2011 Spring - Higher Things Magazine (with Bible Studies)

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Higher Things

Inside This Issue!

• Here You Stand • Ghosts and the Gospel • God Gives Himself—For You! www

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Christ Academy-High School The Summer Event for High School Men June 19–July 2, 2011

www.ctsfw.edu/christacademy

Do you know there are lots of other guys like you? Many young men across the country are considering the Holy Ministry for their future vocation. Come to Christ Academy to worship, study and fellowship with those who have your same aspirations and find the answer for your future.

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This year, our professors will lecture on: � The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel � The Divine Economy of Salvation � St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans � Being a Theologian of the Cross � Christian Ethics at the Beginning and End of Life

For more information call us at 1-800-481-2155, visit our website www.ctsfw.edu/christacademy or e-mail Rev. Andrew Yeager at Andrew.Yeager@ctsfw.edu.

We will also go to Cedar Point and a TinCaps Baseball game!

Concordia Theological Seminary � 6600 N. Clinton Street � Fort Wayne, IN 46825

I HT

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HigherThings

®

Volume 11/Number 1/Spring 2011 Bible Studies for these articles can be found at: higherthings.org/ magazine/biblestudies.html Editor

Rev. Tim Pauls Managing Editor

Katie Micilcavage Art Director

Steve Blakey Editorial Associates

Rev. Greg Alms Rev. Paul Beisel Rev. Bart Day Subscriptions Manager

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Stan Lemon Conference Coordinator

Sandra Ostapowich ___________

Board of Directors President

Rev. William Cwirla

Contents T A B L E

O F

Volume 11/Number 1 • Spring 2011

Features

4 Here You Stand

By Rev. George Borghardt You can do no other! It’s true—you can’t stand alone before a holy God. That’s why Jesus does it for you. Let Rev. Borghardt’s words remind you of that glorious reality.

6 The Divine Service Liturgy: Perfect Praise Every Time

By Rev. Jon J. Sollberger Rev. Sollberger clearly lays out the benefits of a liturgical divine service. This isn’t about loving what’s traditional for the sake of traditional. Find out the rhyme and reason behind such a liturgy.

8 Lord I Forgive; Help Me in My Unforgiveness

By Rev. Rich Heinz With Star Wars overtones, Rev. Heinz assures us that our pastors, too, are in need of forgiveness, which is why they are so qualified to speak the words of absolution to us.

10 Stem Cell Research: Understanding the Basics

By Rev. Dr. John I. Lamb A thorough read of Dr. Lamb’s article will provide you with specific ways to respond to the popular push for the research of embryonic stem cells—often hailed as the holy grail for the treatment of numerous diseases and disorders.

12 Use and Abuse: The Proper Role of Reason in the Christian Faith

By Rev. Steven R. J. Parks Like all gifts from God, reason is to be used wisely. Find out exactly what that entails in Rev. Parks’ concise handling of this weighty subject.

14 Ghosts and the Gospel

By Rev. Jeffery W. Grams So what are those things that go bump in the night?

Rev. Grams brings Scripture to bear upon this rather unsettling question.

18 Put Guilt in Its Place

By Mrs. Katie Micilcavage Guilt can often take the helm as you steer your way through life’s waters. However, there is freedom from that guilt to be found in Word and Sacrament—gifts from the One who bears our burdens.

20 Words, Words, Words

By Rev. Daniel Burhop “In the beginning was the Word...” In college there are words everywhere you look. Discover the connection Rev. Burhop makes between “the Word” and these “words.”

22 Deconstructing Evolution’s Icons

By Rev. Joshua V. Schneider It’s a sad commentary that many of our science textbooks still insist in promoting some of the original falsehoods of evolution. Rev. Schneider arms you with his deconstruction of these “icons” of evolution.

24 Vocation 101

By Mr. Dan Engle Are you In high school or college and haven’t yet figured out your future career? Mr. Engle explains that this doesn’t mean you don’t already have a vocation...or two...or three...

20 God Gives Himsel—For You!

By Rev. Brent W. Kuhlman Not only are we STANDING before God on account of Christ, we are also RECEIVING all of the gracious gifts our Father loves to bestow upon us. Rev. Kuhlman’s invigorating article makes that crystal clear.

Columns

30 Catechism: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

By Rev. William M. Cwirla You can’t get more basic than bread, but there’s more to this staple food than meets the eye. Rev. Cwirla, in his usual winsome way, sheds a great deal of light on this straightforward request from the Lord’s Prayer.

Vice President

Rev. Brent Kuhlman Secretary

Rev. Joel Fritsche Rev. Bruce Keseman Rev. David Kind Chris Loemker Sue Pellegrini Jeff Schwarz ___________

Executive Council Conferences and Deputy Executive

Rev. George Borghardt Business Executive

Connie Brammeier Media Services

Rev. Mark Buetow Christ on Campus Executive

Rev. Marcus Zill

Higher Things® Magazine ISSN 1539-8455 is published quarterly

by Higher Things, Inc., PO Box 156, Sheridan, WY 82801. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the executive editor of Higher Things Magazine. Copyright 2011. Higher Things® and Christ on Campus® are registered trademarks of Higher Things Inc.; All Rights Reserved.

