathers take away such a wonderful gift from people for all these years? Now I feel as if I have been cheated. Martin Luther sums it up best:“If you are a Christian, you should be glad to run more than a hundred miles for confession, not under compulsion but rather coming and compelling us to offer it...Therefore, when I urge you to go to confession, I am simply urging you to be a Christian” (LC: A Brief Exhortation to Confession, 30, 32, Tappert). Lynnette Fredericksen is a teacher at Christ Lutheran Academy in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. She is the treasurer and business manager of Higher Things.
Don’t My friend Tony
and I were doing slam-dunks. Sort of. Except that it was raining and we were inside my house. We didn’t have a basketball, so we were using this little foam rubber ball. And we didn’t have a hoop, so we were using the long, straight curtain rod that ran along the sliding glass door by the patio. Plus, we were really short.
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My parents were gone because they’d decided that Tony and I were just old enough to be responsible on our own. After a few warm-ups, it was time for a raw display of power. I grabbed the ball, arced through the air and threw it home with both hands. Just to be cool, I decided to hang on the rim. The rim made out of that thin aluminum curtain rod, the kind that bends when some idiot kid hangs on it with both hands. We stared up at the mangled “Z” that had once been a curtain rod. My parents would not be happy when they got home. Big trouble was coming. But Tony was there; and if Tony was there, my parents wouldn’t yell at me near as much as if Tony wasn’t there. I was real glad that Tony was there. “I gotta go,” said Tony; and he did, leaving me all alone with the curtain rod and a serious dread working through my stomach. Big, big trouble was coming. And that little voice of self-preservation inside said,“Don’t tell Dad, because this will cost you big-time. You want him to think you’re a good kid, and good kids don’t tear the house apart when their parents leave. Deny. Hide. Pretend nothing happened. But don’t tell Dad.” This advice was so natural that it sounded good for a minute. But what was I supposed to do? Hope that my folks just wouldn’t notice the twisted scrap metal on the window? Hide it somewhere? How long until they tried to close the drapes—maybe a couple of hours? The front door opened and time was up, so I told them. They were disappointed, but they forgave me. There was some punishment, but it ended: they let me out of my room
By Rev.Tim Pauls
TellDad to write this. Nah, just kidding. It was water under the bridge a long time ago. In some ways, I’m kind of thankful that the damage was so obvious that I couldn’t hide it. If it had been something else, maybe I just would have listened to that voice inside and tried to lie, deny, and cover it all up. You’ve been there, too, and you will be again. You do something stupid, and you don’t want to ‘fess up. Why? Because it just doesn’t seem real smart to tell someone that you did something wrong when they have the authority to punish you. So if it’s not smart to confess to your parents or teachers, it’s got to be colossally stupid to confess to God. At least, that’s what the devil wants you to think. Don’t tell God: He has almighty power with which to punish you. Some people will go through life and work very hard at never admitting guilt to anyone, God included. The reasons will vary. They may think that they’d lose too much power. They may have too much pride. Or, perhaps within their twisting thoughts, they figure that if they don’t admit their sin, then they’re not sinful. “Don’t tell God, and He won’t know.” Not a good plan. I’ve come to treasure a Bible verse that I first learned from the liturgy; in fact, we still sing it nearly every Sunday. It’s Psalm 32:5:“I said,‘I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” “Confess” means to “say the same thing”—to say the same thing that God says. When we confess our sins, we say the same thing that God already says about us: We’re sinful and deserve His judgment. But we don’t stop confessing there. We say the same thing about Him that He says about Him: That for the sake of His Son, He’s given His Word that He will forgive us. “I said,‘I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord.’ ”What audacity and faith! It’s a line that really has got to tick off the devil and your old sinful nature. As long as you hide that sin, it’s going to rot away at your faith. But instead of hiding your sins from God, you tell Him. You tell Him because, even though you deserve His wrath, He’s promised grace: He’s already punished Jesus in full for your sins at the cross, and all that’s left for Him to say to you is,“I forgive you.” Another liturgy uses another verse to put it another way:“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I Jn. 1:8,9). Break the silence and confess it to the Lord, and the absolution washes it away and raises you up anew. Forget “don’t tell Dad.” Confess your sin to your Father in heaven, and for Jesus’ sake the sin is gone for good. The Rev. Timothy Pauls is Associate Pastor and Headmaster at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and School in Boise, Idaho. He is on the editorial board of Higher Things.
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MINING THE RICHES
The Friendship of
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As we consider what the Word of God has to say concerning the friendship between David and Jonathan, we also ask what the Lord here teaches us about the vocation of friendship in our lives. How are we to think about and deal with our friends, as such, and to rejoice in the unique relationship that we are blessed to have and share with them? Of course, the story of David and Jonathan is not prescriptive (it does not command what we must do), but it describes a relationship blessed by God in its own day, and permanently honored by its place in Scripture.
Jonathan By Rev D. Richard Stuckwisch
Several times it is recorded that Jonathan loved David as he loved himself (1 Samuel 18:1, 3; 20:17). Such a friendship, therefore, exemplifies the sort of love that we are commanded to have for each and all of our neighbors; for “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18; Luke 10:25ff.). To have a friend, whom you love “as yourself” provides you with a specific and particularized opportunity to live according to the Word of the Lord. Otherwise, it is easy to “love everyone” with noble sentiment and good intention, without really loving anyone. Jonathan and David were united in their very souls (1 Samuel 18:1). This sort of language, at least on the surface of it, recalls the popular notion of “soul mates.” It bears no romantic connotations, however; nor is it an example of pop psychology. Rather, it touches upon the spiritual and theological significance of friendship, and of our relationship with others, in which we live in love toward our neighbor in faith and love toward the one true God. Consider, for example, what St. John writes in his first epistle:“If someone says,‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also” (1 John 4:20–21). In this respect, again, friendship provides us with specific and particular relationships, in which our love for God—and the Christian love that we are required to have for all of our neighbors—is able to become focused and concrete. David and Jonathan had a “covenant” between them (1 Samuel 18:3; 20:8, 12–16ff.). In this, once more, we may think of friendship as a “synod” of individuals: a covenant between friends—in, with, and under the Lord Himself (in faith toward Him, with fervent love toward one another). All human relationships, including friendship, ultimately flow out of the original human relationship that God established and bestowed in His creation of man and woman in His own divine image (Genesis 1:27). Among the many and various sorts of relationships that we are given to have with the people all around us in every
aspect of life, there is a unique and special place for friendship. It is neither marriage nor family, on the one hand; nor is a friend simply an acquaintance or a colleague, on the other hand; although friendship does bear similarities to each of these other relationships. True friendship is a rare and precious kind of love (philos again), and a relationship that enables us to know and understand ourselves, without being curved in upon ourselves (in the way of sin). It helps us to be turned toward others (our neighbors), outside of ourselves,as God has turned His own divine,eternal Love, outside of Himself, toward us in Christ Jesus, the incarnate Son. Christ has, in fact, called us His “friends” in this very sense (John 15:12–17). We see a reflection of ourselves in our friends because we see in them others who share the same interests and commitments, the same values and passions, as we do. We see in them others who relate to the world, and who make their way through life,in much the same way that we do. So it is that, in relating to our friends, we are enabled to better understand our own place in the world, and to make sense of who and what we are, of why we are here and what we are doing. All of this without sinking into self-centeredness, but being opened in love toward others. We certainly find a marvelous example of unselfishness in Jonathan’s friendship with David! All things considered, friendship itself, and each of our friends in particular, are among the Holy Triune God’s First Article gifts of “daily bread” (as the Catechism also identifies). They are also among the ways in which we are assisted, by God, in rejoicing in His Creation: as we engage in projects, hobbies, and other activities together with our friends. To enjoy a sport (like archery, as in the case of Jonathan), or an art (such as music, as in the case of David), or whatever other sort of interest we may share and appreciate—together with our friends—is to receive and use the good gifts of God as He has intended. The Rev. Dr. D. Richard Stuckwisch is pastor of Emmaus Lutheran Church in South Bend, Indiana.
