2008 Summer - Higher Things Magazine (with Bible Studies) by Higher Things: Dare to be Lutheran!

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Higher Things

Inside this issue:

• The Road of Life • Hey, Good Lookin’ • Amen Conference 2008 W W W. H I G H E RT H I N G S . O R G

/ SUMMER / 2008

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Contents T A B L E

O F

FEATURES 4

Abuse

By Rev. Philip Zielinski Hurting people are everywhere. Abuse affects those you’d never expect. It may even be happening to you. If someone is hurting you or if you desire to help a friend in need, Pastor Zielinski’s article will help you find a way of escape.

Life’s Not Fair

By Mr. Gregg Hein You just don’t get it. Why do bad things always seem to happen to you? You’re a good person. It’s not like you deserve it. So how come things always seem to go the wrong way? If life just doesn’t seem fair, check out Mr. Hein’s article on suffering, tragedy, and who can answer all the why questions you have.

Hey, Good Lookin’

By Mrs. Rebekah Curtis A girl’s wardrobe can explain a lot about her. (I mean, Kathy Luder wears ladybug necklaces. What does that say?) So how should a Christian young lady dress? Can she wear a mini-skirt or does she have to wear a dress the size of a tent? If you’re interested in maintaining your modesty, Mrs. Curtis is here to help.

10 Amen Conference

By Revs.Mark Buetow and George F.Borghardt III Conference time is here, which means you’re either sweating through the heat in St. Louis, on a flight to Irvine, or looking up Scranton on a map. Either way, conference speakers Pastor Mark Buetow and Pastor George Borghardt are here to fill you in on why “Amen” will be the word to know this summer.

14 We’re Just Dating, Dad

By Rev. Steve Riordan Your girlfriend’s a Methodist. It’s no big deal, right? So what? As long as she’s a Christian, that’s all that matters. Or does it? What’s best when it comes to dating people who aren’t Lutheran? Pastor Riordan’s been there, done that, and has the answers.

16 Sins of Weakness or Deliberate Sins?

By Rev. Randall Bell Have you ever let a swear word slip out, and then, frustrated with yourself, punched your grandma? Ok, so it’s a farfetched scenario, but is there a difference between intentional sins and ones that just seem to happen? If you’re unclear on the differences, take a peek at Pastor Bell’s article, which just might help to clarify your bewilderment.

Volume 8/Number 2 • Summer 2008

20 The Ten Commandments

By Rev. Bill Cwirla “What’s the deal with the Ten Commandments? They’re so overrated and archaic. After all, we’re not the Israelites.You don’t see us roaming around in the desert complaining about our rotten lives, do you?”But could these commands be more than that? Are they God’s way of protecting us? Pastor Cwirla will get you up to speed.

22 A Love Like This

By Mrs. Julie Stiegemeyer He rode into her life on a shiny motorcycle with a smile that could melt butter and a face fit for the cover of Teen People. Was it love at first sight? Did they live happily ever after? Or did he leave her alone and crying after only one summer together? If you’re nosy and interested in Mrs. Stiegemeyer’s love life, this is the article you won’t want to miss.

24 Meinspacebook

Facebook is like cyber-crack. Admit it.You can’t live without it.You have to sign in fourteen times a day, or you feel like you’re completely out of the social loop. Well, who says only teenagers get to have fun? Martin Luther’s got a Facebook page too, and he’s invited you to be his friend.

26 The Road of Life

By Rev. Tim Pauls It’s an eternal struggle between good and evil, right and wrong, light and darkness.The devil moves stealthily about the earth, waiting for a weak and innocent victim to prey upon. Is there hope? Does the devil always get his man? For a lesson in life, read Pastor Pauls’ article and see yourself within.

COLUMNS 18 Dead White Guys and Their Lies

By Kathy Luder Kathy’s favorite teacher is caught lying about his past. She is astonished by what she hears and devastated that he has misled her. He’s apologized, but it’s not easy to forgive and forget. How is she supposed to trust him from now on? Read Kathy’s article for a lesson in forgiveness and faith.

28 Hierarchy Among Friends

By Rev. David Petersen You’ve heard about the order of creation, but what does it really mean? Are mothers more powerful than children or bosses than employees? Or are we all really just equal in Christ? Pastor Petersen explains the two camps of thought on this issue and the conclusion we can come to as a result.

34 Inside WSDWMUAAGM

Was it too good to be true? Doomed from the start? Check out our hard-hitting exposé on why the “What Salad Dressing Would Melanchthon Use At Any Given Meal” movement failed, and how all those leftover bracelets are being used for good around the world.

HigherThings Volume 8/Number 2/Summer 2008

In honor of the summer blockbuster movie season, the true identities of our staff are revealed. Or are they...? Editor

REV. TIM “STUPENDOUS MAN” PAULS Managing Editor ADRIANE “FIRESTAR”

DORR

Assistant Editor JULIE “MS. MARVEL”

BECKWITH

Art Director STEVE “FLASH”

BLAKEY

Editorial Associates REV. PAUL “BARNACLE BOY” BEISEL REV. DAVID “DARK KNIGHT” PETERSEN REV GREG “HUMAN TORCH” ALMS Bible Studies Editor

REV. DAN “MAGNETO” MACKEY Business Manager CONNIE “THOR

GIRL” BRAMMEIER

Subscriptions Manager ELIZABETH “MOM”

CARLSON

Mrs. Carlson’s New Baby GRACE “6LBS. 9OZ.” Webmaster STAN “MORPHEUS”

ESTHER

LEMON

Christ on Campus Executive REV. MARCUS “LONE

RANGER” ZILL

Conferences Executive REV. GEORGE F. “SHAZAM”

BORGHARDT III

Internet Services Executive MARK “WOLVERINE”

BUETOW

Publications Executive CAROLYN “ORACLE”

COCKEY

Retreat Executive LANDON “DARKWING

DUCK” REED

Omelet Recipe Add three whisked eggs to pan on medium-low heat. Add cheese, onion, bacon and sausage. Fold and serve.

THE “MAGNIFICENT 7” BOARD OF DIRECTORS Interim President REV. WILLIAM

“AQUAMAN” CWIRLA

Secretary SANDRA “MAXIMA”

OSTAPOWICH REV. JOEL “GREEN LANTERN” FRITSCHE REV. BRUCE “CAPTAIN AMERICA” KESEMAN REV. BRENT “ICEMAN” KUHLMANN REV. LARRY “IRON MAN” NICHOLS MARK “THE PHANTOM” PFUNDSTEIN ___________ Higher Things Magazine ISSN 1539-8455 is published quarterly by Higher Things, Inc., 5009 Cassia, Boise, ID 83705. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the executive editor of Higher Things Magazine. Copyright 2008. Printed in the United States. Postage paid at St. Louis, Missouri. For subscription information and questions, call 1-888-448-2359 or e-mail subscriptions@higherthings.org. (This phone number is only used for subscription queries.) For letters to the editor, write letters@higher things.org. Writers may submit manuscripts to: submissions@higherthings.org. Please check http://higherthings.org/magazine/writers.html for writers’ guidelines and theme lists.

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Higher Things Magazine is available in Braille and on audiocassette tape for the visually impaired. Contact Lutheran Blind Mission at 7550 Watson Road, St. Louis , MO 63119; call toll-free 1-888-215-2455; or e-mail at blind.mission@blindmission.org.

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By Rev. Philip Zielinski

Abuse

or Stacy, it had become part of everyday life: the looks, the touches, feeling like she needed to check in with him before doing much of anything. Sometimes it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem like a big deal. Other times all she wanted was for him to stop so that she would be free of this mess.

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Stacy’s life is a drama played out in schools, churches, and families every day. It is the story of abuse, and whether it’s physical, sexual, verbal, or psychological, the sin of abuse takes its toll on both the victim and abuser. Do any of these sound familiar? “What have I done to deserve this?”“Doesn’t God see what is happening to me?”“Why won’t he stop?”“What will happen if I try to get help?” Or, as the abuser,“Why do I treat my loved ones this way?” Are these your questions? Are these the questions of your friends or loved ones? Is someone perhaps asking these questions about your own actions? If you are so entangled, know that our Lord Jesus has not forgotten you, He has not forsaken you, and He has not turned His back on you during these trying times. He knows what it is to feel the sting of the sin of another. He felt the sting of scourge and nails for the sins of the whole world, even these sins of abuse. Each day our lives are impacted by sin. It could be our own sinful actions and nature, the tragic effects of the earth itself being corrupted by the fall into sin (disasters, for example), or the sinful actions of others as they sin against us. Sin is all around us. Satan is prowling like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. And when he tempts someone to take advantage of someone close to them, he inflicts double the damage. We feel the sting of such evil in our lives because we are still living in this veil of tears. Jesus’ promises of bliss and tranquility are the promises of the new heaven and new earth. His assurances for this life are of trial, persecution, and suffering. We will have crosses to bear, we will have sicknesses (of body and mind), and we will have tears and sadness. As these touch your life, you are not loved any less by God. How could you be? You are already loved perfectly by God in Christ Jesus.You are loved fully and completely.This is what brings us peace even as we are surrounded by sin and sadness. What shall we do then when we find ourselves trapped in the cycle of abuse, abusing, and danger? First, know that you are a child of God and you can pray to Him, asking that you, your loved ones, and the abuser would find escape from this tangle of sin and know the joy and peace that only comes from the forgiveness of sins. Escape. Find a way out of the relationship.Tell an adult. Don’t keep the secret. He’s not sorry. He will do it again. It will get worse.Your favorite teacher, a guidance counselor from school, your pastor, or a friend’s mom can all get you real help so you can be safe and you

don’t have to feel threatened again. Tell a friend, and ask them to take the first step and report the abuse.You are worth much more in God’s eyes, in the eyes of your brothers and sisters in Christ, and in the eyes of someone who would truly love you as even as Christ loved His Church. Escape. In your escape, find a place that helps those who have suffered abuse.The damage is deeper than the bruises, cuts, and other unspeakable things.There is professional help to heal your body, mind, and soul. Pastors, doctors, and counselors all have different tools to heal your wounds. Find them all.They care about you. Remember that as you have been abused, you are not guilty.The blood of Jesus covers all your sins, and being abused is not a sin of yours. All the same, the guilt that you feel is taken away in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Seek out where you may immerse yourself in the spiritual care of God’s Word and Sacraments.Take refuge in Christ’s Church. Don’t be afraid. No matter what your abuser may try to tell you, your teachers, pastors, family, and friends are glad that you are safe.They will make sure that the abuser cannot see or talk to you any more.They will help you tell your story so that you can be free and safe. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are here to love you and care for you.Talk to them.Tell your story. Lean on them.You need help starting over, healing, hiding, surviving, and forgiving.The body of Christ exists to care for the body of Christ and to care for all people. You can start right now. You can be free of the prison of abuse today. Find a shelter in your area, friends who will help you, doctors who can care for you, and a pastor who can bring the Gospel to you. These are God’s gifts to bring you safely through. Are you afraid, feeling hopeless, or in danger? Call 911. Immediate help is available. To get connected to help in your area, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800799-SAFE (7233) www.ndvh.org Lord Jesus, quickly come, that the darkness of these earthly days would be replaced by the perpetual light of your grace and glory which is our inheritance by your death and resurrection. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Rev. Philip Zielinski is a jet-set pastor, travelling the country as an admission counselor for Concordia Theological Seminary, in search of the next star Lutheran pastor or deaconess. E-mail him at philip.zielinski@ctsfw.edu.