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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.)

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Here You Stand

By Rev. George Borghardt

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Before God: Coram Deo. Before His

throne, His awesome glory, His utter holiness. Right there, in the divine throne room with the angels, the archangels, and the whole company of heaven, all worshiping Him. There you are, standing Coram Deo, before Him—if your feet even hold you upright.

He’s got all His God-ness going on and you are full of all your... well... you-ness. Your sin, your transgressions, your living for yourself, all of it. Right there, all exposed bare before God. He sees straight through you. He knows your deep, dark, secrets—your evil thoughts, your hurtful words, and your selfish deeds. He knows you—the real you. Even the things you’re petrified to admit about yourself.

There’s no charming Him. No giving him a little twinkle or working those puppy-dog eyes to get yourself out of it. That won’t work. He knows the cards in your hand. He knows the tricks you think you have up your sleeve.

Don’t go looking back at yourself and your life as if you might’ve done something to merit at least a little bit of justification before God. You know what’s up with you. You didn’t change enough. You aren’t loving enough. You aren’t anything enough to truly be at peace with God. All by yourself, you’re toast. I am, too. Truth be told, we’d be completely done in by the Law of God as we stand Coram Deo. But Jesus was delivered up for all of our sins. He was handed over to be tried for our deep, dark, secrets. He was crucified for our thoughts, our words, and our deeds—the horrible ones we did, and the good ones we should’ve done for others. Nails were driven in His hands and feet for the sneaky tricks we think we can play with God. A spear was thrust in His side for what we had stashed up our sleeve. He died: for your sins, for my sins, for the sins of the whole world.

For our justification, He was raised from the dead (Rom. 4:25). With the angels and the archangels, with the hosts of heaven, sitting right next to the Father, is that Man, Jesus.

The One Who was born for you, lived for you, kept what God required for you, and died the death that you deserve on Good Friday for you and in your place.

Because He lives, you now stand before God forgiven. Not in the future, not in the past, but right now. You stand right this moment at peace with God. Because of all Jesus has done for you and given to you, right now, you are forgiven. Right now, you are saved.

Right now, you stand before God at peace with God. As long as Jesus lives, you stand before God forgiven. He’s never going to die again, so your righteousness, forgiveness and justification will never go away either. Salvation for you is as sure as the Lord Jesus is alive at the right hand of God. Before God. Coram Deo. Before His throne, His glory, His holiness. Before the angels, the archangels, the whole company of heaven, all worshiping Him. There you are, standing Coram Deo before Him. In Christ, you are holy. In Christ, you are righteous. In Christ, you are loved by God. In Christ, you are at peace with God. In Christ, you stand Coram Deo. Forgiven.

Rev. George Borghardt is the Senior Pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in McHenry, Illinois. He also serves as the Conferences and Deputy Executive of Higher Things. His email is revborghardt@higherthings.org.

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The Divine Service Liturgy:

Perfect Praise, Every Time

By Rev. Jon J. Sollberger

God’s Word vs. man’s feelings and opinions…

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One is almighty and never changing; the others are feeble, and change like the wind. The Scriptures and our Small Catechism teach us that God’s Word is the highest authority. But far too often, people make how they feel and what they think the deciding factors when it comes to worship.

Consider the following statements that Christians sometimes make: • “The most important thing about worship is to make people feel good.”

• “Genuine faith is proven by how much joy one shows (especially in worship).”

• “The subject of sin is just too negative for a good, joyful worship experience.”

In many congregations (even some Lutheran ones) these sentiments have become the most important things to people. With the best of intentions, and even with genuine concern for other people, many people say these things in order to promote or defend an emotionally based kind of worship called Contemporary Worship or Praise-Band Worship.

Contemporary worship is said to be very popular with young people. This may be true for some, but actually, most of the people who promote contemporary worship are older people who—again, with genuine concern and love—have been led to believe that praise bands will bring in the young people and revitalize their churches.

God’s Word, however, disagrees. God Word alone calls and gathers people into the Church (See Isaiah 55:10-11, and the Small Catechism: The Meaning to the Third Article of the Creed). A wise Christian pastor and musician once said: “Emotion can never lead to faith, but faith often leads to emotion.” God’s Word verifies this saying as trustworthy and true (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2; Psalm 51:15).

Sadly, contemporary worship fails to begin with what Our Lord has done for us. And because of that, it simply can’t be faithful, because our praise for God is empty and sinful when it fails to begin with what our Heavenly Father does for us, through His Son. A quick comparison may be helpful: Contemporary Worship

Liturgical Divine Service

Audience (like a concert)

Body of Christ (receivers)

GOAL:

Mountain-top Feeling

Sins Forgiven/Faith in Christ Granted or Strengthened

EMPHASIS:

What We Do for God

What Christ Does for Us

CONGREGATION:

Too often, when people think of worship, they think mainly of their own participation, rather than God’s. But all men are sinful, and even hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). The Church’s liturgy, on the other hand, makes sure that: 1. God also participates in worship; 2. God participates first (He has the first word), and 3. Man’s participation is with words far better than our own: God’s Word. This is why worship is also known as “Divine Service”: Divine = God, and Service = giving. So, the Divine Service Liturgy, then, is God giving us what we need: forgiveness, life and salvation in Christ.