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An enemy, a friend, an
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nd Häagen Daaz by Kathy Luder
I
was on my way into school in the middle of a thunderstorm. The bell was ringing. I was late. When I saw Angie waiting for me, I knew it was trouble. She loves the misery of others. She told me she’d heard that Aaron was breaking up with me. By lunch I’d heard it five more times.Then Molly gave me the worst news of all. He wasn’t just breaking up with me, he was telling people it was because I was “sexually immature.” He said I was a slut but didn’t know it. He said I teased him, led him on, and then told him “no.” Molly was furious. So was I. But mostly, I was afraid that it might be true. Things got out of hand with Aaron after that first kiss in the vestry. Our relationship was too physical from the start. It was based upon fantasy and playacting instead of personalities and common interests. We kissed before we ever dated or even held hands. Our dates ended up being nothing more than sitting side by side at a movie and then deep kissing in my driveway. We never talked. The notes stopped with that first kiss. All we had was movies or a basketball game and dance, and kissing. I would have liked some talking. Aaron would have liked a little something more.
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During a movie his hand would start off innocently enough on my knee.Then it would slip to the inside of my leg. I’d take his hand in mine and move it back to the arm rest. I’d hold his hand and try to watch the movie. But pretty soon his hand would find its way back to my knee again. I was weak. I should have told him off. I shouldn’t have tolerated it, but I did. And sometimes I let his hand travel a bit too much or hesitated before stopping it. I am ashamed to admit that there was a part of me that liked it. What really scares me is that I am not in complete control of my body. It drove me crazy when Aaron kissed my neck and ears. It sent a wonderful tickling sensation down my whole body. It made me feel alive, attractive, and exciting. I’d indulge it for a minute or two and then pull away in a panic, practically running into the house, or smacking his hand down on the armrest. I was actually relieved that sad Wednesday that Aaron was going to break up with me, but since he hadn’t talked to me about it yet, I wrote him a note during Math breaking up with him. I told him to stop telling lies about me. I figured his slander wouldn’t be believed, and who cared if it was? I knew the truth. But did I? I could pretend like my version was the truth, and I knew I had more credibility in our school than Aaron did. But what if what Aaron said was true? Maybe, in my secret heart of hearts, I was a slut. After school, I went to Molly’s house for Häagen Daaz. “Aaron is a pig! I hate him!” said Molly. “Well, it is sort of true,” I said in a whisper, scooping the ice cream while Molly paced the kitchen. “It is not true. He is a liar. He is a hormone-crazed jerk. He should be castrated.” Still scooping, afraid to look up, I said,“I did let him go further than I should have.” “It is not your fault! Where is his honor? Where is his virtue? You didn’t slap him when he touched your breasts like you should have? Part of you liked it? So what? You are supposed to like it.You are a woman. He should have never tried it. Who does he think you are? Did he forget he met you in Sunday school, of all places?” I was sobbing. I didn’t want to care about what people thought of me. But I did. I didn’t want people at school saying I was a slut. But if I found myself believing it, maybe they would too. Molly put her arm over my shoulder.“Kathy, he
tried to take advantage of you. He played upon your weakness. He is supposed to act like a man. Where is his strength, his integrity, his courage? He is a worthless piece of unidentifiable cafeteria leftovers. He couldn’t romance a dog in heat.” I was shaking. I gasped for air and let loose a giant stream of snot straight into the bowl of Häagen Daaz. “Ewwww!” Molly jumped back.“I am not eating that!” Then, somehow, I was laughing and crying at the same time. Molly was carrying on about Snotten Daaz Nose Cream and new flavors and chunks for Ben and Jerry’s. It was purely juvenile, far beneath us, something you’d expect from boys. But somehow we forgot how mature we were and gave in to the moment. We wound up sitting on the floor eating the ice cream straight out of the carton and plotting the downfall of all our enemies. I know I sound a little melodramatic talking about enemies. But Psalm 25 says:“O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me.”We do have enemies. Aaron probably got closer than he knows to exposing my secret sins and shame. Maybe he also revealed a bit of his own shame. God forbid that anyone would ever know the darker things in our hearts, that our shame would be exposed. Our only hope is God. Jesus has died for our sins. He has removed our shame. In Him, we are pure, immaculate, chaste, and clean. He has risen to set us free. He provides and protects and forgives. For the time being we endure. We wait and we pray. We make mistakes and commit horrible sins. But we live by grace and dependent upon His Word and Sacrament. With Him all things, even resistance of the flesh, are possible. Soon He will save us from our enemies. He will save us from ourselves. And He will save us from that last enemy, death. I have my weaknesses. I am a sinner. But I am not a slut. I am baptized. I am a child of God by grace. I am forgiven. So are you. Kathy Luder, ever a serious student of the Scriptures, is also a world-class Pac-Man player. Her initials, KAL, appear as the top scorer on Pac-Man machines in Laramie, WY, Duluth, MN, and Arlington,TX. She plans on leaving her mark next in Seattle.You can e-mail Kathy at KathyLuder@hotmail.com.
daysof purpose
40
It’s ALL about you!
daysof purpos
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For six days, God
preached His gifts into existence. It wasn’t because He just needed something to do. He was preparing the earth, filling it with the things necessary to sustain our lives—food, warmth, light, etc. All of creation was given for the purpose of serving man.
But why? Why did the Lord God create man? Why are you here? What is your purpose? Some would suggest that we are here to worship God or to serve Him through our works. The problem is that, ultimately, God doesn’t need anything from us. Not only that, but it would be completely contrary to God’s nature to create us so that we could give something to Him. Look at it this way:“God is love” (1 John 4:8), and love “seeks not its own” (1 Corinthians 13:5). It would have been impossible for God to create us in order to seek something for Himself. Put another way, love only knows how to give. Love can’t take. Your purpose is to be loved by God, that is, to be given His gifts of nature. All these things, the things of nature that surround us, witness to God’s creating love. Through creation, you have food to eat, clothing to wear, shelter to protect you, the sun to warm you. They were created for this purpose because God loves you. Moreover, God created the people around you for the purpose of loving you through them and their vocations. In the same way, God created you
By Rev. Daniel Woodring
and has given you your vocations in order that He may love your neighbor through you.The things of creation themselves are the instruments that God uses to show and give to you His love. It’s all about you. But it’s about your neighbor too. Mankind fell when Adam and Eve took what God had not given, thereby stepping away from His love. Yet God chose to restore His creation again through created things. His Son became flesh. His body was crucified on the wood of a cross. He bodily rose again from the dead. And now, God gives this new creation to us through created things. You are washed from your sin by the water of baptism. God’s forgiveness is spoken through a human mouth. Bread and wine are His Body and Blood in the Lord’s Supper. Created things are used of God to be the instruments of His redeeming love. Many Lutheran churches have recently returned to the apostolic tradition of having communion every Sunday. I have often been asked why, and the answer is really this simple: “because God loves you.”The Lord’s Supper is celebrated as a remembrance and proclamation of our Lord’s death, His greatest act of love. “God loved the world in this way, that He gave His only-begotten Son” (John 3:16). “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).To receive the sacrament is to receive God’s love. God is love. You are beloved, and His love is all about you. Rev. Daniel Woodring is pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, New Buffalo, MI and Executive Director of Higher Things.