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LIFE’S NO

“ t’s not fair!” wailed the six-year-old when he heard the verdict.“Well, life isn’t fair,” came the dispassionate reply of his mother.“The sooner you learn that the better.”The injustice of it all! Not receiving a piece of the cake remaining from the celebration of his sister’s confirmation the day before was unusually excessive punishment for not cleaning his plate— at least in his judgment.The boy’s complaint is certainly trivial next to genuine suffering. But is Mom’s observation an overreaction? Is life fair? Is justice always served? Or can bad things really happen to good people?

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Two examples can be seen from the same day’s paper in a small western city: (1) The County Coroner today identified the six-month-old baby killed in a one-vehicle rollover accident.The baby died in what the Highway Patrol described as an alcohol-related accident. (2) A seventeenyear-old accused of causing a fatal wreck while fleeing police pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide for the death of a nurse who was almost thirty.The nurse was on her way to work when her Toyota Camry was hit broadside by a GMC driven by a teenager whose blood alcohol was twice the legal limit. Consider other real life tragedies and suffering, and you might quickly wonder: why? How can a loving God permit evil? If God is all-powerful, why can’t He prevent evil? Why do bad things happen to good people? Often suffering and tragedy prompt these big why questions. In a way, they are asking,“Who is God?” and “What does that mean for me?” Years ago, a bestseller was published by a Jewish rabbi entitled,“When Bad Things Happen to Good People,” as an answer to these big why questions. The author, Rabbi Harold Kushner, struggled to see God as simultaneously both allknowing and kind in the face of evil. He knew suffering firsthand. His young son died from a rare degenerative disease. Rabbi Kushner could not bear the thought of a God who didn’t embody love, so he concluded God’s power was limited. The best conclusion he could come to was that God probably had a handle on everything in the beginning, but as the world became more populated and

By Gregg Hein

OT FAIR!

complex, God just couldn’t keep up. God WANTED to help and heal and save, but it’s all just too much. In Kushner’s view, suffering and evil occur because the world has spun out of God’s control. If God notices at all, He now only wrings His hands and wishes it were otherwise. Life’s not fair. Get over it. Oddly, many people still see Kushner’s book as comfort for troubled times. But Kushner’s book has also received sharp criticism. One of Kushner’s critics, Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner, said,“In the end, Kushner’s vision fails to even achieve his original purpose: preserving God’s benevolence. If God cannot prevent suffering, then neither can He direct Creation to bring about good.” Unlike theologians of his day or ones that followed (e.g. Kirzner and Kushner), Martin Luther didn’t start with creation when approaching the deep why questions. Like Adam (Genesis 3:15), Job (Genesis 19:25-27), King David (Psalm 110:1), Isaiah (Isaiah 53), and every Old Testament person of faith, Luther saw Jesus on the cross as the starting place for discovering who God is when answering the big why questions. The biggest why ever asked is,“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” In English,“My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?”There with His why question, Jesus draws into Himself all your why questions. Why do innocents suffer? Why is there evil? Why me? The answer to all your questions is this:“It is finished.”The Righteous Son of God died. As God the Father answers with His Son on the cross and risen from the empty tomb, God is revealing His fullness while retaining His mystery. Because God is God and you are not, your fallen, finite brain will not comprehend the meaning of everything, even things you can clearly see. In the crucified Christ, the Holy Spirit comforts you with confidence in the hope that is not seen but carries you past every suffering in this world. The six-year-old just wants dessert. Others pray God doesn’t give just desserts. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Even in the crucified and risen Christ, life isn’t fair, but it is good and never ends. Gregg Hein is the husband of the phenomenal DeAnn, father of six, active in his local congregation, businessman, and home improvement do-ityourselfer. E-mail him at gregghein@ msn.com.

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Hey,Good Lookin’ I

By Rebekah Curtis

n ancient times, I went on a work trip to Haiti with my church’s youth group.There was a cultural dress code for girls: long skirts, covered shoulders, and for our beach day, bikinis were out.The girls griped and complained. Who wanted to wear an old lady one-piece? The guy next to me mumbled,“That’s what you should all be wearing anyway.”

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“Excuse me?“ I demanded. He sighed.“What if somebody told you that you weren’t supposed to eat any chocolate for ten years? And then they marched all this chocolate in front of you all the time. Is that going to make it easier or harder for you not to want something you’re not supposed to have?” Ouch. I knew he was thinking of our recent trip to a water park. In dressing for the guys’ attention, we girls had selfishly made it difficult—very difficult— for them to lead a sexually pure and decent life. Wait a minute though. Aren’t we free in the Gospel? You don’t go to a church where women have to wear long skirts and long hair. It was for freedom that Christ set us free, so who says you can’t wear whatever you want? Martin Luther explains, “This is that Christian liberty, our faith, the effect of which is not that we should be careless or lead a bad life, but that no one should need the law or works for justification and salvation.” Jesus died to forgive you and release you from sin and death.You are free in Christ from the impossible task of saving yourself through the Law.You don’t need to wear a chador, a mantilla, or your great-grandma’s housecoat to earn your heavenly mansion. Jesus was free of sin and death. After all, He is God. But God is love, and love does not seek its own (I Corinthians 13:5) but the beloved. Great news: you are the beloved. Jesus, seeing your sin and need for forgiveness, surrendered His freedom, humbled Himself, became nothing, and died for you (Philippians 2:7–8) because He loved you.This, says Martin Luther, shows us how Christian love works. “Though [the Christian] is thus free from all works, yet he ought to empty himself of this liberty, take on him the form of a servant . . . and in every way act towards his neighbor as he sees that God through

Christ has acted and is acting towards him. All this he should do freely, and with regard to nothing but the good pleasure of God.” Just as Jesus surrendered His freedom from death for our good, so do Christians exercise freedom humbly for the good of our baptized brothers and sisters.

Limiting your wardrobe is certainly humbling. Girls want to look good, and an easy way to do that is following trends that, for the moment, people consider good-looking. Whether you’re trying to fit in or stand out, it’s tempting to conform when fashions are clingy, strappy, low-cut, high-slit, daring, and baring. But far more important than advertising for Hollister is Christian love, which binds your behavior to your brothers’ needs and asks you to enjoy your freedom where it won’t hurt them.This applies to guys at church (including pastors), guys at school (including teachers), and guys you don’t know (including old guys you don’t know). In John Donne’s poem “A Hymne to God the Father,” the poet prays,“Wilt Thou forgive that sin which I have won/ Others to sin, and made my sin their door?” Female vanity guilefully misnamed “freedom” is a door to male lust. A girl may claim she likes the color of a tight sweater or that the weather mandates spaghetti straps, but no person is free to leave chastity— her own or someone else’s—in a pile on the floor of her closet. Girls, you’re more powerful than you know. Whether you think you’re Minerva or Medusa, regardless of your popularity, guys can’t help noticing you.The way you dress can mean the difference between

their respect or lust, greater virtue or darker sin. It costs you less to dress modestly than it costs them for you not to. If you’re not sure about a piece of clothing, ask yourself:Why do I want to wear this? Would I want another girl to wear it around my boyfriend? So, what to wear instead of the trashy stuff the world tosses over your dressing room door? Start like our mother Sarah with “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:4). Add the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 31:30), modesty, and self-control (1 Timothy 2:9), and you’ll really grab attention, because a beautiful soul makes a mysteriously beautiful woman. Mrs. Rebekah Curtis is the wife of Rev. Heath Curtis.You can e-mail her at rmgcurtis@gmail.com.

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Neighbor.

By Rev. Mark Buetow

Faith says “Amen” to Loving Your

aith says “Amen” to all of the gifts of Jesus.The Good News that He died for our sins and rose earns a resounding “Amen!” The Good News that we have this salvation delivered to us in the means of grace also can get a big “Amen!” But when it comes to the Lord’s command to love and serve our neighbor, to put up with people around us, especially the ones we don’t like, that amen usually turns into an “Aw, man!”

It can seem easy to be hyped up for the good gifts given by Jesus to me.That’s because we make it all about something for me. But when it comes to our neighbor, we’re not so excited. Jesus says,“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Sinful Old Adam says,“Aw, man! Do I have to? I won’t do it!” Faith, on the other hand, as it does when it hears all of God’s Word, says,“Amen!” Love your neighbor? True. Solid. It shall be so. In fact, the amen of faith isn’t any different when it comes to serving our neighbor than when it hears the Lord has good gifts.That’s because those gifts are for all people in Christ, so faith says,“Amen! The Lord’s salvation is for all people. My good works will be for whoever needs them.” Now, saying amen to loving our neighbor doesn’t mean we suddenly find some strength in us to keep God’s Law on our own. No, our amen to loving our neighbor is where every amen is: Jesus. Only in Jesus do we love God and serve our neighbor as we should.The sins against our neighbor are forgiven in Jesus, to which we say,“Amen.”The good works we do for our neighbor are pleasing to God because we are His children in Jesus. Faith says,“Amen” to that too. So when the Lord teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves, He’s just teaching us to believe and trust in Him again.That’s because Jesus has done all things well, and He alone has truly loved and served His neighbor. Baptized into Jesus, absolved of our sins, and full of His body and blood, His telling us to love our neighbor is just more good news to which we say “Amen.”

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Rev. Mark Buetow is pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church, Du Quoin, Illinois, and is a plenary speaker for the Amen 2008 Higher Things conferences.

Yours is the

Amen By Rev. George F. Borghardt III

nd the body and blood of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ strengthen and keep you steadfast in the one true faith unto life everlasting. Depart in peace.”That’s the blessing at the end of the Lord’s Supper spoken by the Lord through the mouths of His pastors in the Divine Service.

“

As I say these words, there is always a pause. I look at the communicants.They look up at me as though I have forgotten the next word. It’s as if we don’t know what to do next. Finally, so that they can get on with their days, I very quietly say,“Amen.”Then, they depart in peace. Did you know that amen is the laity’s word to say? Of all the blessings in the Christian faith, all the benedictions, and all the prayers, yours is the amen. Just look in the hymnal. But even if the hymnal didn’t say it, it would still be your amen because Jesus is the Amen. He’s the beginning and the end of salvation. Our Lord Jesus does everything to win our salvation, and we receive it as a gift. He’s active. He’s the doer.We are passive, the ones for whom His work is done.We are on the receiving end of everything He is doing and does for us. The Amen took on our flesh and was born of the blessed Virgin Mary. He kept the Law perfectly and suffered the horrific death that is actually due to us for failing to perfectly keep the Law. All this He did freely, not because we deserve it, but precisely because we don’t deserve it. He died for us, and in doing so, He became a curse for us.Then, because God cannot stay dead, He rose again on the third day. All that Christ did is given to you in the Word, water, and His body and blood. Jesus takes all that He did for you through His life, death, and resurrection, and delivers it generously to us. Faith then receives and speaks a single word:“Amen.” Amen is the word of faith. When the Lord speaks, faith responds,“Amen.”When the Lord gives, faith receives,“Amen.”When the Lord blesses, faith confesses with one little word,“Amen.” Amen means,“It shall be so.” And since it is so, and since it is true, amen means for us “gift received” or “that’s mine.” It is your forgiveness, your everlasting life, and your salvation. It is given to you by Jesus alone, given by His grace, received by faith alone. It is for you and for me.There are no doubts. That’s why amen is more your word than your pastor’s.Your pastor is to deliver the Lord’s blessing to you. Faith receives it with a hearty,“Amen.” So let your faith speak at Holy Communion next week.Your pastor will say,“The body of Christ.”You say,“Amen.”Your pastor will say,“Take and drink the blood of Christ shed for you for the remission of sins.”You say,“Amen.” And then, he’ll say,“And the body and blood of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will strengthen and keep you steadfast in the one true faith unto life everlasting.” Amen. Rev. George F. Borghardt III is the Assistant/Youth Pastor at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Conroe,Texas. His e-mail address is revborghardt@ higherthings.org. He is also a plenary speaker for the Amen 2008 Higher Things conferences.