But the Liturgy isn’t just an arbitrary collection of Scripture; it’s the proper Scripture, in the proper order, for the appropriate purpose: to meet us in our sin, then to cleanse us by Christ’s forgiveness, and finally, to strengthen us in Christ’s faith for daily living.

When people fail to consider that God must speak first in worship, the emphasis easily becomes our own words and intentions (however well-intentioned). And that kind of praise —centered on man—very easily deteriorates into a time primarily intended to make us feel emotionally uplifted. This is not God-pleasing, because good feelings will not save us.

Still, our praise to God is an important part of the Divine Service Liturgy. But we might be surprised to learn how God defines “praise.” Psalm 51:16-17 says this: You [Lord] do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

This is God’s definition of praise: broken spirits and contrite hearts. This is a far cry from what many people often mistakenly think praise is. The Divine Service Liturgy never depends on us having to be uplifted in our thoughts and feelings. In fact, the forgiveness of sins is to be received when God’s Word of Law condemns our sin and makes us humble and contrite (sorry for our sins). Only then will man receive God’s Word of Gospel (Christ died so that you could live). Only then will we know the peace of God: sins forgiven, life restored. In that there is much joy­—the kind that never leaves you, no matter how you feel. And that’s perfect praise every time because it’s God’s Word.

Rev. Jon J. Sollberger serves the Parish Immanuel Lutheran in Louisville, Nebraska, and is a national and regional speaker on liturgy and church music. He can be reached at revsoll@yahoo.com.

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Lord, I Forgive; Help Me in My Unforgiveness

By Rev. Rich Heinz

Pastor Kenobi was so proud of his new toy. He remained preoccupied with it for much of the week. Yes, it was quite excessive, but his wife surprised him with a trip to Best Buy. He could stop the playful jokes of coveting with his many pastor friends on Facebook; now he had his own…iPad! For two weeks, Pastor used this gift to prepare and write his sermons, take notes in meetings, and have on hand as his portable office and personal computer at a conference. And then it happened!

One busy Wednesday, he preached from the gadget at Evening Prayer.

Rushing to the parsonage for a moment, he returned for a class, and then to a meeting, where he remembered leaving his treasure in the front pew. But going to retrieve it, he discovered the iPad was missing.

As someone once said, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Theft! In the church! From the pastor! How dare they?! Who are they?!

A flood of anger, disappointment, and hurt swelled inside him. Repenting of his own carelessness in leaving the device alone (even if in a church), Pastor Kenobi still resented the mysterious thief. While he said he forgave the transgressor, the wound was still fresh.

Was this hypocrisy?

Forgiving others is the pastor’s job.

It is his vocation. It should be easy if it’s what the man does! I know, right!?

So, as someone once said, “What does this mean?”

When the pastor is in that pulpit preaching, he is proclaiming Law and Gospel to the individual underneath those vestments, too. The man in that Office still needs to repent of his own sinful feelings and condition as much as everyone else. He needs to find another pastor to hear his confessions and bring him Holy Absolution.

While grumbling about the theft, the Lord used another pastor to call Kenobi to repent and pray for the thief. While

feeling sorry for himself, he realized once again how incredibly blessed he was. The Lord was refreshing him on the themes of contentment and coveting. The Holy Spirit convicted Kenobi of his burst of materialism, and his ill feelings about “those who trespass against us.” Having brought him to repentance, our Savior dished out His freeing forgiveness in His Gospel and Sacrament, bringing renewal and heaping forgiveness to pour forth from the forgiven pastor.

So reflect upon this the next time you look at your pastor and think he has it all together. Remember that each time he grants you Absolution in the stead of Christ, he needs the same Absolution. Don’t be afraid to go to your pastor about your struggle to forgive. He will understand you more than you realize.

Forgiving others when they have sinned against us personally is not always easy—not even for pastors! But what a great treasure it is—far greater than some several-hundred-dollar iPad—to receive Jesus’ forgiveness and be His vessel in pouring it out on others! Read through the Fifth Petition in your Small Catechism.

Rejoice and be glad! Even though you are not worthy, Jesus graciously gives you all you truly need. And in His grace, the Lord Jesus causes not just your pastor, but YOU to stand coram Deo, before God, forgiven and renewed, as His instrument of forgiving others!

Rev. Rich Heinz is Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church & School in Chicago, Illinois. He also is serving as Worship Coordinator for Coram Deo in 2011.

Pastor Kenobi…I mean, Pastor Heinz can be reached at RevFrHeinz@gmail.com.

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Stem Cell Research U n d e r s t a n d i n g

t h e

B a s i c s

Second in a Four-Part Series on the Sanctity of Life By Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb

Movie stars promote it. Major news publications cover it extensively. It is blogged about frequently. What stand should a Christian take on stem cell research? We can answer that question relatively easily when we understand some basics.

Understanding when Life Begins The question of when life begins is a scientific question. The scientists most qualified to answer are embryologists. Embryologists concur that life begins when the genetic material of egg and sperm join at conception. Medical schools teach this in their embryology textbooks.

Scripture affirms this scientific truth. “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5 NIV). Since we are sinful from the moment of conception, we must be human beings from the moment of conception.