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What is it about so-called reality shows?! What is it about them that creates such immense popularity and longevity (American Idol,The Apprentice, The Real World, etc.), but also causes such outrage, criticism, and viewer rejection (My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé, Fear Factor, The Real World, etc.)? What is it?! Is it that we like to escape from our supposedly boring day-to-day routine? That we like to watch “the beautiful people” and dream that we were them? That we like to play “peeping Tom” on the lives, loves, and liposuction of losers? Is it that we’re out of touch with reality? I must admit it: I’ve watched reality shows...and even enjoyed them sometimes! I was hooked on the first ten seasons of The Real World, from New York to Hawaii. Lately, my college student sister-inlaw got me into Average Joe. And, for a while, my wife and I enjoyed laughing with, but mostly at, Blind Date. But I have seen the errors of my ways. As my wife says,“The real world is much better than The Real World. The person with you is much more interesting than the one on the tube.” God bless my wife! Show: American Idol Airs: usually Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m., Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m., FOX Critique/Summary: Star Search meets The Gong Show–oh, sorry, you’re too young to remember that. Pretty simple formula: the host hosts; contestants sing, or try to, assigned songs in different categories; judges judge; viewers vote on who stays and who goes. Some are talented, some are not. The drama builds via lots of commercials and audience screaming. The winner gets a recording contract, great publicity and recognition. World-View: Try your hardest and give it your all. Recommendation: I’m Swedish (neutral).
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Show: Average Joe Aired: Mondays, 10:00 p.m., NBC Critique/Summary: The Bachelorette meets The Real World meets My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé. A swimsuit babe thinks she’s on a regular dating game type of show (is there anything “regular” or even realistic about reality TV?!), set to choose from a bevy of bodacious beaus. Instead of actually choosing from the Brad Pitt set, she must choose from the Eric Andrae set; in other words, these guys are average: some have zits, some are overweight, some lack social skills, etc. Later, the Brad Pitt set does arrive! Will she choose Brad Pitt or Eric Andrae?! Will she go for style over substance? Looks, personality, both, neither? Oh, what will she do!? Actually, the show wasn’t all that bad. The theme–upon what should true love be based?–is a good one and the show explores it entertainingly and, yes, even thoughtfully, especially through the interviews with those she eliminates. Lots of humor, too, though some of it is at the average Joes’ expense. World-View: There’s more than meets the eye. Get to know people before (pre-)judging them. Objectionable Material: Not much. The woman kisses all the guys; she’s scantily clad at times. Recommendation: If it’s on again, and if you choose, watch with parents and boy/girlfriend, and discuss.
By Rev. Eric R. Andrae
“The reality...is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:17)
Show: The Real World Airs: Tuesdays, 10:00 p.m. (many re-runs!), MTV Critique/Summary: At first, The Real World featured seven fairly normal young adult strangers from different backgrounds rooming together in a big city as some sort of sociological experiment. Some of them even looked like average Joe, or Jane; some of them were even likeable. But, increasingly, the show has consisted of annoying self-centered immature argumentative models engaging in near soft-core porn. This column has discussed it before, but, simply put, sex sells. The envelope, apparently, must be pushed, along with the limits of good taste and teen-targeted TV. Add to that the politically correct nature of the show (e.g., there’s almost always a homosexual and, of course,“there’s nothing wrong with that”), and you’ve got...The Real World. World-View: Hedonism:“the doctrine that one’s own pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life.” Uh, by the way, this is a false doctrine. Objectionable Material: Put it this way: out of 30 minutes, there’s about 2 ?, give or take, that are usually unobjectionable. Recommendation: Boycott MTV and tell them why. Don’t watch the show; you don’t need to: you already live in the real world and don’t let anyone say that you don’t! Show: Survivor Airs: usually Thursdays, 8:00 p.m., CBS Critique/Summary: Inspired by Lord of the Flies. Over 39 days, contestants are eliminated from a remote island, where the “luxuries” of normal life (good food, TV, warm blankets, houses, etc.) are non-existent. Through a series of competitions of both brain and brawn, you can gain immunity from elimination or win prizes (like a car!). If you don’t attain immunity, you can be voted off the island by current and, for the final two, past contestants. But in the meantime, you must also work together to survive. And, oh yeah, the winner gets a million bucks and a Letterman appearance! World-View: “Outwit, outplay, outlast.” Each man for himself. Look out for #1! Competition. Objectionable Material: Some curse words. Honesty and loyalty are not always promoted/encouraged. Recommendations: Even though I couldn’t understand a lot of the dialog (after all, there’s a guy from Boston and one from the South), it’s really a fun watch if you’re the competitive kind. Final Recommendations: Don’t be so bored (or, rather, boring) that you get hooked on any of the “reality” shows. If I can recover, you can recover. Instead: bike, read, play sports, pray, talk to your sister, call your grandfather, swim, draw, daydream, write a letter (!), start a journal, study an atlas, memorize the Catechism’s explanation to the first article of the Creed, take pictures. Rev. Eric R. Andrae is campus pastor of First Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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HIGHER THINGS
News & Notes Higher Things 2005
Christ on Campus
Higher Things is pleased to announce that our Summer 2005 youth conference will be held on the campus of St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri. The dates for the conference are July 19-22, 2004. The price for the conference has not been finalized, but it should be around $300 (maybe less) including housing and meals. Registration and other conference information will be in the Fall issue. See you there!
The second Higher Things conference on campus ministry was held June 28 - July 1, 2004 at University Lutheran Chapel in Minneapolis, MN. Featured Speakers were Dr. Craig Parton, Rev. Klemet Preus and Rev. Mark Sell. This year's conference also included a special session for those interested in the very basics of campus ministry. Information about HT Campus ministry and questions can be addressed to the HT Campus Ministry Chair, Rev. Marcus Zill at zill@higherthings.org or 307.745-5892. Please also visit the HT Campus Ministry website at www.htcampus.org.
Art for the Church Year 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 are available that is churchly and engaging. Go to www.higherthings.org for more information
Support Higher Things 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.
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Higher Things is in need of an experienced website programmer who is fluent with Active Server Pages (ASP) and is familiar with ASPNuke. This individual needs to have programming experience and must have an eye for detail. The majority of time as the HT Webmaster would be spent maintaining the existing website, developing new features, serving as the main contact with our ISP, and troubleshooting occasional email issues. Anyone qualified and interested should contact Sandra Ostapowich at sostapowich@aol.com.
Higher Things Special Life Issue Released Higher Things has released a special issue of the magazine dedicated to life issues. It is a compilation of several of the best articles we have run over the last three years dealing with life and death, marriage and sex, suicide and suffering.This issue of Higher Things has been co-produced in cooperation with LCMS Life Ministries, with the assistance of Maggie Karner.This special issue will not be mailed to our regular subscribers, as they have already seen all of the articles included. It will be distributed by LCMS Life Ministries at the National Youth Gathering in Orlando, at City of God in Seattle, and at other places as need an opportunity exist. Keep an eye out for it!