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Join us at

Summer 2009 hrist Academy is a two-week residential program for high-school-aged men, founded by Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. 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 one day becoming a pastor.

✠ ✠ ✠ ✠

Worship, the Center of the Experience Life-Changing Studies Clarity of Direction Fun Activities For more information, please call:

1-800-481-2155 www.ctsfw.edu christacademy@ctsfw.edu

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Solo Christo. Sola Gratia. Sola Fide. Sola Scriptura. These are the great solas of the Reformation. Christ alone. Grace alone. Faith alone. Scripture alone. Sola means “alone.”You can’t get much more Lutheran than the solas! Nor can you learn more about being a Lutheran than from the doctrines they confess. We are saved by Jesus Christ alone, by His holy life and bitter suffering and death in our place. All that Christ has accomplished for us has been done by grace alone without any merit or worthiness in us. Faith alone receives His gifts for us with a response of “Amen.” And the Good News of Jesus and the salvation He has won for us is sure and certain because it is in Scripture alone. That very Gospel made Martin Luther, well…Lutheran! You too! Higher Things is pleased to invite you to attend our 2009 summer youth conferences where we will be rejoicing in the one, true faith Lutherans have believed, taught, and confessed since the Reformation nearly five hundred years ago.

A Higher Things Lutheran Youth Conference

SOLA - TEXAS Trinity University San Antonio, TX July 7–10, 2009

SOLA - MICHIGAN Calvin College Grand Rapids, MI July 21–24, 2009

“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith alone, apart from works of Law.” (Romans 3:28)

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Check out www.sola2009.org for more information!

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“We’re Just D “

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know he’s not Lutheran, but we’re just dating, Dad. It’s not like I am going to marry him.” So went the fateful words of my wife as a teenager. Her father had expressed some concern over who she was dating. I was the “non-Lutheran” who she was “just dating” and not going to marry.Twenty-five years and three children later, one could easily question her ability to predict the future! Fortunately for us (and I admit some prejudice here), things have worked out well. I became Lutheran, and with Christ and His Sacraments at the center of our relationship, our marriage has remained strong. My situation is not that unusual though.While at one time dating someone of another faith was rare, this is not the case today. Our current culture encourages minimizing the differences between both religions and denominations. If you’re a teen, you’ll likely face dating someone outside your own faith, if you haven’t already. The concerns, however, are real and not just your parents’ hangups. As my own circumstance shows, the “we’re just dating, Dad” approach, although spoken with all sincerity at the time, frequently leads to a more serious relationship: marriage. That is really the issue. Dating is not purely a recreational activity. It leads to marriage. Granted, this is not always one hundred percent true, but marriage is, after all, the point of dating. So, who should believers date? One might think that a quick trip to the Bible would answer all of our questions. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.The Scriptures offer very little (if any) direct dating advice. Consequently, we look at passages about marriage and sort of back in to the whole dating thing.Yet, here too things are not so cut and dry. Deuteronomy 7:3 seems clear enough. Moses warns God’s people about the unbelievers living in the land:“Do not intermarry with them” (NIV).There seems to be no fuzz on that. However, just a few short chapters away in Deuteronomy 21:10–11, Moses permits believing soldiers to marry unbelievers. So, the rule in the Old Testament does not appear to be absolute. Likewise, in the New Testament, much of what we have held as clear is not. 2 Corinthians 6:14–16 speaks of being “unequally yoked.” Many Christians see this as the final word on marrying an unbeliever. Don’t do it. End of subject. However, the context does not address the topic of marriage at all. Even Martin Luther didn’t completely rule out marriage between believers and unbelievers. In his 1522 essay entitled The Estate of Marriage, Luther wrote,“Just as I may eat, drink, sleep, walk, ride with, buy

Dating, Dad” By Rev. Steve Riordan

from, speak to, and deal with a heathen, Jew, Turk, or heretic, so I may also marry and continue in wedlock with him. Pay no attention to the precepts of those fools who forbid it.” In his Pastoral Theology, C. F. W. Walther, the first president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, too, did not see an absolute prohibition. So where does that leave us? Who should you date? Well, just because the Bible doesn’t specifically say,“Thou shalt only date Lutherans” does not mean that it has nothing to say to us. In fact, all the passages that caution against marrying an unbeliever do so as part of a greater warning to believers not to be tempted away from the faith by those who don’t believe. This, of course, is the real danger. It goes too far to claim that the Scriptures forbid grabbing a bite to eat and going to a movie with an unbeliever. At the same time, however, we must recognize that our emotions often triumph in romantic relationships. The problems may not show up in sharing a bag of popcorn, but they will down the road when sharing decisions on how to raise children. How will an unbeliever feel about raising your children with Christian values? Will he support your efforts or undermine them? Will he try to keep you from being faithful? Will his unbelief lead you astray even, perhaps, to following his beliefs? These are the serious issues. As Christians, however, we recognize that just because Scripture permits something does not necessarily make it the best choice. St. Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 6:12:“Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial” (NIV). In fact, seeking only the permissible just feeds the little legalist that lives inside each of us. Our old Adams are bent on seeing how far we can push the limits of God’s Law. God desires us to act wisely and to do what is best. In the case of dating, what is best? What is wise? Without a doubt, it is best to find someone with whom you can call upon Christ Jesus with one heart and one voice. It is best to find someone who clearly knows that Jesus Christ and His cross are the keys to salvation. It is best to date someone who understands that marriage is to reflect Christ’s relationship to His Church. Is there a better best? As a Lutheran pastor, I advise the teens of my congregation to find as much common ground as possible in dating. Obviously, that means dating a Lutheran. My own situation is testimony to this. Looking back, I see the importance a common viewpoint on Christ, His cross, and the absolute saving power of His grace has meant in my marriage. Dating someone who shares your views on the means of grace, who understands the importance of infant Baptism, who knows that God comes to us in His Word, and who is strengthened by the Supper of our Lord will bring much peace should you decide to marry. Christ at work in these things is what makes relationships work. So, in dating, do the wise thing and do it in Jesus’ name. Rev. Steve Riordan serves at Grace Lutheran Church in Western Springs, Illinois, and can be reached at steversharon@juno.com.

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A Sin of Weaknes or a Deliberate Si O

ne of the most recognizable symbols in the world is Lady Justice holding a pair of scales in her hand. Many people believe they will see those same scales in the hand of God on Judgment Day.The thinking goes like this,“If our good deeds weigh more than our sins, God will let us into heaven, but if our sins weigh more, then . . .” Need I go on?

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very clear about this,“One is not to imagine a The Bible does not speak of any such kind of faith that can exist and abide with, and Judgment Day scales. Not only that, alongside of, a wicked intention to sin and to even if there were such scales, we act against conscience” (FC III). Where was would have no sins to place on them. David’s faith? It had been extinguished by his No one would! Why not? God, for Jesus’ wicked intention to sin. sake, has forgiven every sinner, even We need to be aware that there are two kinds those who reject Him, even those who of sin: sins of weakness, and deliberate, intentional are in hell. People don’t go to heaven or sins. On the one hand, all sins are equal in hell because of the number of sins they God’s eyes. Every sin, no matter how commit; rather, it’s all about Christ.Those small or great it appears to us, is an who believe in Jesus go to heaven, no offense before God. As Jesus says in matter how many or how great their sins His Sermon on the Mount, lust is are.Those who do not believe in Jesus adultery, and hatred is murder. perish. Unbelief alone is what damns (e.g., On the other hand, it is much Mark 16:16, John 3:17–18). worse for a Christian So, does this mean that we can coast to commit a through life not worrying about how we live? deliberate sin Can we follow our fleshly desires and not pay against his attention to the sins we are committing? Since conscience unbelief, not sin, damns, are we free to sin all than for him we want? As St. Paul would say,“Perish the to commit a thought! How can we who have died to sin still sin of weakness. live in it” (Romans 6:2)? Think of it like King David didn’t perish the thought, that is. this: gravity When the thought came to him to commit doesn’t care adultery with Bathsheba, he followed through with how small or sinful actions. David deliberately and intentionally how big a rejected God’s commandments, committing falling adultery and then murder (2 Samuel 11). object is. How could a man of God do such a thing? Where was his faith? Our Lutheran Confessions are

s in?

By Rev. Randall Bell

It pulls on every object equally. However, would you rather be hit on the head by falling pigeon droppings or by a brick from the top of the Empire State Building? Gravity pulls equally on both falling objects, but while one object will make a mess of you, the other will kill you. Because of the weakness of our flesh, we are unable to live free from sin. We often fail to do the right thing, and we so easily give in to temptation and do the wrong thing.Those pigeon droppings fall on our heads many times through the day. But remember that you are a baptized child of God.Those pigeon droppings—our sins of weakness—are washed away day after day. Your Baptism gives you Christ whose blood cleanses you of every sinful stain. A Christian who commits deliberate, intentional sin, however, is rejecting his Baptism. He no

longer apprehends Christ by faith. He is not repentant but continues to live in his wicked intention to sin. King David was not sorry for his sins of adultery and murder. It was not the droppings of a pigeon but a brick that fell on his head and killed him. He had fallen from grace and was dead in sin.Yet, God was merciful and sent His prophet Nathan to him. Nathan spoke the Word of God to David and the Holy Spirit caused him to repent of his sin and believe the word of forgiveness that Nathan gave to him. If you are concerned that you have acted against your conscience and, like David, deliberately sinned against God, do not despair.Your concern is the work of God within you.Your pastor is God’s Nathan to you. Listen to him.Through the Word of God that he speaks to you, the Holy Spirit returns you to your Baptism—to a life of repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. Always remember that Jesus was crushed for your iniquities. Upon His head fell the crown of thorns so that on Judgment Day, God will place upon your head the crown of life. Rev. Randall Bell is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Augusta, Missouri, and can be reached by e-mailing arbi@centurytel.net.

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olly and I were late for a student council meeting. She had hurriedly tried to finish a can of pop before we ran down the hallway. Just as we rounded the corner, she let out a huge belch, and we both fell into Twig’s room laughing.