This is precisely why Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Spirit.” He passed through all stages of human development to redeem us from our sinful human nature.

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Understanding the Source of Embryonic Stem Cells What we hear so much about is embryonic stem cell research (ESCR). Embryonic stem cells are derived from a human embryo at about 5 days after conception.

At this stage, the human being is a hollow ball with a thin outside layer only one cell thick. When the embryo reaches the uterus, this layer forms the placenta. Inside this hollow ball is a cluster of cells, the inner cell mass.

These cells will soon begin to differentiate into the various tissues—nerve, muscle, skin, etc.—that make up the human body. Each of these cells, then, has the potential to become any tissue in the body. These are the “stem cells” that researchers want in an effort to treat disease. However, a five-day-old little girl or boy must be destroyed in order to obtain these stem cells.

The Christian must oppose ESCR because it violates God’s Fifth Commandment against the taking of innocent human life. The potential for future cures for human beings cannot justify the destruction of human beings. ESCR also violates the “helping and befriending” aspect of the Fifth Commandment.

Since life begins at conception, that new person is our neighbor from that moment. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31). We are to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Understanding other Sources of Stem Cells Christians do not oppose all forms of stem cell research. Embryos need not be destroyed in order to obtain stem cells.

Stem cells called “adult” stem cells are found in a variety of tissues in our bodies. Umbilical cord blood is another rich source of stem cells.

Proponents of ESCR have downplayed adult stem cells because it was once thought that they did not normally have the capability of becoming other cell types as do embryonic stem cells. However, research now shows that they do. Bone marrow adult stem cells, for example, have the ability to become virtually every other cell type. Adult stem cells have already been used to treat a variety of diseases in human beings. No diseases are being treated with embryonic stem cells.

Even more recently, scientists have been able to “induce” a normal body cell into becoming just like an embryonic stem cell!

Understanding the Theology of the Cross No one would deny the heartache and struggle of having an incurable, chronic disease. We can understand that the strong desire for a cure may lead one to place hope in things like ESCR. But in his explanation of the First Commandment in the Large Catechism, Luther states that trusting in the one true God means expecting “nothing but good from Him especially in distress and want” (emphasis added). God has shown His love for us on the cross, not in the absence of disease. The cross also assures us that God can and does work through suffering to produce great good. The greatest suffering of all time—Christ suffering for the sins of the world—produced the greatest good of all time: forgiveness and the assurance of eternal life to all who believe.

Final Thoughts The advances in stem cell research are gifts God bestows to enhance and extend our lives. As with all gifts, we can use them in ways God did not intend. God does not intend that we destroy tiny human beings in order to help other human beings. God is opening doors for research using stem cells from sources other than human embryos. These we may and should pursue for the betterment of God’s wonderful gift of life.

For more information: Lutherans For Life has a brochure and a DVD on Stem Cell Research. Go to www.cph.org/c-1018-bioethics.aspx?REName=Shop by Category Rev. Dr. James Lamb is Executive Director of Lutherans for Life.

He can be reached at jlamb@lutheransforlife.org.

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Use and Abuse: The Proper Role of Reason in the Christian Faith

By Rev. Steven R. J. Parks

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Ever since the so-called “Enlightenment” of the eighteenth century, Christians have been repeatedly painted with the broad brush of anti-intellectualism. That is, the world around us constantly seeks to portray us as backward-minded people who stand against the sound principles of reason, scientific discovery, and overall progress. In the 2008 film “Religulous,” for example, comedian Bill Maher interviews a United States senator who contends that the Bible’s account of creation is a legitimate possibility. Maher’s caustic response is:“It couldn’t possibly have been Adam and Eve five thousand years ago with a talking snake in a garden.” With a smug wave of his hand, Maher summarily dismisses the claims which Christianity (and Judaism) have made for millennia. Of course, Maher is not alone in his crusade to portray Christians as dim-witted and brainless. The so-called “new atheists” (Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Cook, et al.) have united, with the common cause to unmask Christianity for what it allegedly is: a collection of fairy tales for people uninterested in truth.

So what should a Christian’s attitude toward logic and reason be? Do we reject it completely, as Maher and the “new atheists” contend we do, or is there a place for reason within the Christian faith? To be sure, Christians have always acknowledged that truth is of the greatest importance. After all, we worship the God who created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1-2). We worship the author of reality who justly takes offense when people believe things contrary to what He has said. It is this God who became incarnate, took on human flesh and blood in the person of Jesus, and claimed:“I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). In short, we are interested in truth because we have been created and redeemed by the One who is truth!

Traditionally, Christians have recognized reason as one of the many gifts God has given to mankind.

Martin Luther says as much in his explanation of the First Article of the Apostles Creed:“I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.” All of God’s gifts, however, can be misused or abused. A man who uses his eyes to guide his children safely across a busy intersection is using the gift of eyesight properly. A man who uses his eyes to view pornography is misusing God’s gift. A woman who uses her ears to respond to her baby’s cry of distress is using the gift of hearing properly. A woman who uses her ears to listen to gossip and slander is misusing God’s gift. Likewise, a person who uses his brain to seek to understand and comprehend revealed truth is using the gift of reason properly. A person who uses his

reason to twist, misinterpret, or mock truth is misusing God’s gift—so much so, in fact, that when used in this way Luther taught that reason was the “devil’s prostitute,” enticing sinners away from the truth of God revealed in Scripture. Reason, then, is to be the servant, not the master, of God and His Word.