Ex Cathedra From Advice to Absurdity Dear Ex Cathedra, Our Youth Bible Class meets every Sunday morning. I admit that it isn’t the most exciting class in the whole world, but it’s okay. The problem is some of my classmates. They are always goofing off, talking during class, and acting bored. It’s very distracting and annoying, and lately, I haven’t been going as regularly. What can I do?— Erin, 16 Dear Erin, How about buying a roll of duct tape for your leader? It sounds like he could use it. First of all, don’t stop going. Obviously, it is important for you to study God’s Word, but also, your youth leader needs the support. It is not easy to teach a disruptive class. Second, talk to the youth leader and encourage him. Also tell him your problem. While I am sure that he is frustrated by the bad behavior, he may not realize that it is also frustrating you and perhaps others in the class. I am sure that the jerks in your class think they are being cool, and probably think that they are impressing the other students in the class. It is certainly not out of place for you to tell them to stop, be quiet or grow-up the next time they act out. They might get the hint. — EC Dear Ex Cathedra, I believe in ghosts. Am I crazy?— Casey, 15 Hi Casey, I don’t think you are crazy. The word “ghost” means “spirit.” As Christians we certainly believe that humans have spirits that are separated from the body at death. We also believe that God is a Spirit, and that angels are spirits. We even refer to the third person of the Trinity as the Holy Ghost. So, you could say, the Bible teaches us to believe in ghosts. But it doesn’t teach us that the disembodied souls of the deceased roam the earth in order to haunt, possess, or otherwise interact in the world of the living. If you believe that ghosts do this, you may be crazy, but you are probably just wrong.——EC
Dear Ex Cathedra, I am a normal guy, but I have a large chest. It looks like I have breasts. I am very embarrassed about taking off my shirt for swimming, and buy ridiculously oversized clothing to hide it. Is there anything I can do?— Matt, 15. Matt, Please re-read the first 5 words of your letter. You are a normal guy. Normal people come in different shapes, sizes and colors. I am 99% sure that you look fine. But in the event that I am wrong, here are a couple things you might try. 1) It is possible that you are on a medication that causes this side effect. Talk to your doctor. 2) It is possible that you could stand to lose some weight. Try working out and eating more healthy food. 3) It is possible that your hormones are out of balance. Talk to your doctor. I know that this is really hard for teenagers, young adults and even many mature adults to believe, but what you look like doesn’t matter. Really.— EC Dear Ex Cathedra, I have been dating a guy who is not a Christian. He is respectful of my faith, but just not interested. Do you think this is a problem.— Jody, 18 Dear Jody, Yes, I think it could be, particularly if you have a future with him. I know of many people who begin dating or even marry a person thinking that they will eventually be able to change that person. As noble of an endeavor this may be, the fact is it doesn’t always work. By all means, pray for his conversion and tell him about Christ, but don’t think that you can use your relationship to manipulate him into the faith. Here is something else to think about. Our Christian (and Lutheran) faith is something that shapes every aspect of the lives we live between Sundays—morals, decision-making, world-view and much more. Having a healthy relationship with someone is hard enough when you have these things in common, but differences in these things will more than likely be the source of ongoing aggravation and conflict. —EC
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The Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.
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We are engaged in a great cosmic struggle. Hell seeks to steal again the souls of men redeemed by Christ. Lashing about like drowning men, the demons try to drag us into Hell’s fire with them.They hate everything that is good.They are blinded by their rebellion, by their agony and separation from God.They vainly think that chaos and darkness, violence and sorrow, can comfort them The battle is already won. Jesus died and rose again. It is finished.There is nothing left. Hell is doomed. Death is dead. Life lives.The evil spirits cannot hurt us. No one will snatch us away from the Good Shepherd. Hell is powerless in the face of His love. But the enemy fights on.They are beaten, but still they take pot shots at us.They refuse to acknowledge the victory of the resurrection.They are hungry for trouble. God wants us to be safe. He wants us to endure in faith to the end. So He rules on the left and the right in the Church, in our families, and in our governments. In the Church God rules by grace. He forgives sins. His Word calms the trembling hearts of men. He welcomes them back again for mercy’s
sake. He feeds them on His Body and His Blood. He encourages and strengthens them. Luther calls this sphere of God’s rule or kingdom God’s right hand. It is a defense and a fortress against the devil. By the temporal government God rules through the Law. Luther calls this God’s left hand. It is also arrayed against the devil. But the Law cannot save. It does not forgive sins. It is not merciful.The government exists to promote and safeguard order and decency. Earthly rulers are duty-bound to punish criminals even as the Church is bound to forgive them. Still, God’s left hand is for our good. Mixing up these two kingdoms, so that the Church imposes punishments or the government ignores crimes,
By Rev. David Petersen
Vocation: Fighting against the Devil
perverts God’s gifts and plays into the devil’s hands. It creates chaos. But it also destroys God’s gifts if the Law is despised or the left hand of God is thought to be the devil’s realm. God establishes earthly governments to fight the devil. Finally, in His mercy, God gives us families.The family is the highest order.The Church and the government are both derived from the family.They are both extensions of the family. And the family is the primary place of God’s providence. Thus, parents rule by both Law and Gospel. Law and Gospel are not mixed or blended, but they are applied according to the situation. Parents punish their children.They enforce rules.They make demands and give them tasks to complete. But they also love their children without cause and forgive much.They bring their children to Baptism and teach them to pray.They instruct them about God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. In this way, too, the devil is beaten back. All of our life can be defined according to these three spheres.You are a Christian.You live in a society and country.You belong to a family.Your specific place in those realms is your vocation. God has called you to these relationships.You are a Christian son or daughter, brother or sister, friend and citizen. Those relationships bring with them duties and responsibilities.You are a son by mowing the lawn. You are a citizen by studying hard at school and being a good driver.You are a member of the Church by hearing His Word. Faith is active in love. In words and deeds, you are what God has called you to be: a son obedient to his parents, a citizen bettering himself for the good of society, a Christian obeying the third commandment. Within those relationships or vocations you have choices to make.Your Christian liberty is demonstrated in serving your neighbor as a citizen by picking up trash alongside of the street or by playing in the band or even by politely waiting for your turn in line at the post office.You might serve your family by setting the table or letting your sister choose which show to watch.You serve in the Church by ushering or attending Sunday School or by giving.Whatever you do or don’t do, whatever you choose, God uses you in these places to preserve His creation.Your service to neighbor is God’s service and defeats the devil.You are valuable in this war.You are an important part of God’s rule and plan. But most importantly, you are forgiven and redeemed.This war is already won. Soon the struggle will end. + + + The Rev. David Petersen is pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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Bible Study Leader’s Guide Rev. Darrin Kohrt Begin your study of God’s word by singing or praying, “What is the World to Me” (LW 418 or TLH 430) Clothing has been part of the identity of individuals and even nations from the very beginning. What a person wears (or doesn’t wear) may say a lot about them. Clothing is practical and/or fashionable. Much attention is paid to clothing style and the image people seek to portray by what they wear. But clothing involves more than just sociology. It has theological implications. I.
II.