Twig is Mr. John Terwilliger. He teaches history and is Smith’s fault. It is my fault. I don’t deserve this job.” easily our favorite teacher. He is the only teacher with a Then he sat down. Ph.D., and everyone says he should be a college professor. “No,” said Kame, her voice slowly rising.“You are a great But he says that would be too easy. He makes history teacher. You taught us more than anybody. So what if you come alive in class. His lectures are as gripping as movies. weren’t in Vietnam? You didn’t hurt anybody. We can just Molly and I fell into the room like we were crashing a forget about this.” funeral. Our council mates were seated in the front row, Twig grimaced and looked at his shoes. Mr. Smith said, and Mr. Smith, the school “It’s not that simple. We superintendent, was sitting have a code of ethics. This awkwardly in a folding clearly violates the ethics.” chair next to Twig’s desk. “That’s stupid!” glared Jason looked angry, and Kame, punching the air. Kame was crying. Twig sat “You’re going to fire him slumped behind his desk. It just because he looked as though he exaggerated? Because he hadn’t slept in days. told a few fanciful stories I felt a chill and saw to some kids? He taught from the corner of my us. He made us love eye that the color had history. He inspired us.” drained from Molly’s “It’s not . . .” Smith face. She beat me to the began, but Twig cut him punch as she croaked out, off with a gesture. “What’s going on?” “I am not being fired. I “Have a seat, girls. I have am being suspended . . . for some news,”Twig said. We one year . . . without pay. sat down, but before Twig And I am not protesting.” could say anything, Kame Kame started to speak but blurted out,“This isn’t fair.” Twig stopped her.“Listen, Twig started to reply, Kame, this is a generous but Jason interrupted.“I’ll offer. I committed a terrible tell you what’s going on. breach of trust. Mr. Smith Twig is a liar.” Jason stood and the administration are up and started slamming doing the right thing for his books into his bag. He me and for you.” went on,“He wasn’t in “But why?” I asked. I was By Kathy Luder Vietnam. He didn’t march in shock. My mind was with Martin Luther King. He reeling.“This doesn’t make made that stuff up.” He sense.Why did you tell us hoisted his bag to his stuff like that?” shoulder and twisted “I don’t know,”Twig said around to fix Twig with a steely gaze.“He probably made quietly, rubbing his eyes. He looked out the window,“I everything up,” he said. Then he headed for the door. guess I wanted you to like me.” “Wait,” said Twig, standing up also and stepping toward I felt myself grow angry and surprised myself when I Jason.“I’m sorry. Please hear me out.” slapped my desk. Molly jumped in her seat. All eyes were Jason stopped. Twig gestured for him to sit back down. on me. I said,“But we loved you! Wanting us to like you is Jason fell into a chair by the door, pouting. totally stupid.”Then quietly,“I just don’t get it. Why would Twig took a deep breath, looked at the ceiling, and you lie to us?” said,“I’ve hurt you. I lied, and I’m sorry. This is not Mr. Twig looked right at me. I could see tears in his eyes. He

Dead White Guys Their Lies

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said,“I really don’t know, Kathy. I knew I was lying. But I got caught up in the story of history. I wanted to be a part of it all. I could have been and nearly was. And as dumb as it sounds, I really did want to impress you. I wanted to be admired.” He exhaled loudly, then paused and looked at each of us. He said,“I really love my students. And I love history. So I put myself in where I wasn’t. I was in the Army during the Vietnam War, but I never went to Vietnam. I heard about the march in Atlanta after it happened. I didn’t understand the significance at the time. But years later I did as I studied these things, and I regretted that I missed it. So I lied. It is as simple as that. I wanted you to like me, to think I was interesting. I suppose I even wanted to be a hero.” “So it’s just over? You lied, and now you’re leaving?” Jason asked. “The lies are over. And I will be gone for a year, but I hope to come back. I still want to teach.” “What will you do?” Molly asked. “I don’t know exactly. I have some ideas. But certainly I will do some soul searching. Really, I will do some penance. This was a sin. It wasn’t a mistake. It was a serious character flaw. And the only thing you can do about that is repent, confess, and ask for forgiveness. And you’ve got to suffer the consequences for what you’ve done. I can ask Mr. Smith to forgive me, and I hope he will, but I’ve still got to take the year off. I want to make up for this but don’t know how. That is why I wanted to tell you myself. I am terribly sorry. I am ashamed. I am full of regret. I wish like anything I had not lied the way I did, and I wish that I had not hurt any of you or made you ashamed of me. I hope

you will forgive me. I hope we can be friends again,” he said, smiling weakly. I could feel tears on my cheeks but did not wipe them away.“We’ll be graduated before you come back,” I said. “I know,” he said.“That is part of the consequences. I really am sorry.” Mr. Smith cleared his throat and started to tell us about how the council would continue and who would advise us, but all of us just stood and wound in a big group hug with Twig. I heard Molly whisper,“I forgive you. No penance needed.”Then I said,“Me too,” and so did Jason and Kame. Twig just said, “Thank you,” but he said it about a thousand times. Then Molly really impressed me. She said, “You should come to our church.” I hope Twig comes to church. His classes were great because he made us see all sides of history. He was always telling us that all great men have their flaws and blind spots, that life is complicated.“We rarely have all the information we need to make the best decisions,” he’d say,“but we have to make decisions nonetheless.” In the end, it seems Twig was talking about himself. I’m going to send him a letter and suggest he spend some time during the next year studying one of the greatest men of history, Martin Luther, and considering what “the Just shall live by faith” means. Kathy Luder is Why can't I figure out this Facebook thing?

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Ten Commandments Contentment God’s Name

Reputation

Property

God

Sex

God’s Word

Authority Life

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Ten Gifts By Rev. Bill Cwirla

“Rules, rules, and more rules! All you want to do is take the fun out my life!” It’s a common complaint from teenagers to their parents. Parents seem to be into making and enforcing rules; kids seem to be into stretching and breaking them. Is this how it is with our Father who is in heaven? Is God just a big rule-making, rule-enforcing parent who wants to squeeze the last bit of joy and fun out of His children? Are the Ten Commandments nothing more than ten ways to poop on our party? We’re accustomed to thinking of the Ten Commandments in terms of dos and don’ts. We should fear and love God so that we don’t do certain things and do other things. Because we do not fear, love, and trust in God above all things, as we should, we don’t do the things we should, and we do the things we shouldn’t (Romans 7). As we who dare to be Lutheran like to say,“Lex semper accusat” (The Law always accuses.) This is the chief purpose of the Law—to show us our sin, to shut up our mouths before God, to amplify sin to utter sinfulness—so that we are driven to Jesus Christ, to His death and resurrection, to the righteousness He gives us through His blood, to our Baptism, to Absolution, to the Supper. But the commandments are not just rules we can’t keep, nor are they principles to make us happy, healthy, and wealthy. They are each a protective fence built around a gift from God. Look at it this way. Sin takes a good gift from God and uses it against God. Sin takes the gift of sex and uses it against God outside of marriage. Sin takes the good gift of wine and uses it against God in drunkenness. The commandments guard against the wrong use of the gifts and describe their right use for our own blessing. The First Commandment is “You shall have no other gods.”What does this mean? “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”What is the gift around which the commandment is built? God. God is the ultimate gift. We don’t create our gods; God creates us. We don’t choose God; God chooses us. He is the ultimate gift from which all other gifts flow. Luther says where the First Commandment is kept, all other commandments are kept. Where the gift of God is received, all other gifts from God are rightly received and enjoyed too. Idolatry takes the gifts of God and turns them into gods. In Romans 1, the apostle Paul describes the root

of all idolatry as the exchange of the creation for the Creator. Without God, we will make creation into a god, and give her divine attributes, and even call her “Mother Nature.”We might make a created thing a god. Or we might just fear, love, and trust in something above God. The girl who idolizes her good looks never enjoys how she looks.The boy who idolizes his athletic skill never enjoys his sport.The person who has made money his idol never enjoys his riches for a moment. The person who idolizes his work or her family never enjoys them out of fear of losing them. No thing and no person can support the weight of being a god. When we make something or someone our idol, we will eventually break them. People sometimes say,“I put God first, family second, school or work third, and so on.” But that just makes God one of a list of gods. He wants to be God alone for us.That’s why the First Commandment is central rather than first. God must be at the center of our family, our work, our play, as well as our worship, not just first on a list. Without God in the center, that thing becomes an idol. Only God can be at the center. God is a jealous God who zealously pursues us and wants us all to Himself.He tolerates no other god in His face, because He has turned His face to us in His Son Jesus.In God’s jealousy, we also see His love, a love that lays down His life as a Servant to save us.He baptizes us—declares us dead and alive in Jesus, forgives us, feeds us, and gives us a new mind, a new way of looking at ourselves, at God, and at the things around us. To have God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is to have every good gift from God in the way He wishes to give them: His Name, His Word, authority, life, sex, property, reputation, contentment. His commandments guard these gifts and teach us their right use. Instead of taking the fun out of life, the commandments guard the enjoyment and blessing God intends when He gives His gifts.

God

Rev. Bill Cwirla is pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, California, and can be reached by e-mailing revcwirla@verizon.net.

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Love

Recently I saw the video of Natasha Bedingfield’s song “Love Like This,” and it reminded me of an incident from high school. In the video, the singer, dramatizing “true love,” says she remembers a guy from high school, and she never found another “love like this.” After flirting with her perfect guy in the park, she climbs on the back of his motorcycle and wraps her arms around him. Off they ride into their happy life. It’s a nice song, a happy song, subtly promoting monogamous relationships since in her mind there will never be another “love like this.” It was the motorcycle incident in the video that took me back to high school. In 1984, Bruce Springsteen released “Born in the USA,” an album I thought was so awesome that I just had to see Bruce in concert. My friend Fiona and I sat in the nosebleed seats of the Denver arena and rocked out with Bruce and the E Street Band. I still have vivid memories (albeit slightly dimmed with time) of Bruce singing the title track of the album. Fiona and I both bought white t-shirts with the American flag emblazoned on the front—the “Born in the USA”

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This By Julie Stiegemeyer

cover art with Bruce’s tush in denim Levi’s. Bruce Springsteen isn’t exactly gorgeous, but he has a rugged charm about him that spoke to me—a fifteen-year-old American girl.The Bruce appeal stuck with me throughout high school. As I was growing up, I was usually a good girl. I never (except for one rare occasion) needed a curfew, I hung out with the right crowd, I even started a Bible club in my public high school. Seriously. I was a good girl. That doesn’t mean I didn’t make my share of stupid choices, but most of the time, my life was pretty ordinary. In high school, my best friend Lori and I participated in a very active Lutheran youth group. We loved youth group. I stunk at the weekly summer volleyball games, but it was the after-game Bible studies that I lapped up like a thirsty animal. Lori and I stayed after everyone else had gone home, and we drilled the vicar on one question after another. Poor guy. He was just leading a youth group Bible study, but we needed answers! One time, however, something else caught my eye on youth group nights. An older guy, maybe twenty or twenty-two years old, roared into the church parking lot on—yes, you guessed it—a motorcycle. I was already star-struck by the raw appeal of Bruce Springsteen, and now, here was a real Bruce attending a Lutheran youth group. It was love at first sight.This guy was cool. He didn’t talk much, he had a killer smile, and he rode a Harley. What could be better? But I was a good girl, a shy girl, and I didn’t have a chance with him. Or did I? One summer, I went with the youth group on a camping trip in the Colorado Rockies.We sang songs around the campfire, went on hikes, and had Bible studies— normal youth group camping trip stuff. Best of all, my personal Bruce—Mr. Harley himself—was along on the camping trip. The group was preparing dinner one night, and I was peeling and slicing carrots. The knife I was using was not only old, but it was also very dull. I ended up slicing not the carrot, but my finger. It was a deep cut, but who came to my rescue? You guessed it. Bruce wrapped up my finger with a gauze bandage, applying oh-so-gentle pressure on the wound. It was a tingly moment and easily the most memorable carrot incident of my life. So, now you’re wondering one of two things: (1) Did that camping trip lead to a

storybook romance? Or (2) Did that older guy take advantage of me, a sixteen-yearold girl? The answer to both questions is no.The finger slicing incident was as exciting as it got between the two of us. Off he rode on his Harley into the Rocky Mountain sunset and out of my life for good.The funniest part of the story, I think, is that I can’t even remember the name of this guy I idolized. He’s just Bruce to me. I am sitting here now, a few feet away from my husband of almost eighteen years. He is reading a book while I write about my high school memories. Our dog sits happily on the floor.The laundry is spinning in the dryer.The wind chime is gently ringing in the breeze outside the window. And as I sit here, I can’t help but think back to the “Love Like This” lyrics.“You’re the only one who knows me, I love it when you hold me. . . . I’ll never have a love like this.” God has placed my husband and me together, in this family, in this place, at this time, and I am thankful for that. I’m also old enough and have seen enough of life to know that Natasha Bedingfield’s song reveals an idealized idea of a relationship between two people. Husbands and wives let each other down. Mothers and fathers let children down. We’re sinners. What else should we expect? And yet.There is always that “and yet”— hope that what we see is not all there is. In the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, we look beyond our failings, knowing that in Him we have forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. And our Jesus will not disappoint. He will never fail or fall short. It’s impossible to predict your future life. Will you marry? Who? a biker? a pastor? a deaconess? What opportunities along the way will seem like those fairy tale moments, but they actually never amount to anything? The good news, the best news—the only news we can cling to—is that God knows what is best for us. He knows what to give and what to withhold. He, who would not withhold the lavish gift of salvation in His only Son, will only give you what is best. And we’ll never find another love like that. Mrs. Julie Stiegemeyer is a wife, mother, children’s book author, and former editorial empress of Higher Things Magazine. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and can be reached at juliestieg@gmail.com.