In short, reason is a divine gift to be enjoyed in its proper context: in service to God and neighbor. It is abused when twisted or misapplied with the goal of separating creation from the Creator, morality from the Lawgiver, or redemption from the Savior. In point of fact, there is no rationality or meaning to reality without the God who reveals Himself in Scripture! When reason is used in service to God and neighbor, we remember what Christ taught us in the Law:“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). When used to destroy or undermine what our Lord has revealed in His Word, we would do well to heed His warning:“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).

Rev. Steven R. J. Parks served as a research consultant at the Christian Research Institute from 1994-2001. He received his B.A. from Concordia University, Irvine in 2002 and his M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 2006.

He is currently an S.T.M. candidate at the same institution. Rev. Parks also serves as the sole pastor of University Hills Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado, where he resides with his wife, Robin.

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Ghosts Gospel

and the

by Rev. Jeffery W. Grams

As a pastor, I often get

questions from members regarding “spiritual things” that are not often spoken of in Holy Scripture. Among them is, “Are ghosts real?”

When most people ask about ghosts, they’re asking whether or not the “spirits” of those who have died can still be seen or heard wandering the earth. Such ghosts are usually described as people who have died without peace, wander in torment and seek some resolution for something that happened in their lives.

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We can be assured from Holy Scripture that this doesn’t happen. Hebrews 9:27 says,”...it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” And Jesus said to the thief on the cross,“Today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). He also warns that there is no “second chance” to receive forgiveness or right wrongs we have done after the day of our death.

We must be ready because “no one knows the day and the hour” (see Matthew 24:36-51).

This is great comfort to us. We know that our loved ones who depart in the faith are already in heaven, safely kept in the Father’s care, until the day of the resurrection of all flesh. They cannot “get lost” or “flee from the light” or “be bound here due to some unfinished business,” for our Lord has promised that He will be there to take us to our Father’s house:“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3 ESV).

What then does this mean for the spiritual phenomena that many observe today?

First, we recall that both angels and demons are active in our world. The angels are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14), while demons are described as those who wage war against us: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Angels will not deceive us, and serve only the will of the Father in heaven. Demons, however, serve the father of lies and can appear in many shapes and disguises.

In addition, the Lord has, at times, allowed those who have died to return to this world and bear witness. Moses and Elijah appeared on the mountain of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2). Also, Samuel was seemingly allowed to testify to Saul, who broke the Law of God and consulted a witch (1 Samuel 28:8ff).

Holy Scripture also speaks of the Lord sending visions and dreams to His people to comfort or instruct them (Ezekiel 40:2, Daniel 10:2-9), but this doesn’t indicate that the spirits of the dead will be permitted to come back to us personally (Luke 16:19-31).

Where does all of this leave us? Be aware that the vast majority of such “events” have a perfectly natural explanation. Human beings are truly blessed with a powerful imagination. A famous “haunting” once turned

out to be a child’s whistle stuck in an old tree catching the wind! If there’s not an obvious explanation, though, it might be wise to talk to your pastor.

I’ve heard Christians describe that they felt as if their beloved departed were watching over them, or dreamed that they saw them smiling down upon them. We know that because Christ is with us and they are with Christ, our loved ones are never truly far away.

We can give thanks to God for comforting dreams that remind us of the hope that our loved ones have in the Risen Savior. Yet we must be careful not to demand or expect such experiences. Instead, we should simply trust in the promises of our Lord and find peace in the gift of salvation.

On the other hand, if you’re feeling troubled by spirits that cause you to be afraid, or seem to be trying to impart information to you that is contrary to the Word of God, simply pray aloud in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and ask the Lord to defend you from evil. If you are unsure what to pray, I encourage you to pray the Lord’s Prayer, which asks God to “deliver us from evil” or Luther’s evening prayer in the Small Catechism. This is another good time to talk to your pastor as soon as you can.

Also, remember that due to the danger of being deceived by unclean spirits, the Lord has consistently forbidden his people to seek out such experiences (Deuteronomy 18:10-12a).

In the end, remember that you are children of the Heavenly Father, filled with the Holy Spirit of God. He’s sent His angels to watch over you and the Lord Jesus Christ rules all creation for you at His right hand.

Satan and his fallen angels have been defeated by the blood of the Lamb and on the Last Day they will be forever condemned to the fires of hell. You have nothing to fear from their power because you stand in Christ Jesus.

Rev. Jeffery W. Grams is pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and can be reached at revgrams@gmail.com.

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oram Deo

Higher Things Conferences

Coram Deo? What exactly does “Coram Deo” mean? Well, it’s Latin for “before God,” as in His presence, under His reign. Think a bit about living Coram Deo, before God. What does it mean that you live Coram Deo? Under the Law, life before God is terrifying. It is living under His judgment and wrath. But under the Gospel, life before God is beautiful, a restoration of what God intended when He made Man in the beginning.