Clothing: The Need A. Read Genesis 3:1-11. What did Adam and Eve recognize about themselves after they sinned? What were the spiritual implications? They realized they were naked and were ashamed of themselves. They were now unholy and could not appear uncovered in the presence of God. Because of sin they were now offensive to Him and their nakedness was now a symbol of their unworthiness (We might say their “unsightliness”). B.
Read Romans 7:7-12. What brought Adam and Eve to recognition of their shame? The law of God was at work on their consciences. The law always accuses and brings one to recognition of guilt.
C.
At first Adam and Eve had their own ideas about clothing. What did they use at first (Genesis 3:7)? What did God supply instead (Genesis 3:21)? Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together. But God provided animal skins. This involved the shedding of blood and foreshadowed the shedding of Christ’s blood to cover our spiritual nakedness and shame.
Clothing: Its Purpose A. Discuss contemporary attitudes about clothing. What does your choice of clothes say about you or about the place where you are going? Answers will vary. Emphasize that while some cultural expectations of clothing may be appropriate, e.g., “dressing up” for church or a special occasion, others may not be, e.g., the peer pressure to dress scantily. B.
We live in a society where there is less and less “corporate” shame. How might this affect clothing styles? The public sense of decency may not align with God’s standard for His people.
C.
How can revealing clothing be a matter of breaking the First Commandment? What other Commandments may be involved? Sometimes we are trying to show ourselves off rather than give glory to God. The Sixth Commandment can be a real problem, if the purpose of clothing choices is to incite lust in others.
III. Clothing: God’s Gift . . . For Eternity A. People may uncover their bodies to attract attention because they want to be “loved.” But often the attention is not love but lust. What is the difference? Lust involves the desire for gratification of self, especially through means contrary to God’s will. Lust is self-seeking and detrimental to one’s neighbor. Love always seeks the well-being of another. Love protects against all forms of ungodliness and indecency. B.
Read Galatians 3:27 and 2 Corinthians 11:2-3? How is God’s love for us expressed in terms of clothing? We are clothed with His righteousness. We are covered by both baptismal and wedding garments. Our shame is covered. We are holy and righteous in the sight of the Father because He no longer sees us and our sins, but His Son.
C.
Read Matthew 22:1-14 and discuss. Focus especially on the second half of the parable, where the man is found who doesn’t have a wedding garment. Point out that these garments were, in ancient practice, something that was given to the guests at the wedding, not something they had to come up with on their own. Similarly, the white robe of Christ’s righteousness is given to us freely and graciously in Holy Baptism, but without it we can’t stand before God’s throne, because our own “clothing” (symbolizing our own works) is filthy rags which expose our shame.
Bible Study Rev. Darrin Kohrt Begin your study of God’s word by singing or praying, “What is the World to Me” (LW 418 or TLH 430) Clothing has been part of the identity of individuals and even nations from the very beginning. What a person wears (or doesn’t wear) may say a lot about them. Clothing is practical and/or fashionable. Much attention is paid to clothing style and the image people seek to portray by what they wear. But clothing involves more than just sociology. It has theological implications. I.
Clothing: The Need A. Read Genesis 3:1-11. What did Adam and Eve recognize about themselves after they sinned? What were the spiritual implications? B. Read Romans 7:7-12. What brought Adam and Eve to recognition of their shame? C. At first Adam and Eve had their own ideas about clothing. What did they use at first (Genesis 3:7)? What did God supply instead (Genesis 3:21)?
II. Clothing: Its Purpose A. Discuss contemporary attitudes about clothing. What does your choice of clothes say about you or about the place where you are going? B. We live in a society where there is less and less “corporate” shame. How might this affect clothing styles? C. How can revealing clothing be a matter of breaking the First Commandment? What other Commandments may be involved?
III. Clothing: God’s Gift . . . For Eternity A. People may uncover their bodies to attract attention because they want to be “loved.” But often the attention is not love but lust. What is the difference? B. Read Galatians 3:27 and 2 Corinthians 11:2-3? How is God’s love for us expressed in terms of clothing? C. Read Matthew 22:1-14 and discuss.
Don’t Tell Dad Bible Study Leaders’ Guide Rev. Chad Kendall I.
Calling sin what it is. A. The author tells us how he and his childhood friend, Tony, played basketball with the curtain rod. When the curtain rod was bent, what was his first response? How does this reaction parallel times when sin is committed and or exposed? He was glad that Tony is there, because he hopes that Tony’s presence will lessen the punishment. But Tony leaves. This is how sin works. Sin leaves the sinner helpless and alone. (Lead the class into passages from Psalm 22, for example, Psalm 22:6-8; 14-15; 16-18. Point out how this psalm speaks of the Messiah. Point out how Jesus is left alone and despised on the cross. See 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”) B. After Tony leaves, what was the author’s next reaction? What was the error in his thinking? Fear of punishment is the next reaction. He looked for an “out,” saying to himself, “And that little voice of selfpreservation inside said, ‘Don’t tell dad, because this will cost you big-time. You want him to think you’re a good kid, and good kids don’t tear the house apart when their parents leave. Deny. Hide. Pretend nothing happened. But don’t tell dad.’” The error in his thinking was that he considered himself to be a “good kid.” Likewise, the sin in us seeks to deceive us into thinking that we are “good.” Rather, we should call a thing what it is. Repentance entails calling sin what it is: Repentance involves self-examination. C. How does the author’s childhood reaction to his bending of the curtain rod illustrate our reactions stemming from sin? The sinful condition is such that sin and its effects are often ignored or minimized, all for the sake of selfpreservation. Our reaction to our condition is much like the Pharisee in Luke 18:11-12. Rather than calling sin what it is, we conclude that we are not all that bad. (Point out such passages as Ecclesiastes 7:20; Proverbs 20:9; Romans 3:23; Psalm 14:1).
II. Repenting and confessing: drowning the Old Adam. A. Why do you confess your sins? Which “God” do you have: an angry, wrathful god whose anger needs to appeased, or a loving God ready to forgive? Review the two parts of Confession and Absolution from the Catechism. Before Martin Luther found the gospel, he viewed God as an angry god whose wrath could be turned away by works. Such a false view emphasizes confession as opposed to and to the exclusion of absolution. As Luther points out in his Small and Large Catechisms, the absolution is the greater of the two. We confess our sins in order to receive holy absolution from the pastor standing in the stead of Christ. God’s wrath shall come to those who reject Him. However, in the Mass, we find a loving God who comes to us in the Gospel and through the sacraments, forgiving us, loving us, and strengthening us in the one, true faith. (Point out such passages as Psalm 103:8; Psalm 19:12.) B. Why is it important to examine our sin and confess regularly? As Rev. Pauls explains, the devil wants us to think that confessing sin is stupid. The devil would rather that we ignore our sins and rely on ourselves, and in focusing on our own work and righteousness, we lose sight of Christ and His atonement. Examining ourselves and confessing our sins on a daily basis leads us back to the cross. We are reminded how much we need Jesus. Through confession and absolution, we are taught that there is only one God, only one Jesus, Christ the crucified. Confession of sins leads us to the absolution where we are forgiven and reminded of what a gracious God we have through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Point out such passages as 1 Corinthians 1:23; 2:2; Galatians 6:14.)