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meinspacebook

Profile

Friends

Inbox

Martin Luther is disgruntled and offline, but saved by grace alone. Biographical Information Occupation: Professor at Wittenberg University (WU-Hoo!) Religion: Christian Sex: Male Sign: Cross Status: Married (As I was not looking for a wife, I found nun.) Storylines… Leo has sent Martin a bull. Martin has burned the bull, but has not overcooked the bratwurst. Friends

Spalatin has nailed a thesis to Martin’s fun wall. Aleander has said one word to Martin. And it wasn’t very nice. Martin is now friends with Philip.

Katie

Elector F

Cranach

Ulrich has sent Martin a loaf of bread alone, along with a chalk eraser. Martin has returned the bread and eraser to Ulrich.

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Katie has sent a pint to Martin. Durer

Melancthon

Blocked

The

Worms Diet • Lose Weight! • Or Your Freedom! • Or Your Integrity! • Or Your Head! H I G H E R

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Murderous hordes of peasants Eck Leo Charles V Tetzel Heavenly Prophets Groups Augsburg Confessors • Black Cloister Rebels • unEnthusiasts • Table Talkers

Carlstadt is no longer friends with Martin. Tetzel has sent Martin the black plague. At least, he really wants to. Invitations Pending “Martin—come join us at the ‘Inquisition’! We’d love to have you here!” -Cajetan Mrs. Hesse has added Martin as a friend. Mrs. Hesse has added Martin as a friend. “Martin—come join us in the group ‘Variata!’ It could be such a big thing!” -Oecalampadius Blog I need to finish this friendly poem to Erasmus, but what rhymes with “bloviate”!? Ach! More…

Feedback editor

letters to the

Hi Pastor, I have been receiving the magazine “Higher Things” for a number of years now and so look forward to it coming. This past Spring issue was probably the best issue I have read. I really liked your article on the defense of infant Baptism. It gave me wonderful talking points to use in my 7th grade confirmation class that I teach at Faith Luther Church in Orange City, IA. I cut/tear articles out all the time when I am done reading it and stuff it in my teacher’s book to be used when the chief part is being taught. My book is so full yet the kids love to read them. Anyways, thanks again for putting together such a wonderful magazine. I

know it is geared toward the teenagers but as a seasoned person I so enjoy reading the articles, they are written so clearly and easy to understand and apply.Thank you!! Joyce Binneboese Orange City, IA

Greetings in the name of our Risen Savior and Lord. Rev. Pauls, my sons and I really enjoy your magazine. I have 2 boys one a freshman at Denver Lutheran High

and the other a freshman at the University of Denver. Please keep up the godly work which is so needed in today’s world. I received the Spring 2008 edition in our church mailbox today. After looking through the table of contents, I was really excited that riparian, Reformation artwork featuring the soapfish motif from Finland would at last be recognized in the United States. Unfortunately, our copy of the magazine, as well as all the other copies for the youth at our church, were missing page 34. I missed our entire service standing at the mailbox trying to find page 34. I am certain this was a mere printing oversight and that the soapfish riparian motif will be seen once again in your next edition for the truly collectable art it is May God bless your work for it is truly needed in our church today. Your brother in Christ, Kris Jukola

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By Rev.Tim Pauls

The Road of Life “Beloved, you have often heard that God allows the form and experience of death, sins and devil to remain in us so that sins gnaw at me, grab me in the conscience and want to drown me in doubt. For instance, the law of God frightens me so that death also grips me and wants to shake me and the devil puts his foot on my throat and wants to drown me. For God allows the outer sinful appearance to remain and takes nothing away.This mask must remain. And here, under these masks, lies life, innocence and lordship over death, sins and the devil as He Himself says.‘Upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’” —Martin Luther

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I. Romans 6:1–7 The road was getting darker and colder, the sun a smudge in the sky.The concrete city walls closed in at times as if trying to choke my path. But there was only one way to go, and so I trudged. Maddening. In fact, I could feel the frustration welling up into anger as I passed another of the endless alleys.

I heard a throat clear in the shadows. My shoulders slumped. It was no use running. I wanted to scream. One by one, they stepped out of the darkness, a circle around me.“Adam,” I said to the leader.“You’re looking old as ever.” A shove from behind sent me almost to my knees.“You may call me Adam the First,” he sneered. “All you ever do is walk down this stinking road. But no matter how far you go, you never get anywhere. How far back did you leave us? And yet, suddenly you get angry and here we are again.” His posse snickered, then there was silence. I was in for a beating.“Well, let’s get this over with,” I said.There were always wages to be paid. “It doesn’t have to be this way, you know,” Adam cooed.“You used to run with us. It was fun. We had a good time. But it’s not like that anymore.You got washed, and now we only meet like this.” His voice turned persuasive.“Tell you what. Why don’t you join up with us again and head back down the alley? Then we can avoid all the unpleasantness.” It was tempting, but I shook my head.“Sorry. I don’t do that anymore. It’s against the Law.” “The Law,” Adam repeated. He looked annoyed, talking to the child who never listened.“Don’t you know that your beloved Law spurs us on? It’s what makes us so fun! If we weren’t illegal, we couldn’t hurt you the way we do.” He shrugged.“Have it your way.” His eyes glanced behind me, and he nodded. It came, quick and sharp and blinding. It was only one blow, but enough to send me to the ground, gasping for air. I’d felt it before, but it still hurt. “Man, oh, man.” Adam was standing over me, his boot on my back to make sure I couldn’t rise.“You should know better.You’ve got your faith in some promise that you’ve been delivered, but I’m betting my boot feels a lot more real. We’re still more powerful than you. We own you, man.”

“You don’t own me anymore,” I whispered, my forehead in dust and gravel.“You can still harass me, but a thug in the alley isn’t the same as a king.You’re not my lord anymore.” He spat in disgust.“Fool.You know where this road is going.” His followers started to slip back into the alley shadows. With a mock bow, he disappeared. “Farewell. Until next time.” And then I was alone. II. Revelation 20:1–2 and I Peter 5:8 I was up and walking again, nursing the bruise on my back. In the past, I’d felt such blows for weeks, and I was thankful that it had been no worse this time. But it left another mark. Walking unevenly and preoccupied, I stumbled and thought about resting. From time to time, the living dead looked out their windows before returning to their lifelessness. It was then that I saw her, stopped in my tracks. She was striking and young, huddled against a wall in a vacant lot, an object of desire with flowing dress and cascading hair. She instantly made me ashamed of my shambling walk, her beauty a welcome change from the grit of the city. I wondered why she lay there, and I was soon answered. In the gathering dusk, I could see that someone had fashioned a heavy iron collar around her graceful neck and chained her to the wall. I wanted to weep. I wanted to run over immediately and try to set her free. But she was off the road. She stirred, opened her eyes and met mine.There was a spark, a flash of animation in her face. She pushed herself off the ground, struggled to her feet. She held the heavy chain with both hands, as if its weight alone would pull her back to the ground. She spoke.“Please come here. Please help me.” A plea. A bruised siren’s voice, and in confusion and desire my feet started to move. But she was off the road. “Please,” she appealed again. I shut my eyes and clenched my jaw, forcing myself away from what I saw to what I had heard in the past. A moment ticked by slowly, but with all my resolve I could only manage a weak,“No. I’d better go.” “Help me,” she begged, her voice rising.“How can you not?” With my hand, I drew the sign on myself, forehead to stomach and shoulder to shoulder. Afraid of my own voice, I turned and started back along the road. She cried out again behind me, but the cry had changed to something feral. Sound exploded behind me, and I heard the chain clatter as paws and talons burst toward me. I spun to find that the woman was no more, only a beast with red eyes charging, smells of sulfur and the damned. It was arrowing straight for me at an astonishing speed, and I had no chance to react.The beast bounded

once more and pounced, jaws hungry for my throat. But the chain stopped it short in midair at road’s edge, whipsawing its body in a half-circle and onto the ground. It gathered its feet underneath, panting angrily, then turned to stare through me once more. “I’ll get you again,” it hissed. “You’re chained,” I said dully, biting my lip. I should just walk away. “I’m chained, but you’ll come to me. It’s only a matter of time. I’m far more powerful than you.” “I don’t doubt that at all,” I replied.“But you are not my master, and my Master is far greater than you. It is He who put that chain around your neck.” The thing shuddered, shot hatred from its eyes. “Believe that if you want. But you know what lies ahead.You know where the road goes.” “I know,” I said, and my weary walk began again. III. I Corinthians 15:20–26 So would the journey go, the sky always darkening and the temperature dropping. Adam and his gang would stalk me from alley to alley, and I’d take a beating no matter how hard I tried to resist. The beast would invent new disguises to lure me off the road; and with such enemies close by, it seemed I was getting nowhere. But finally, the road ended. It ended in a hole—a dank, musty hole that roared with silence and swallowed light. It was far more terrifying than Old Adam and his ilk had ever been; in fact, they stood behind me, goading me.The beast was seated at the edge of the road, chain stretched taut, its eyes fastened on me.“There is no going back,” it snarled.“It’s your only choice, and it is no choice at all. Even if you do not believe Old Adam and me to be your lords, you must bow to this one. There is no other way. Back to dust you go.” “Dust,” murmured Old Adam and his gang. Though I’d always known it was coming, I had not expected it to be this way. Panic welled and adrenalin raced, even as my breathing grew shallower. But then, by a grace outside of me, I spoke one last time.“That pit is my enemy, but it is not my lord. My Lord has conquered it too. He will use it for my good, and He will destroy it in His time.” I slumped and toppled into the hole. The shrieks and taunts of foes faded. I fell and fell and fell asleep. And awoke to hear my Lord command,“I say to you, Arise.” Pastor Tim Pauls is the associate pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Boise, Idaho, and the editor of Higher Things Magazine. His e-mail address is pauls@higherthings.org.