“Can mortal man be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?” (Job 4:17) This is the core religious question: How can a sinner destined to die stand before a righteous and holy God? Only by grace through faith for Christ’s sake!

LasJ Vegas, NV Bloomington/Normal, IL Atlanta, GA

University of Nevada July 5-8, 2011

Illinois State University July 12-15, 2011

conferences@higherthings.org

Emory University July 19-22, 2011 www.coramdeo2011.org

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Lutheran Youth Conference

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Put Guilt in Its Place

By Katie Micilcavage

Go ahead. Reach into your back pocket and pull out that ticket.

You know the one—your ticket for the next guilt trip you plan to take. Or maybe it’s the one you think your parents are going to send you on. Perhaps you’re one of those really forward-thinking people and you’ve got a lifetime pass. Impressive.

Nobody likes to feel guilty. We do all sorts of things to dodge it. We distract ourselves with entertainment, food, friends. Or we try to make up for whatever it is we think we’re guilty of. As sinful creatures, we have a way of twisting guilt into something of an overwhelming burden. How often we forget that Christ has already borne our guilt!

The truth is, feelings of guilt can be beneficial.

We do something wrong; we experience guilt. Pretty simple. We know it helps us recognize the difference between right and wrong because we have the law written on our hearts (Romans 2). Guilt exists because we live in a fallen world and, because of Adam’s sin, we have a knowledge of good and evil. Just as he felt shame, we feel shame. When we sin, that guilt and shame is justified. However, for Christians, guilty feelings are given to send us to the Cross. Such feelings are not for us to deny or to wallow in. When you focus on the guilt for its own sake, Satan likes to take that and run with it and accuse you of being someone God could never forgive.

But what happens if you find yourself arm wrestling with guilty feelings far too often? Well, there are two possibilities: Either you’re struggling to accept God’s forgiveness for a real offense, or you’re taking responsibility for something that you shouldn’t. That’s the devil’s trick, too!

As it is, we have plenty of guilt to bear. We are sinners by nature. That is just WHO we are. We commit so many sins either by what we do or don’t do, that we could never begin to make an account for all of them. What on earth would possess us to take on even more? Yet we do. You didn’t complete that task in a timely manner, you got a B in English, you didn’t call your grandmother. You weren’t perfect!

Shame on you!

History tells us that Martin Luther was plagued by guilt as we often are. As an Augustinian monk, Luther would spend hours in confession with his superior, Johann von Staupitz, trying to make sure he accounted for every little sin he had committed.

HOURS. And then he would follow that up by engaging in extreme fasting, flogging of himself and other harsh forms of penance—whatever it would take to have peace with God! Luther’s conscience was so overactive that he felt like God would never forgive him. He was on a perpetual guilt trip!

Well there is good news for us, just as Luther himself discovered. And that good news applies, no matter if your feelings of guilt stem from a real or imagined sin. Luther found this treasure:“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5) What an earthshatteringly simple truth laid out by St. Paul! You will never be able to do enough to remedy your guilt.

But Jesus, He who justifies, IS ABLE and He DOES. Think about His precious words in Matthew 11:2830,“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” It is time to rest from your work trying to save yourself and from making yourself weary with guilt.

The Divine Service is there to deliver these words of Christ to you and take away your guilt. Go each Sunday and put your guilt at the foot of the Cross.

During Absolution, revel in the fact that you, a terrible sinner, are forgiven for the sake of Christ. As you listen to your pastor preach the ferocity of the law and the sweetness of the Gospel, rejoice that you have not been left to right your own wrongs. When you partake of Christ’s Body and Blood, embrace the reality that you ARE forgiven. Taste that forgiveness. It is real.

If you find you are constantly battling with feelings of guilt, for something actual or imagined, don’t forget your pastor’s door is open to you and he can dress your wounds with the forgiving words of Jesus. He will give you Absolution, should you need it, but will also reassure you if you find yourself tortured with responsibilities that are not yours to bear. Either way, Jesus will give you rest.

So you might as well face it. Jesus has ruined your travel plans. He has taken the ultimate guilt trip for you, from the manger, to the cross, to the grave, to the right hand of the Father, as an advocate for you. Put that ticket of your own making in the garbage, where it belongs.

Katie Micilcavage is the Managing Editor of Higher Things Magazine and the mother of two active, Lutheran teens in Gilbert, Arizona.

She is an elementary teacher in her spare time.

She can be reached at monergon@cox.net.

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(PA) @ University of South Dakota @ University of Tennessee @ University of Tulsa (OK) @ University of Pittsburgh and Other Pittsburgh Area Colleges @ University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee @ University of Wisconsin—Superior @ University of Wyoming @ Valparaiso University (IN) @ Vanderbilt University (TN) @ Wright State University (OH)

@ Air Force Academy (CO) @ Ball State University (IN) @ Boise State University (ID) @ Brock University (Ontario) @ California Polytechnic State University @ Carthage College (WI) @ Central Michigan University @ Chico State University (CA) @ Colorado State University @ Cornell College (IA)

Words, Words,

By Rev. Daniel Burhop

You have to read a lot in college. It’s just an accepted fact.

Every semester begins the same way: a trip to the University Bookstore (or to an online distributor). You have required books. You also have recommended books, in case you find yourself with a lot of free time. Yeah...right.