Don’t Tell Dad Bible Study Leaders’ Guide, page 2
III. Breathing Christ’s forgiveness in the liturgy. A. Rev. Pauls points out Psalm 32:5 in the liturgy. What does he say about the word “confess?” “Confess means to ‘say the same thing.’ - to say the same thing that God says. When we confess our sins, we say the same thing that God says about us: We’re sinful and deserve His judgment. But we don’t stop confessing there. We say the same thing about Him that He says about Him: that for the sake of His Son, He’s given His word that He will forgive us.” B. How does Isaiah 65:24 relate to Rev. Pauls’ statement, “we say the same thing about Him that He says about Him?” Isaiah 65:24 points forward to Jesus in that before we confessed our sins, Jesus answered our call, our confession of sins, by taking our sins to the cross. As Psalm 22:6ff says, though the Messiah was abandoned and despised, he answered the world’s sins by defeating sin, death, hell, and the devil. Our sins were paid for by Jesus on the cross, and faith takes hold of the gift. In confessing our sins, we are, in effect, saying the same thing about Jesus that He says about Himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6), and, “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Confessing our sins is faith crying out to Jesus for the forgiveness that He won for the life of the world, that He won for us. C. How does the life lived and breathed in the liturgy find its relevance in the life lived baptismally in the world? Rev. Pauls remarks, “Break the silence and confess it to the Lord, and the absolution washes it away and raises you up anew.” As Isaiah 65:24 says, “before they call, I will answer,” so it is that Jesus answered on the cross. We break the silence through confession and Christ answers through Holy Absolution. We call our sin what it is, and Jesus pronounces to us what we are: Christ’s children without spot or blemish. As Isaiah 1:18 says so well, “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’” The life we live in the liturgy is the life that Christ breathes into His saints through the Word and Sacraments, which leads us to find Christ’s forgiveness each day anew through Confession and Absolution. “Tell Dad,” because Jesus Christ paid for the sins of the world through His atonement, even for your sins. (Point out Hebrews 12:2, Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith and explain how He does this in Holy Communion.)
Don’t Tell Dad Bible Study Rev. Chad Kendall I.
Calling sin what it is. A. The author tells us how he and his childhood friend, Tony, played basketball with the curtain rod. When the curtain rod was bent, what was his first response? How does this reaction parallel times when sin is committed and or exposed?
B. After Tony leaves, what was the author’s next reaction? What was the error in his thinking?
C. How does the author’s childhood reaction to his bending of the curtain rod illustrate our reactions stemming from sin?
II. Repenting and confessing: drowning the Old Adam. A. Why do you confess your sins? Which “God” do you have: an angry, wrathful god whose anger needs to appeased, or a loving God ready to forgive?
B. Why is it important to examine our sin and confess regularly?
III. Breathing Christ’s forgiveness in the liturgy. A. Rev. Pauls points out Psalm 32:5 in the liturgy. What does he say about the word “confess?”
B. How does Isaiah 65:24 relate to Rev. Pauls’ statement, “we say the same thing about Him that He says about Him?”
C. How does the life lived and breathed in the liturgy find its relevance in the life lived baptismally in the world?
Bible Study Leader’s Guide Rev. Mark Selby When we confess in the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,” we are saying, as Luther explains in the Catechism, “I believe that God has made me and all creatures.” Why did God make (create) me? Some may have the audacity to say, “because He needs us.” God doesn’t need us or anything we have to offer. Why then? I.
Skim through Genesis chapter 1. A. What is the basic formula God used in creating our surroundings: light, sky, land, plants, and animals? Who was in the beginning, by Himself? What did He use to create the world? God (the Holy Trinity) was alone at the beginning. He spoke (“Let there be…”) and it happened. He used His Word to create the light, sky, land, etc. B. Read verses 26 and 27. In what way does God create man different than the rest of creation? What does Our image and Our likeness mean? According to 1 John 4:8, what is God’s nature? God’s nature is love. He created man (male and female) in His image and likeness. Spiritually, they were like God -- man knew God’s will perfectly and knew Him as He wishes to be known, and it reflected in their lives, for they knew not sin. Not only that. In the Trinity (was) is love: selfless love. Each person acts selflessly in love towards the others. Thus, we God created the world and man, He acted in love selflessly out of Himself. We are the objects of His love! What is God’s image: to love as He has loved. C. Read Genesis 2:7-17. Genesis 1 is an outline of God’s creating act, while Genesis 2 is a detail account of day 6 of creation. From what does God create man? From where did man get life? What does that teach us? God crafted man from the dust of the ground. It’s much like a potter forming a beautiful vase from clay. But what good are we without life? So God breathed the breath of life into man to be a living being to love. We are reminded of who we are without God - dust, with no life in us. He is our source and our life.
II. When we say we believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, we also mean that He takes care of our “body and soul, eyes, ears,” etc… and that “He richly and daily provides us” with what we need to “support this body and life.” A. Read Psalm 36: 5-10. The psalmist recognizes in vs. 6 that who preserves us? How is His mercy, faithfulness, and loving-kindness towards you? Not only has God created us. He also takes care of us. Yes, even when it seems like He isn’t. God truly loves each of us and His mercy, faithfulness, and loving-kindness demonstrates that. B. Read Psalm 145:15-16. Who supplies us with food and satisfies our desires? In Luther’s suggestion for table prayers, He uses these verses to start out. Knowing where our food comes, we ask our Father for His blessings through these gifts from His hands. th The LORD gives us our daily bread. Look at the meaning to the 4 Petition of the Lord’s Prayer. What does daily bread mean? How does God bring even our food to the table? How does He use other people and their callings to help support our body and life…farmers, butchers, grocery baggers, cooks, waiters and waitresses. You can also look at the different health care people in which God serves us. Just about any Godly vocation is connected somehow to this.
Bible Study Leader’s Guide, page 2
III. It is said, “It is better to give than to receive.” However, when it comes to our relationship with God and salvation, for our soul’s sake, it is much better to receive. Receiving God’s good gifts in faith is the highest form of worship. As the introduction to Lutheran Worship puts it, “The rhythm of our worship is from Him [God] to us, and then from us back to Him [God]. He gives His gifts, and together we receive and extol them.” A. What gifts does God give us in His service of peace to us? How important are they, or what in God’s creation could be exchanged for them? The LORD God gives us Himself (Jesus) with what He merited on the cross for us: Forgiveness of sins, His life, and eternal salvation - in other words, heaven and everything that goes with it. B. As we have received so much from our Father in heaven through His Son, Jesus, how can we share that abundance with those around us in our various stations (callings) in life: as a student, a child, a member of His church, a youth group member/leader, a check out person, a waitress, etc? Remember the collect after Holy Communion and our request for God’s strength in our faith towards Him and our love towards one another. As we receive so much from God that our cup runs over, we share His love with others in faithful service towards them out of the gratitude we have for His love towards us. Doing so in faith in our Savior, no matter how measly the service seems, it is pleasing in God’s sight. Be assured that God is also working through you for the benefit of others. The study may conclude with the hymn, “With the Lord Begin Thy Task” (TLH 540, LW 483). The following prayer may also be used: O Lord God Almighty, since You bless Your servants with various and unusual gifts and talents from the Holy Spirit, grant us the grace to use them always to Your honor and glory; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen
Bible Study Rev. Mark Selby When we confess in the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,” we are saying, as Luther explains in the Catechism, “I believe that God has made me and all creatures.” Why did God make (create) me? Some may have the audacity to say, “because He needs us.” God doesn’t need us or anything we have to offer. Why then? I.