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Hierarchy am I

f you ask Americans to give an example of a hierarchical relationship, most of them will say either master and slave or boss and employee. If you ask them if hierarchy is good and leads to intimacy and trust, most of them will say no.They will say that it is built upon power and is always subject to abuse. But if you ask Japanese the same questions, the answers are different. Most Japanese will give mother and child as the ready example of hierarchy. If you ask them to name a cool and distant relationship, or relationships that are most prone to abuse, they will say friends.

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The typical American view is that intimacy can only come between equals when neither partner has power or owes the other anything. But the typical Japanese view is that if you are equal, then you do not know your place or duties and are competitors with one another.They see hierarchy as giving structure and security that creates an environment of trust and love.The Japanese view is not far from the Kingdom of God. Consider the idea of mother and child as hierarchy. Hardly any relationship could have more unbalanced power.The child has no power, no say in decisions or plans. He is told when to go to bed, when to get up, what to eat, what to wear, and so forth.The mother addresses the child by his given name or even nicknames, but the child always uses a title for his mother. Her word is law.Yet the mother and child are completely intimate.They know what to expect from each other, what their roles are. Unless we are talking about very sick individuals, the child is not oppressed by the hierarchy. Instead, he is comforted by it. The Scriptures clearly establish a hierarchy in creation.The Lord is the Ruler of the universe, and

His Word is Law. Adam and Eve and their descendants were given dominion over the earth. Adam was placed over Eve. Eve was placed over her children.Yet this is not meant by God for oppression or power but for order. So also there is a kind of hierarchy even in the Godhead. For the three Persons of the Holy Trinity are not interchangeable, but are revealed to us as relating to one another. God the Father is not begotten or proceeding. God the Son is begotten of the Father from eternity but does not proceed. God the Spirit is not begotten but proceeds from the Father and the Son.Yet these three persons are equal in that they are all three divine, eternal, and omniscient.â&#x20AC;&#x153;In this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than anotherâ&#x20AC;? (Athanasian Creed 24). Hierarchy in the Trinity does not mean subordination but reciprocity. There is but one God, not three gods in competition with one another.There is but one God yet He is three Persons who stand in relation to one another. Human relationships are designed by God to be reciprocal as well. Mothers and children are human, equal in dignity and rights. Mothers do not rule their children for the sake of power but in service and love, and mothers find their identity and purpose in that service. Children are not less than their mothers but they live and serve in a different role. The hierarchical order of creation was not undone by the fall, but it was twisted and infected. Nor was it undone by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; it was restored. When St. Paul writes that there is neither male nor female in Christ, He does not mean that in heaven we will be sexless beings apart from the original order. He simply means that Christ is no respecter of persons, and there is no benefit or

ong Friends hindrance, no advantage or disadvantage in God’s eyes to being male or female, Jew or Gentile. (There is an advantage to being a Jew among men. What is it? Chiefly this: God gave His Word first to the Jews. See Romans 3.) The Holy Spirit glorifies the Son by giving away His Kingdom. He gives it to those who believe in Him, no matter how long or hard they have worked, whether they are good or bad. He gives away all that was and is His and all that for free. But that does not make us gods. He is still the Lord. We are still His subjects.The order of creation between God and humanity, between husbands and wives, between mothers and children still stands. Lord Acton was correct when he spoke of power among fallen men: power tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely. But we can learn something from the Japanese and do well to consider the benefits of hierarchy. Even the most egalitarian of Americans would not call his mother by her first name. Most of us find that idea creepy. Yet we find no oppression in referring to our mothers exclusively by some version of Mother. That being said, the Japanese don’t have a corner on intimacy. Radical egalitarianism—a long word meaning the idea that true intimacy can only exist between perfect equals—is an unhelpful extreme. But at the same time, it is possible for friends and peers to enjoy great intimacy and joy without competition or using one another.The typical American response given above isn’t all wrong; it just isn’t all the answer. All human relationships are subject to abuse. In any case, our Lord also embraces and sanctifies the typical American ideal when He says to the disciples:“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 NKJ). Thus with the Lord Jesus it is both: He is our Lord and Master, but He is also our Friend. In Him we really do have the best of both worlds. Rev. David Petersen is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is also on the Higher Things editorial board. His e-mail address is David.H.Petersen@att.net.

by Rev. David Petersen

The Small Catechism deals with the order of creation in three places explicitly: The Fourth Commandment Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother. What does this mean? We should fear and love God that we may not despise nor anger our parents and masters, but give them honor, serve, obey, and hold them in love and esteem. The First Article I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. What does this mean? I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my limbs, my reason, and all my senses, and still preserves them; in addition thereto, clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and homestead, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He provides me richly and daily with all that I need to support this body and life, protects me from all danger, and guards me and preserves me from all evil; and all this out of pure, fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I owe it to Him to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him.This is most certainly true. The Fourth Petition Give us this day our daily bread. What does this mean? God gives daily bread, even without our prayer, to all wicked men; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it, and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. What is meant by daily bread? Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, homestead, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouce, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful magistrates, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

And in one place implicitly: The Table of Duties Can you see how Luther assumes the Order of Creation in these explanations?

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Amen! Bible Study Leader’s Guide Pastor Robin Fish

Pastor Borghardt briefly looks at the Lord’s Supper and at the word “Amen.” He focuses on the word as it applies to our Lord Jesus and, secondly, as it applies to our confession of faith. We want to look at this little word, seeing how it applies to us and to our faith. I. Before we open our Bible, let us look at our Small Catechism and see what Luther had to say about the word “Amen.” Luther discusses this in his conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer. The 1942 Catechism asks the question plainly, What is meant by the word “Amen”? How does your Catechism answer that question? This means that I should be certain that these petitions are pleasing to our Father in heaven, and are heard by Him; for He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. Amen, amen means “yes, yes, it shall be so.” A. Turn to Deuteronomy 27, beginning at verse 15. What does the word “Amen” seem to mean in these verses? The word seems to mark understanding and agreement—something like, “We will follow these laws.” B. Now look at some New Testament “amens”: Ephesians 3:21; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 Peter 5:11. What does “amen” sound like it means in these passages? Each sounds like the end of a prayer. Each might sound like “the end” or a confession that what was prayed is right and good and true. Each “Amen” comes very close to sounding like what Luther said in the Catechism above. II. The word “amen” basically means “truth,” or “true.” Read the following passages: Matthew 5:26; 6:16; 8:10; Mark 11:23; and John 6:47. In each case (and dozens more just like it) the word “truly” in English, is the word “amen” in the Greek. A. What does that add to your understanding of the word “amen”? The word is used as an affirmation of the certainty or truth of a thing. It doesn’t mean that I agree with it, it means that it is true all by itself, whether anyone agrees or not. B. What does it mean (or why does he do it) when the Gospel of John repeats a double “amen”(John 1:51; 3:3, 5, 11; 5:19, 24, 25; 6:26, 32, 47, 53; 8:34, 51, 58; 10:1, 7; 12:24; 13:16, 20, 21, 38; 14:12; 16:20, 23; 21:18)? The list of citations is not for looking up every single one (unless you have a large group) but to show how frequently Jesus uses that way of speaking in the Gospel of John. The repeating of the “amen” serves to underline the importance of what is being said and to emphasize the truth of it.

III. Read 2 Corinthians 1:20 and Revelation 3:14 A. What do each of these passages say? 2 Corinthians 1:20 says that the promises of God are fulfilled in Jesus and that He is our “Amen” to God and His glory. In Revelation 3, Jesus refers to Himself as the “Amen,” or, as the Truth, and the true and faithful Witness. He also calls Himself the Beginning of the Creation of God, which I understand to mean that He began the creation, just as John says in John 1:1-4. B. Pastor Borghardt says that Jesus is our “Amen.” In the light of what you have just searched out in Scriptures, what does that mean? Jesus is both the Source of our salvation, and of all that God promises us, but He is also our response. He gives it to us, and He brings our response to God. He is the Source of the blessings and the Source of the faith that receives the blessings. It could be summed up in the statement made by Dr. David Scaer a number of years ago, “All of theology is Christology.” Jesus is the truth, Jesus tells the truth, Jesus makes us to share in the truth, and ultimately, He makes us tell the truth. IV. In the light of all that you have read and discussed, will you be able to say “amen” the same way as you did before the study? What does it mean when you say “amen”? Clearly, “Amen” does not simply mean, “The End.” It is a confession of personal faith. It is an acknowledgement of the Truth. It is much more than simply a response or a close to something. It is to say, “This is my faith, which is truth, and I confess it because I confess Christ, who is the Truth!” (Individual answers and insights may vary.)

Amen! Bible Study Pastor Robin Fish

Life’s Not Fair! (Part I) Bible Study Leader’s Guide Pastor Robin Fish

Gregg Hein tackles two very difficult questions in his brief article. The first question is the question of justice: “Is life fair or unfair?” The second is “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” Either topic could fill a book, so we cannot answer either question with depth and precision; however, we can look at the questions briefly in the light of Scripture. This study deals with the first question. I. Is life fair or unfair? Like all general questions, the answers might be different when viewed on a “micro” scale or a “macro” scale. Micro might be my personal life from moment to moment. Macro might be applied to all of life in general. A. Numbers 24:5 (NASB) reads “How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!” How does the passage use the word “fair”? The Bible only uses the word “fair” in this sense. The word we really want is “just.” “Fair” means “nice,” or “pretty,” or “desirable.” Because of these word’s modern uses, they may be used interchangeably in this study (i.e., they are synonymous). II. Read Exodus 23:8. This passage gives a command to act justly. What does it have to say? The passage commands that measures be honest and that we deal with our neighbor honestly. A. What does this command indicate about life being “fair”? Can life be just if the cause of the just is subverted? Obviously, life is not necessarily “fair” if such a command is needed. No, life is not “just” if we can be cheated. B. Who is responsible, in this case, if life is not just? We, human beings, are the ones who are responsible, for we are the ones who cheat. C. Read Leviticus 19:35-36. What does God require? Why does He demand it? What is His rationale? God requires honesty. He requires fair and just weights and measures. He is our God and this sort of justice is His way. His people should reflect Him. We are to be just because He is our God. D. Read Deuteronomy 32:4. How is God described? God is described as perfect and just. He is upright, without any injustice. He is right and His ways are right. III. Read Nehemiah 9:5-33. A. What is the bulk of passage about? It is about the unfaithfulness of the Children of Israel and the faithfulness and goodness of God. The passage describes the troubles that fell upon Israel due to their unfaithfulness and sin.

B. This whole passage records a prayer. This prayer refers to misfortunes and hardships that the people of Israel certainly may have thought were unfair. What is their conclusion about the justice of things? (See verse 33.) God is just, because they acted wickedly. Life was fair for them, it just wasn’t pleasant. C. Read Luke 13:1-5. Does Jesus talk about life—or these events—in terms of “fair” or “just”? No. The topic of the “fairness” of these things did not come up. Might these sorts of events appear to be unfair? Yes. These people did not suffer like that because they were worse, so their worse situation seems to beg the question of the justice of their situation. D. What does Romans 3 add to the consideration of the fairness of life? What do we deserve (see also Romans 6:23)? Is salvation fair? How so—whether you answer yes or no? Do you want fair? Romans 3 declares that we all sin There is no one who does good—no, not even one. As a result, we deserve death, temporal and eternal. Yet, within salvation, Christians— believers—receive the gift of life, of resurrection and of glory. So, in terms of our conduct, salvation is not fair. However, in the justice of God, salvation is indeed fair. It is fair because Jesus paid for it and won it for us. Obviously, since we deserve death and hell, we don’t want fair! Rather, we want grace, forgiveness and mercy. When we look at life from our personal perspectives, and from our limited perspective, we can imagine that life is not fair. Since the justice of God calls for our death and destruction due to sin, any life is bonus, not fairness. Salvation, however, is fair in the light of the cross, in the sense of God being just.