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Books, books, and more books. You carry them to class. They fill your bookshelf, or more likely, are piled on your floor. Every dorm room and every college apartment is full of them. Don’t forget the library.

At first, it seems great. If you read the book, you gain the knowledge.

Knowledge is good. That’s why you are going to college isn’t it? So, you read and read and read.

Slowly, you turn into Hamlet. Polonius was given the task of determining if Hamlet was going crazy or not. When he approached, Hamlet was reading a book. Polonius asked,“What do you read, my Lord?”

“Words, words, words,” Hamlet replied.

Crazy? Perhaps. Or maybe he was just a regular college student (don’t forget, Hamlet attended the University of Wittenberg), who had read so many books that everything seemed to run together.

Do you ever get down to the bottom of a page, or worse yet, several pages, and realize that while you were reading, and your eyes looked at every word on the page, you don’t remember a single thing you read? I hope that isn’t happening right now.

As powerful as words can be, it’s awfully easy to ignore them.

That’s one of the dangers of college. You read the book, but you don’t gain the knowledge.

A bigger danger, though, is that you spend so much time reading, that you forget about a more important Word. Another man from Wittenberg wrote about this Word in His hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (LSB 657):“God’s Word forever shall abide, No thanks to foes, who fear it.” In college, many things will distract you from the Word. Some of those things, like studying, may even seem good; after all, your vocation as a student is to read, read, and read some more. Even good things can lead you away from Jesus. Even good things can become your god.

Thanks be to God that He does not willingly let those things take you away from Him. As the hymn continues,“For God Himself fights by our side With weapons of the Spirit.” Those weapons of the Spirit that Luther writes about are the Word and Sacraments. When you read the Bible in your daily devotions, when you hear the Word of God read and sung in the Divine Service, it is not simply “Words, words, words” that you are reading and hearing. It’s a Word that is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). It is a Word that God says, “goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall

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Duluth @ University of Minnesota—Morris @ University of Minnesota—Twin Cities @ University of North Carolina—Greensboro @ University of North Dakota @ University of Northern Colorado @ University of Northern Iowa @ University of Oklahoma @ University of Pittsburgh

) @ Dickinson State University (ND) @ George Mason University @ Grand Valley State University and Calvin College (MI) @ Harvard University and Other Boston Area Colleges @ Indiana University @ Indiana State University @ Lake Superior State University (MI) @ Mississippi State University

Words… accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). It is a Word that “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

It is a Word that was given to you in your baptism:“the word of God in and with the water.” It is a Word that is given to you in the Lord’s Supper:“the words written here: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.’” It is the Word that was made flesh, Who carried your sins to the cross and into the grave. It is the Word “who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25).

While you study away, fulfilling your vocation, remember that the Word of God remains with you.

Yes, you will read and read and read some more.

But remember these words of Martin Luther, written in his treatise To the Christian Nobility:“It is not many books that make men learned, nor even reading. But it is a good book frequently read, no matter how small it is, that makes a man learned in the Scriptures and godly…Above all, the foremost reading for everybody, both in the universities and in the schools, should be Holy Scripture...”

That being said, open up the Gospel of St. Matthew and hear of Jesus who is “with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Read through St. Paul’s letter to the Romans and be reminded, “all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3). Hear the words of the author to the Hebrews,“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

These are not just “words, words, words” that God speaks to you through His Son. The Word that creates and sustains your faith is the same Word that created and sustains all of creation.

Rev. Daniel Burhop is the pastor of University Lutheran Chapel, a full-time campus ministry serving the University of Colorado at Boulder. He can be reached at burhopdgo@gmail.com

@ The campus ministry arm of Higher Things @ Pastors and laity interested in confessional Lutheran campus ministry @ A great source for campus ministry resources @ Discussion forums for college students and campus ministry workers @ College retreats and service opportunities @ A growing and developing network of campus ministry chapters

Christ on Campus Chapters

Fifty-five strong and growing. Newest chapter: @ Immanuel Lutheran Student Center, Macomb, IL (serving students at Western Illinois University) Join the network! Apply online or contact us.

Christ on Campus Retreats

Check online for information about all of our fall retreats and study weekends!

March 5, 2011 Grace Lutheran Church, Midland, TX (West TX Campus Ministry Convocation) May 20-22, 2011 Camp Lone Star, TX Theme: “Pro Deo et Patria” For God and Country: The Christian’s Role as Citizen

The Ninth Annual Christ on Campus Staff Conference University Lutheran Chapel, Boulder, CO May 24-26, 2011 More information to come, but mark your calendars now!

Apply to be a Christ On Campus Volunteer at “Coram Deo”: www.coramdeo2011.org

Learn More About Christ On Campus:

higherthings.org/campus.html

Follow Christ on Campus on Twitter: twitter.com/christoncampus

Contact: Rev. Marcus Zill Christ on Campus Executive zill@higherthings.org or (307) 745-5892

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Christ on Campus Is:

Texas State University (TX) @ University of Arizona @ University of California—Berkeley @ University of Colorado @ University of Connecticut—Avery Point and other CT Colleges @ University of Illinois @ University of Iowa @ University of Louisville @ University of Minnesota

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Deconstructing Evolution’s Icons

By Rev. Joshua V. Schneider

I have a question

for those who believe in evolution:“What specific evidence compels you to believe in evolution?” Unfortunately, because evolution is all we hear about in the media and in most schools, we often accept it uncritically without examining the evidence or both sides of the question. Unthinking acceptance of what everybody says is hardly a reason to believe anything.