Skim through Genesis chapter 1. A. What is the basic formula God used in creating our surroundings: light, sky, land, plants, and animals? Who was in the beginning, by Himself? What did He use to create the world? B. Read verses 26 and 27. In what way does God create man different than the rest of creation? What does Our image and Our likeness mean? According to 1 John 4:8, what is God’s nature? C. Read Genesis 2:7-17. Genesis 1 is an outline of God’s creating act, while Genesis 2 is a detail account of day 6 of creation. From what does God create man? From where did man get life? What does that teach us?
II. When we say we believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, we also mean that He takes care of our “body and soul, eyes, ears,” etc… and that “He richly and daily provides us” with what we need to “support this body and life.” A. Read Psalm 36: 5-10. The psalmist recognizes in vs. 6 that who preserves us? How is His mercy, faithfulness, and loving-kindness towards you? B. Read Psalm 145:15-16. Who supplies us with food and satisfies our desires? In Luther’s suggestion for table prayers, He uses these verses to start out. Knowing where our food comes, we ask our Father for His blessings through these gifts from His hands.
III. It is said, “It is better to give than to receive.” However, when it comes to our relationship with God and salvation, for our soul’s sake, it is much better to receive. Receiving God’s good gifts in faith is the highest form of worship. As the introduction to Lutheran Worship puts it, “The rhythm of our worship is from Him [God] to us, and then from us back to Him [God]. He gives His gifts, and together we receive and extol them.” A. What gifts does God give us in His service of peace to us? How important are they, or what in God’s creation could be exchanged for them? B. As we have received so much from our Father in heaven through His Son, Jesus, how can we share that abundance with those around us in our various stations (callings) in life: as a student, a child, a member of His church, a youth group member/leader, a check out person, a waitress, etc?
Sex. Little Word – Big Deal Bible Study Leader’s Guide Rev. Timothy Miille I.
In the explanation of the Sixth Commandment, Luther, drawing on Scripture, writes, “We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.” The Sixth Commandment attaches sex to marriage and forbids it outside of marriage. The author writes, “Does it surprise you that God wants you to have awesome sex?” Does God really want us to have sexual relations? A. Read Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:20-25. In Genesis 1, what is the very first command that God gives to Adam and Eve? How must Adam and Eve fulfill this command? What does the Genesis 2 passage tell us about that relationship? How do man and wife become one flesh? This should be easy, but zero in on verse 28, if necessary. Reproduction is obviously one of the reasons for sexual relations. The words “one flesh” are key here. The union between man and woman can most readily be seen from both the intimacy of intercourse and the resulting child, who receives equally from both father and mother. B. Read Ephesians 5:22-33. As we have seen, God does in fact give us the intimacy in proper sexual relations between husband and wife. How does Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus echo or even further explain this relationship? To what does that intimate relationship point? Does this passage promote or condemn the idea that God gives us sexual relations as a gift? Note the words “one flesh” as well as verses 28-29 and 33. It should become clear through the reading that God truly desires intimacy with us on a level that is only pictured in marriage.
II. In the Scriptures God also reveals His divine protection of Marriage and the marriage bed. Let’s read several of these passages to see just how serious God is about marriage. A. Read Genesis 12:10-20. Why does God strike Pharaoh and his household? What is God protecting? What might we learn about what Marriage is in God’s eyes (remember that the Sixth Commandment hasn’t been given yet)? God strikes because Sarai is married to Abram. God is protecting the marriage between Abram and Sarai. Abram is not in any danger from the Pharaoh at this point. If the answer to the final question isn’t easily discovered, point the students to verses 12-13. Try to help them come to the conclusion that marriage is a “public” commitment. B. Read 2 Samuel 11:1-26 and 12:15-23. The record of David’s affair with Bathsheba is probably quite familiar. What does David’s adultery lead to? What is the punishment God imposes upon David? How does David receive the punishment? Does this passage promote a serious or a frivolous view of marriage? Adultery leads to murder as well as lying in this instance. In addition to family turmoil, the child will die. Verses 22-23 clearly show David’s acceptance of God’s punishment, even though he hoped for grace. These passages show that God clearly takes marriage seriously. III. In 1 Corinthians 7:1-6, St. Paul gives some advice to married people that may at first glance seem to contradict what we have read so far. It must be remembered that Paul, like many in his day, thought that Jesus was coming back in their lifetimes, making marriage and families unnecessary. Still, he did have advice for married people and for us. A. What two reasons does Paul give for why husbands and wives should not deprive each other (one is obvious, the other may not be)? What is an acceptable reason for married people to refrain from relations? Husbands and wives should not deprive each other to avoid immorality as well as for companionship. An exception would be temporarily so that both may devote themselves more fully to fasting and prayer. B.
With 1 Corinthians 7 in mind, read 1 Corinthians 6:15-20. Many people today say that sexual sins are not as serious as certain other sins. Using these two passages, what does the Scripture say? How does sexual immorality interfere with what God desires for us? How does God want us to view our body, sex and marriage? Let discussion move freely at this point, however, God’s word through Paul makes it clear there isn’t any fooling around. The joining nature of sexual intercourse is clearly referenced in this passage. To whom does our body belong (husband, wife, God)? It would be good to draw the previous passages, Genesis, 2 Samuel, Ephesians, etc, back into the discussion as well.
Sex. Little Word – Big Deal Bible Study Rev. Timothy Miille I.
In the explanation of the Sixth Commandment, Luther, drawing on Scripture, writes, “We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.” The Sixth Commandment attaches sex to marriage and forbids it outside of marriage. The author writes, “Does it surprise you that God wants you to have awesome sex?” Does God really want us to have sexual relations? A. Read Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:20-25. In Genesis 1, what is the very first command that God gives to Adam and Eve? How must Adam and Eve fulfill this command? What does the Genesis 2 passage tell us about that relationship? How do man and wife become one flesh?
B. Read Ephesians 5:22-33. As we have seen, God does in fact give us the intimacy in proper sexual relations between husband and wife. How does Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus echo or even further explain this relationship? To what does that intimate relationship point? Does this passage promote or condemn the idea that God gives us sexual relations as a gift?
II. In the Scriptures God also reveals His divine protection of Marriage and the marriage bed. Let’s read several of these passages to see just how serious God is about marriage. A. Read Genesis 12:10-20. Why does God strike Pharaoh and his household? What is God protecting? What might we learn about what Marriage is in God’s eyes (remember that the Sixth Commandment hasn’t been given yet)?
B. Read 2 Samuel 11:1-26 and 12:15-23. The record of David’s affair with Bathsheba is probably quite familiar. What does David’s adultery lead to? What is the punishment God imposes upon David? How does David receive the punishment? Does this passage promote a serious or a frivolous view of marriage?
III. In 1 Corinthians 7:1-6, St. Paul gives some advice to married people that may at first glance seem to contradict what we have read so far. It must be remembered that Paul, like many in his day, thought that Jesus was coming back in their lifetimes, making marriage and families unnecessary. Still, he did have advice for married people and for us. A. What two reasons does Paul give for why husbands and wives should not deprive each other (one is obvious, the other may not be)? What is an acceptable reason for married people to refrain from relations?
B.
With 1 Corinthians 7 in mind, read 1 Corinthians 6:15-20. Many people today say that sexual sins are not as serious as certain other sins. Using these two passages, what does the Scripture say? How does sexual immorality interfere with what God desires for us? How does God want us to view our body, sex and marriage?
I Am Simply Urging You to Be a Christian Bible Study Leader’s Guide Rev. Glenn Niemann I.