IV. Now we come to the question of why God allows bad things to happen. Read John 11:14. Is this a good thing or a bad thing—and resist the urge to bring verse 15 into your answer? Clearly, the death of Lazarus is a bad thing. His family did not want him to die. A. How would you imagine Lazarus’ family felt? You can read about it in verses 18-35. How did Jesus feel? The Bible indicates that they were in mourning, just as we would be at the death of one of our loved ones. His sisters were upset with Jesus for not showing up sooner, while there was still time to save Lazarus’ life. Jesus also mourned; Jesus wept. He must have been sorrowful, sharing the sisters sorrow. Death made even Jesus weep. B. What did Jesus accomplish by raising Lazarus? What does verse 15 say? Jesus opened the eyes of faith in His disciples, and Lazarus’ sisters, and possibly others. He had a reason for allowing the bad thing to happen—a good reason. C. Did this end Lazarus’ problems with death, or did he die again? Is it fair that he had to endure dying twice? Was the second time a bad thing? Lazarus died again. Actually, this is a silly question. Lazarus and his family were glad to have him back. Dying twice, however, may not have been a delight to do. As to dying a second time a bad thing, it might have not been such a bad thing, since Lazarus may have had some idea what lay ahead. But, even if he did not, as a believer, death was only death of the body. He was alive with Christ in eternal glory. V. Remember the account of Joseph, beginning in Genesis 37. Consider all of the troubles and hardships he faced. Surely, these were bad things happening to a good man. What we some of the bad things that happened? Joseph was hated by his brothers, stripped and perhaps beaten. He was also thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused of trying to rape Potiphar’s wife, then thrown into a prison, and forgotten in that prison. A. Did Joseph consider them bad things? Check out Genesis 40:14-15. Yes, he did. He experienced them as pain and trouble and unpleasantness. B. Read Genesis 45:5. What was Joseph’s analysis? He repeats this idea many years later in Genesis 50:20. Although the intentions of those who put him in such a place were evil, and the experiences were no pleasant, Joseph knew that God was at work doing something good through it all. VI. Why does God allow bad things to happen? Too many reasons to list. We could fill a book with a discussion of human free will and sin, and how God works good even out of evil. A. Remember Exodus 23:8? Who was the cause of injustice and unfairness, God or man? Man. B. Think of Jesus in the passion and on the cross. Why did God allow the bad things to happen to Jesus? To save us men and for our salvation. Without His death, we have no salvation. C. Consider the persecution of Saul against the Christians in Jerusalem, Acts 8 and 9. What were the Christians doing? What did Saul’s persecution force them to do?

The Christians were hanging together in Jerusalem and enjoying the fellowship, rather than going out to spread the Gospel. Saul’s attacks on the Church forced them to flee into the world, taking the Gospel with them. D. What was the problem in Genesis 11:1-9? What happened there and why? What the result? Rather than filling the world and subduing it, people were hanging together, taking pride in themselves. God responded by confusing their language. They had a great deal of hardship over that. Rather than doing what God commanded, they were doing what seemed best to them. God decided to fix that problem. Men moved out and settled the world. E. Finally, read the words of Jesus in John 16:26-27. Do you believe what Jesus said there? If that is true, can anything really bad be happening? If something unpleasant happens, what is the will of God toward you? What does this mean? If you are a Christian you believe Christ’s words. Also, that means that nothing really bad can be happening. If God doesn’t want it to happen to you, it won’t. If He does want it to happen to you, it must be part of His love and His good and gracious plan. One thing of which we are always sure is that the will of God is always for our salvation, so it is always for our good. So if God allows it to happen, It must be good, ultimately, even if it is not fun or pleasant. F. Why does God allow “bad things” to happen? He allows bad things to happen to accomplish His good and gracious will. That is, to save those who will be saved, and to judge and finally punish the wicked. We have to be careful in saying that God is punishing, however, because sometimes the harshest things fall on His people, and there He is always working good. We can only determine the goodness or badness of something from the end—in heaven. Close the study with Romans 8:18, and make the point that when we get to heaven, we will look back and say, “If I had known that it was going to be this good, I could have suffered a whole lot more to do the will of God.”

Life’s Not Fair! (Part II) Bible Study Leader’s Guide Pastor Robin Fish

Gregg Hein tackles two very difficult questions in his brief article. The first question is the question of justice: “Is life fair or unfair?” The second is “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” Either topic could fill a book, so we cannot answer either question with depth and precision; however, we can look at the questions briefly in the light of Scripture. This study deals with the second question. I. Now we come to the question of why God allows bad things to happen. Read John 11:14. Is this a good thing or a bad thing—and resist the urge to bring verse 15 into your answer? Clearly, the death of Lazarus is a bad thing. His family did not want him to die. A. How would you imagine Lazarus’ family felt? You can read about it in verses 18-35. How did Jesus feel? The Bible indicates that they were in mourning, just as we would be at the death of one of our loved ones. His sisters were upset with Jesus for not showing up sooner, while there was still time to save Lazarus’ life. Jesus also mourned; Jesus wept. He must have been sorrowful, sharing the sisters sorrow. Death made even Jesus weep. B. What did Jesus accomplish by raising Lazarus? What does verse 15 say? Jesus opened the eyes of faith in His disciples, and Lazarus’ sisters, and possibly others. He had a reason for allowing the bad thing to happen—a good reason. C. Did this end Lazarus’ problems with death, or did he die again? Is it fair that he had to endure dying twice? Was the second time a bad thing? Lazarus died again. Actually, this is a silly question. Lazarus and his family were glad to have him back. Dying twice, however, may not have been a delight to do. As to dying a second time a bad thing, it might have not been such a bad thing, since Lazarus may have had some idea what lay ahead. But, even if he did not, as a believer, death was only death of the body. He was alive with Christ in eternal glory. II.

Remember the account of Joseph, beginning in Genesis 37. Consider all of the troubles and hardships he faced. Surely, these were bad things happening to a good man. What we some of the bad things that happened? Joseph was hated by his brothers, stripped and perhaps beaten. He was also thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused of trying to rape Potiphar’s wife, then thrown into a prison, and forgotten in that prison. A. Did Joseph consider them bad things? Check out Genesis 40:14-15. Yes, he did. He experienced them as pain and trouble and unpleasantness.

B. Read Genesis 45:5. What was Joseph’s analysis? He repeats this idea many years later in Genesis 50:20. Although the intentions of those who put him in such a place were evil, and the experiences were no pleasant, Joseph knew that God was at work doing something good through it all. III. Why does God allow bad things to happen? Too many reasons to list. We could fill a book with a discussion of human free will and sin, and how God works good even out of evil. A. Remember Exodus 23:8? Who was the cause of injustice and unfairness, God or man? Man. B. Think of Jesus in the passion and on the cross. Why did God allow the bad things to happen to Jesus? To save us men and for our salvation. Without His death, we have no salvation. C. Consider the persecution of Saul against the Christians in Jerusalem, Acts 8 and 9. What were the Christians doing? What did Saul’s persecution force them to do? The Christians were hanging together in Jerusalem and enjoying the fellowship, rather than going out to spread the Gospel. Saul’s attacks on the Church forced them to flee into the world, taking the Gospel with them. D. What was the problem in Genesis 11:1-9? What happened there and why? What the result? Rather than filling the world and subduing it, people were hanging together, taking pride in themselves. God responded by confusing their language. They had a great deal of hardship over that. Rather than doing what God commanded, they were doing what seemed best to them. God decided to fix that problem. Men moved out and settled the world. E. Finally, read the words of Jesus in John 16:26-27. Do you believe what Jesus said there? If that is true, can anything really bad be happening? If something unpleasant happens, what is the will of God toward you? What does this mean? If you are a Christian you believe Christ’s words. Also, that means that nothing really bad can be happening. If God doesn’t want it to happen to you, it won’t. If He does want it to happen to you, it must be part of His love and His good and gracious plan. One thing of which we are always sure is that the will of God is always for our salvation, so it is always for our good. So if God allows it to happen, It must be good, ultimately, even if it is not fun or pleasant. F. Why does God allow “bad things” to happen? He allows bad things to happen to accomplish His good and gracious will. That is, to save those who will be saved, and to judge and finally punish the wicked. We have to be careful in saying that God is punishing, however, because sometimes the harshest things fall on His people, and there He is always working good. We can only determine the goodness or badness of something from the end—in heaven. Close the study with Romans 8:18, and make the point that when we get to heaven, we will look back and say, “If I had known that it was going to be this good, I could have suffered a whole lot more to do the will of God.”

Life’s Not Fair! (Part I) Bible Study Pastor Robin Fish

Life’s Not Fair! (Part II) Bible Study Pastor Robin Fish

Gregg Hein tackles two very difficult questions in his brief article. The first question is the question of justice: “Is life fair or unfair?” The second is “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” Either topic could fill a book, so we cannot answer either question with depth and precision; however, we can look at the questions briefly in the light of Scripture. This study deals with the second question. I. Now we come to the question of why God allows bad things to happen. Read John 11:14. Is this a good thing or a bad thing—and resist the urge to bring verse 15 into your answer? Clearly, the death of Lazarus is a bad thing. His family did not want him to die. A. How would you imagine Lazarus’ family felt? You can read about it in verses 18-35. How did Jesus feel? The Bible indicates that they were in mourning, just as we would be at the death of one of our loved ones. His sisters were upset with Jesus for not showing up sooner, while there was still time to save Lazarus’ life. Jesus also mourned; Jesus wept. He must have been sorrowful, sharing the sisters sorrow. Death made even Jesus weep. B. What did Jesus accomplish by raising Lazarus? What does verse 15 say? Jesus opened the eyes of faith in His disciples, and Lazarus’ sisters, and possibly others. He had a reason for allowing the bad thing to happen—a good reason. C. Did this end Lazarus’ problems with death, or did he die again? Is it fair that he had to endure dying twice? Was the second time a bad thing? Lazarus died again. Actually, this is a silly question. Lazarus and his family were glad to have him back. Dying twice, however, may not have been a delight to do. As to dying a second time a bad thing, it might have not been such a bad thing, since Lazarus may have had some idea what lay ahead. But, even if he did not, as a believer, death was only death of the body. He was alive with Christ in eternal glory. II.

“Dead White Guys and Their Lies” Bible Study Leader’s Guide Pastor Eric Brown

I. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26. A. “Twig” says that he had created a terrible breach of trust by his lying. Let’s examine that for a bit. Twig had a role at the school—to teach. Does his lying threaten his ability to be a respected teacher? Why might lying be especially bad for a “teacher”? As a teacher, Twig is supposed to deal with truth. His job is to show people what happened and its impact. If his honesty is called into question, it can cast doubt upon everything that he says. B. Jason is obviously upset with Twig. Let us compare this to what we have read in 1 Corinthians. Suppose a part of your body is injured, and it isn’t doing its job properly. How does that impact the entire body? Can any of you think of a time where you’ve recovered from an injury (maybe a broken bone)? How did concern about the injury affect you? What ought this remind us of when we are tempted to lie to our neighbor? What might this do to our friendship with them? When part of the body isn’t doing its duty, the whole body suffers. It becomes harder to function. There is worry, fear and pain. Likewise, when we lie, we stop working like we ought and people can lose trust in us. That wound has to heal. C. The simple fact is that just as our bodies couldn’t simply be just an eye or just a hand, we too need to live in relationship with and deal with other people. Lies impact this. How do we get over past lies? Which is it harder to be when trying to heal: to be the one who has been lied to, or to be the one who is guilty? The way we move beyond this or any sin is by forgiveness. We know that Christ has died for sin, all sin—even the ones that hurt us, even the ones that we do. As for which is harder—both can be hard. Our sinful nature desires revenge, so it can be hard to forgive. When we have done something, a sense of shame and guilt can stick with us and embarrassment can keep us from moving on with a healed relationship. (This is simply a talking point for the students.) II. Read Matthew 10:26-39. A. Twig says that part of the reason he was lying was that he wanted people to like him. Christ tells us not to worry about those who can harm us in this life, but rather to be concerned about the life to come. Which was Twig more concerned with? Which can we often be more concerned with? Twig was more concerned with people’s perception rather than on speaking the truth. Because of this, he fell into a cycle of deceit. We can be tempted to do the same whenever we worry more about what people think about us.

B. As Christians we are to speak out the truth, not only about facts, but also about Christ. Will everyone always like the Truth that we proclaim? Do we ourselves always like hearing the truth? No, and Christ tells us as such. There are many times when people dislike and hate the Gospel. However, our duty remains to be true to the Word, no matter what. Also, when we hear God’s Word speak against us and our actions, we too need to beat down any anger we might feel and rather repent and acknowledge the truth of God’s Word. C. So, does this mean that we can say whatever we want, however we want, just as long as it is true? We are to speak God’s truth in love. This means that there will be times when it is difficult for people to hear the truth. However, we should not add to that difficulty by being smug, cruel, taunting or mean. The truth may be hard, but we should not necessarily be hard on people—no harder than we would want them to be on us. III. Read “Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You” (LSB 668, LW 303, TLH 444). A. We must remember that Satan is constantly around trying to lead us into harm. Our response to this, according to the hymn, is prayer. Why is prayer an appropriate response to Satan’s temptation? Our prayers are shaped by God’s Word. When we pray, we simply speak back to God His own Word, the promises that God has spoken to us. As such, we know that God will provide us the strength to fight against temptation, for He has made this promise to us. B. The last stanza speaks to fighting “wisely.” Part of the wisdom we have is remembering that there is more than just this life, but a life to come—that Christ will return and gather His saints away from this world of sin. How does a focus on the fact that Christ will return help us endure in the face of struggles? When we are tempted, Satan wants us to see sin as the only way out, the only possible solution. What we remember, instead, is that Christ is in control, and that He will provide the way out both now and eternally (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). There is more to life than just the problems we face now—and Christ will see us through them until He calls us to heaven (see also Romans 8:18).

“Dead White Guys and Their Lies” Bible Study Pastor Eric Brown

“Hey, Good Looking!” Bible Study Leader’s Guide Pastor Eric Brown

I. Your Brother’s Keeper? – Read Genesis 4:8-15. A. Part of all sin that we see in this world is that it revolves around not loving one’s neighbor. Cain asks sarcastically if he is his brother’s keeper. In truth, he ought to have been. How does this impact how we ought to treat our neighbor? We are to remember that our actions have an impact upon those around us, and thus we are to make sure that our actions are ones that show love and care for our neighbor. When we make decisions, we must think about not only what we want or would like but what is best for our neighbor. B. Let’s apply this to the discussion at hand. Is wearing suggestive clothing a proper way of taking care of your neighbor (and this holds true for the guys as well)? Or what about suggestive jokes—does that show love to your neighbor? No, not at all. It’s hard enough to follow the 6th commandment without people with their words and actions pushing us away from chastity and decency. Both clothes and jokes can get us thinking about things in ways that we shouldn’t be thinking about. II. Um, We Are Doing What? – Read Matthew 5:27-30. A. Lest you think this is just an “old fuddy-duddy” point of view, look at what Christ says about this idea. If you are dressing to entice someone else and get them to turn their head—what are you trying to get them to do? Moreover, do you end up turning other heads as well? What does that say? Christ says that lust is the same as adultery. If our actions are designed to encourage lust, we are breaking the 6th commandment big time—and quite often with lots and lots of folks. B. So, if we aren’t supposed to act this way, why do so many people (both guys and girls) want to wear clothes that “turn heads”? Should our focus be on this? We can like to feel desired and appreciated. This is a focus on ourselves—and it can be stronger if we feel down, want attention or what have you. However, our focus is to be on loving God and loving our neighbor. We are able to do this when we remember God’s pure and truth love for us—so we don’t need to focus on trying to twist other people into “loving” us—actually lusting after us.

III. Read “God’s Blessing and Gift” (LSB 858, LW 251, TLH 621). A. Now, all of this is not to say that beauty and our bodies are bad. Our bodies are indeed a gift to us. However, they are not a gift to be tossed to the four winds but a gift we have for the benefit of our spouse. Why is marriage far superior and far surpassing to anything that could come from mere head turning? God has made mankind male and female. He has designed marriage to be a union of two people that surpasses the mere physical on which we can be focused, especially as teens. God has more in plan, more in store than we often think about. B. The key to all of this is that while we can make sinful plans based on lust and desire, God has better plans for us based upon His will. As a sign of this, God has promised to be present in our marriages. Why does this make marriage something to look forward to and something to be waited for? Marriage also is a gift from God—and we by our actions can’t force the benefits of marriage apart from God, not in any fulfilling way. As Christians we are to trust in God, that He will provide the blessings to us that are good for us. This is good for us, because things are better when they come about via God’s plans.

“Hey, Good Looking!” Bible Study Pastor Eric Brown

A Sin of Weakness or a Deliberate Sin? Bible Study Leader’s Guide Pastor Matthew Brackman

Think of something you can’t do now but you could train for, learn to do or somehow be able to do in the future. Maybe you want to run a marathon, bench press 300 lbs., cook an excellent seven-course meal, rebuild an engine, lead a Bible study, or even sail a boat. What are some things that you would like to be able to do in the future? There may be a day when you could do any number of these things, but right now you might be “weak.” What does that mean? To be weak means to be lacking in physical or mental strength, ability, willpower or control. I. We can’t do some things because we lack the ability. We’re too weak either in our bodies or in our minds. A. Think about our everyday lives. What are some sins we can easily fall into because we are spiritually weak? Getting angry and snapping at people, picking on others or being very judgmental of them, lustful thoughts (maybe actions, but try to keep it on the “lesser” sins), disobeying our parents about curfew or a million other things, cheating on a test or copying someone’s homework, letting someone copy your work, saying “Jesus Christ” or “God” in a careless or thoughtless way, etc. B. Why is it easy to fall into some of these sins? It often doesn’t seem like that big a deal; it’s easy; it’s common. We’re weak. C. If you wanted to do some of those things from the introduction, what would you have to do? We would have to train for it, practice it, go to school for it and be taught by someone who knows what he or she is doing. D. Are the sins we talked about okay to do? Will God let them slide because they aren’t as “big” as some other sins like murder or stealing a million dollars? Read Romans 6:1-2 and James 2:10. In Romans 6:1-2 Paul asks, “Shall we sin so grace may abound?” Likewise, James 2:10 states that if we break one law, all the laws have been broken. No breaking of the law is without excuse, no matter how “small” it may appear. E. Read Romans 6:23a. According to this verse, what punishment does even the “smallest” sin earn? “For the wages of sin is death.” All sins deserve death and condemnation. II.

How can we avoid those sins that are so easy to fall into? Let us look at some things to help in our training to avoid sin. A. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. According to this passage, what is useful for “training in righteousness”? What does that mean for our lives? Simply, God’s Word is useful for “training in righteousness.” We learn from the Lord and His Word how we are to act, think and even feel as His people. We discipline and contend with our fallen flesh. Through the power of the Word working on us and Holy Spirit guiding and strengthening us, we beat down sin in our lives.

B. Read about the life of the Christian in your Small Catechism, Baptism, Part IV: What Baptism Indicates. What does this explanation say about our struggle with our spiritual weakness? The explanation tells us to drown the Old Adam and his evil desires daily. It is a constant struggle between the sinner and the saint. C. After being baptized by John, how did Christ deal when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness? How can this guide us? Read Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus dealt with Satan by using God’s Word. Likewise, we ask God to reveal more of His Word to us so we can fight off temptation and have the fortitude to do what is right even when another way is easier. We use the Word to fight off temptations even as our Savior used the Word to contend and fight off Satan in the wilderness D. Read James 1:14-15. James is talking to the believer about how sin grows. Where does he say sin comes from in verse 14? According to verse 15, how does it grow? Sin comes from within ourselves—our own sinful and spiritually weak natures. The evil desire turns into sin (sin in action here) that results in death. E. What can we learn from this growth of sin? What are some things we can do to avoid sin? Sin needs to be “nipped in the bud.” We need to try to avoid tempting situations and places. We tell ourselves we obey our parents because we’re serving God not because we like it or agree with them all the time. If we get angry we can take a deep breath to relax, or we can count to 10. If we have lustful thoughts, we don’t do a Google search for “bikini babes” or “hot guy pics.” Practice saying another word instead of the Lord’s name in vain like “geeze louis” or “gosh dangit” can help, too. III. Think of something that nobody can do no matter how hard they train, try or study. Maybe it’s something like run non-stop across the country, fly to the moon without a rocketship, hold your breath for an hour, memorize every book in the world. Can you think of anything? A. Read 1 John 1:8-10. What does this passage say about our ability to avoid sin? Can we? We can’t completely avoid sin, though we can sometimes avoid a particular sin at a particular place and time. No, we are all sinful and spiritually weak. Obviously, we are talking about in this earthly existence where we are saint and sinner. You could ask the students if they recognize this Bible verse since it is part of the Confession in our liturgy. B. So how do we Lutherans live our lives knowing we’ll sin no matter how hard we try? What does Ephesians 2:8-9 have to say about this? We live knowing that it is grace that saves not our avoiding sin. We live a life of repentance and forgiveness. Holding to the cross that pays for all the sins we do big and small, ones out of weakness or even on purpose. It is Jesus who saves us apart from our Commandment-keeping. See also Romans 7:21-25. Jesus rescues us from our sins, even our sins of weakness! C. Where do we receive the grace that God offers? Read Psalm 26:8. What does this passage mean for us? The psalmist loves the habitation of God’s house because it is there that he gets God’s grace. Likewise, we come to God’s house where we receive the forgiveness for our sins (not that we don’t receive it when we ask in prayer in our daily lives). In His house we receive His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. We are immersed in His life in His house. There we receive His life and are drawn closer to Him and more into His life.

A Sin of Weakness or a Deliberate Sin? Bible Study Pastor Matthew Brackman

2008 Summer - Higher Things Magazine (with Bible Studies)

Articles inside

Hierarchy Among Friends

The Road of Life

A Love Like This

The Ten Commandments

Dead White Guys and Their Lies

Sins of Weakness or Deliberate Sins?

We’re Just Dating, Dad

Amen Conference

Hey, Good Lookin’

Life’s Not Fair

Abuse