“I am scared! What will I say? What if I make a fool of myself?” Lynette Fredericksen powerfully illustrates the fear that results from sin in the beginning of her article. Note how the following verses demonstrate that fear is one of the real results of sin. A. Genesis 3:9-10 After the fall into sin, Adam and Eve were afraid. B. Genesis 45:1-3 Joseph’s brothers were afraid of him because of what they had done. C. Matthew 27:3-5 Judas’ own fear led him to compound his sin with suicide.
II.
“There is nothing pretty about looking at myself and seeing what sin I have committed against God. The evil in my heart is horrible to dig out and look at.” Why do we - even as Christians - need to be “urged” to confess our sin? A. Psalm 19:12 Our sin is beyond our understanding - even hidden to us. B. Ecclesiastes 7:20 By nature we do not “do good” - even the good of confessing our sin. C. Romans 7:7 Without God’s Word of Law, we wouldn’t even know our sin.
III. “Still, it is hard to confess my failures, and the words do not come easily…why go through such angst? Is personal confession and absolution worth it?” A. Psalm 32:1-5 Sin burdens the individual; forgiveness lightens that burden. B. Proverbs 28:13 Hiding one’s sins is not the answer - God’s mercy is! C. I John 1:8-9 Don’t kid yourself - forgiveness IS God’s will for you! IV. “What about the pastor? Can I trust him not to reveal to others what I confess to him? Will he think less of me when he hears what sin is in my heart?” A. Proverbs 11:13 A Pastor is called to be faithful, and therefore is not to gossip. B. Matthew 18:18 If it is “loosed” in heaven, it is loosed here on earth, too! C. John 20:23 The Pastor is Called and sent by God to precisely to deliver forgiveness.
I Am Simply Urging You to Be a Christian Bible Study Rev. Glenn Niemann I.
“I am scared! What will I say? What if I make a fool of myself?” Lynette Fredericksen powerfully illustrates the fear that results from sin in the beginning of her article. Note how the following verses demonstrate that fear is one of the real results of sin. A. Genesis 3:9-10
B. Genesis 45:1-3
C. Matthew 27:3-5
II.
“There is nothing pretty about looking at myself and seeing what sin I have committed against God. The evil in my heart is horrible to dig out and look at.” Why do we - even as Christians - need to be “urged” to confess our sin? A. Psalm 19:12
B. Ecclesiastes 7:20
C. Romans 7:7
III. “Still, it is hard to confess my failures, and the words do not come easily…why go through such angst? Is personal confession and absolution worth it?” A. Psalm 32:1-5
B. Proverbs 28:13
C. I John 1:8-9
IV. “What about the pastor? Can I trust him not to reveal to others what I confess to him? Will he think less of me when he hears what sin is in my heart?” A. Proverbs 11:13
B. Matthew 18:18
C. John 20:23
The Voice of the Gospel Bible Study Leader’s Guide Rev. Timothy Schellenbach I.
“The voice of the Gospel is Holy absolution, the very voice of Jesus Himself…Your ears hear a pastor’s voice say them, but the words are from the very mouth of God.” A. Read the section on the Office of the Keys in the Small Catechism. Referring to John 20, who does the Catechism say Jesus was speaking to? The Catechism refers to “the called ministers of Christ,” when answering the question, “What do you believe according to these words?” in reference to John 20. However, see section II below as well regarding the fact that not only pastors can speak the Word. B. Read TLH #331 or LW# 235, st. 5. Who is really doing the speaking when the pastor absolves you? “The minister whom Christ has sent is but His humble instrument.” God is the one who is really speaking to you when the pastor pronounces Absolution. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the pastor somehow becomes God, but that God has instructed him to be His messenger and that the Word he is given to speak to you is God’s own Word.
II. “‘But can’t I get forgiveness straight from God?’ Most certainly you can! But the Lord has given the ‘voice of the Gospel’ for those sins and times when we need to hear God speak to us into our ears, ‘I forgive you.’” A. If someone else besides the pastor tells you that Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins, do you get the forgiveness of sins from that message? Do you get forgiveness from reading about it in the Scriptures or in another book that contains this message? Yes. The Gospel Word is powerful and does its work no matter how it reaches you. Even if a nonbeliever were to speak it to you, the Word would still do its work in your heart. B. Why does the Catechism emphasize Absolution from the pastor if anyone can tell you that God has forgiven you? Is there a difference in terms of how we receive pastoral absolution that makes it different from a more general speaking of the Gospel? The pastor’s specific job is to speak God’s own Word as if God Himself were speaking it. Both “God forgives you” and “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you” accomplish the same thing. The Word has the same power either way. But sometimes hearing it directly in God’s own voice is what we need to silence the devil, the world, and our own guilty conscience. God gives the Gospel in so many ways precisely because the devil, the world, and our flesh attack us in so many ways. III. “‘But I don’t want Pastor to know that I did that sin.’ Don’t be deceived! Your pastor already knows you are a sinner because the Word of God says that you are a sinner!” A. Read Romans 3:23. Who sinned? All sinned. That includes you. That also includes your pastor. That means that not only does he already know you’re a sinner, he’s one too. Whatever it is you did, it’s entirely possible that he did something similar, or perhaps even worse, at some point in his life. So letting the pastor know you’re a sinner isn’t that big of a deal. B. Even though you can hear the Absolution in Church on Sunday morning, why is it beneficial to confess your sins privately to the pastor? One of Satan’s tricks is to whisper in your ear on Sunday morning, “If that pastor knew what you did, he wouldn’t be saying that to you.” To hear God’s word, “I forgive you,” when the person speaking it knows what you did (just like God already knows what you did), is to know that God forgives that sin, too. Again, it’s not as if we can only get forgiveness this way, but that God provides us with so many and varied opportunities to receive forgiveness precisely because the devil, the world, and our flesh have so many ways of tempting us to doubt it. Also, it’s a good habit to examine yourself so that you can name your sins. It causes you to be able to appreciate God’s forgiveness that much more.
The Voice of the Gospel Bible Study Rev. Timothy Schellenbach I.
“The voice of the Gospel is Holy absolution, the very voice of Jesus Himself…Your ears hear a pastor’s voice say them, but the words are from the very mouth of God.” A. Read the section on the Office of the Keys in the Small Catechism. Referring to John 20, who does the Catechism say Jesus was speaking to?
B. Read TLH #331 or LW# 235, st. 5. Who is really doing the speaking when the pastor absolves you?
II. “‘But can’t I get forgiveness straight from God?’ Most certainly you can! But the Lord has given the ‘voice of the Gospel’ for those sins and times when we need to hear God speak to us into our ears, ‘I forgive you.’” A. If someone else besides the pastor tells you that Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins, do you get the forgiveness of sins from that message? Do you get forgiveness from reading about it in the Scriptures or in another book that contains this message?
B. Why does the Catechism emphasize Absolution from the pastor if anyone can tell you that God has forgiven you? Is there a difference in terms of how we receive pastoral absolution that makes it different from a more general speaking of the Gospel?
III. “‘But I don’t want Pastor to know that I did that sin.’ Don’t be deceived! Your pastor already knows you are a sinner because the Word of God says that you are a sinner!” A. Read Romans 3:23. Who sinned?
B. Even though you can hear the Absolution in Church on Sunday morning, why is it beneficial to confess your sins privately to the pastor?