In the DVD, Icons of Evolution, biologist Dr. Jonathan Wells explores several “textbook” evidences that supposedly prove evolution. What’s startling is that many of these supposed “icons” of evolution are known, even by evolutionists, to be misleading, inaccurate, and even fraudulent. Yet they remain in our textbooks!!

Here are a few examples of such icons. First, there are the diagrams of embryos found in many biology textbooks (including my freshman general biology textbook from college) that seem to show how similar humans look and develop as embryos when compared to reptiles, fish, or birds. Supposedly these stages of early development “retrace” our evolutionary ancestry within the womb. However it’s long been known that these drawings don’t accurately match the real embryos and leave out the earliest stages of development where the differences are the greatest.

This was a case of picking and choosing evidence, and artists fraudulently changing the facts.

A second well-known icon is “Darwin’s Finches.”

There are many kinds of finches on the Galapagos Islands that come from a single finch ancestor, but each are adapted with different-sized beaks to feed on specialized food sources. This has been called the “best and most detailed demonstration to date of the power of Darwin’s processes.” But does the difference in beak sizes even begin to explain how we got birds in the first place, i.e., the origin of species? Research has shown that these are cyclical changes and move back and forth with drought patterns, and so no net evolution takes place. This example only shows horizontal variation among birds (microevolution— which creationists affirm and accept), but shows no vertical increase in information that could drive evolution into new species with fundamentally different organs or body plans. In the end, finches are still finches, and evolutionists are still no closer to explaining the origin of finches.

Yet another icon of evolution is the existence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In many cases the resistance of bacteria to a drug is something they genetically inherited, so the information for resistance was something they already had, and

the non-resistant ones just died out. In other cases, mutations can also cause bacteria to get a resistance they didn’t have before. But in experiments with these mutant-survivors and resistant bacteria, the consistent finding is that the “survivors” overall are weaker than the original parent bacteria. While these mutations may have been beneficial for the shortterm survival of the bacteria against an antibiotic, they did not result from an increase of genetic information that could provide the engine to drive evolution forward. These examples actually run counter to evolution because the genetic changes are from a scrambling or deletion of information in the genetic code, not an increase of new information, which upward evolution requires. In order for evolution to produce more and more complex life, it needs an information-generating engine—but no such engine exists. Evolution cannot rely on scrambling and deleting already existing information.

Finding out that man’s theories are fallible and prone to crumble when they run contrary to the teaching of Scripture should come as no surprise to Christians. The Bible is the only fully authoritative and inspired account of the “history of the universe” from creation through God’s redemption in Christ Jesus. But what should come as a surprise to us, and should give us pause to reflect, is why many Christians so readily accept and endorse a theory such as evolution, which is propped up by supposed “icons” that are really pillars of dust. My prayer is that we will use our God-given reason and knowledge of the Bible to be wise and discerning, so that we aren’t misled to think that truth is found by majority opinion.

Rev. Joshua V. Schneider serves at Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Maui, in the city of Kahului, Hawaii.

The church has both a preschool and K-8 grade school. He and his wife Kristine are the proud parents of a newborn daughter, Eleonora. Pastor Schneider and his wife enjoy hiking in the mountains and valleys of their island home of Maui. He can be reached at pastor.schneider@ hotmail.com

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Vocation 101

By Dan Engle

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And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. — Colossians 3:17

I was in Cairo, Egypt for three weeks in October, teaching computer software that we have been using in the States to design and track oilfield jobs. My students were Muslims. Their weekend runs Friday-Saturday. They pray five times a day, which resulted in our class getting two more breaks than we usually do.

The meals contained no pork—even the bacon was beef. Three...long...weeks.

Religion never came up in any of the classes. If it had, I would have made sure the topic discussed outside of class time. It would have been the professional thing to do, after all.

I’d like to think that if I were asked, God willing, I could give a defense. My Christianity isn’t vindicated by my changed life. It’s proven by Christ dying and rising from the dead, fulfilling thousands of years of Old Testament prophecy. It’s about what He said about Himself and His role in rescuing us from eternal damnation.

Such a defense was not to happen. The call wasn’t there. A different type of service was required: providing care for my Egyptian neighbors. Switching them to the new computer system will save money, time, and effort.

Not everyone is to be a called and ordained servant of the Word. St. Paul writes in I Corinthians 12:28 that, “God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.” Most of us have gifts of helping. But check out verse 27, “you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” That is your first calling: formerly dead men and women made alive in Christ by the hearing of Law and Gospel.

Mischief can result when we don’t realize that we serve God through all our vocations—family, employment, citizenship, in addition to sacred. Many churches, LCMS and otherwise, insinuate that you are not doing a godly work if you are not actively assisting some ministry in “reaching the lost.” Remember your first call. Remember your baptism. Confess your sins and receive absolution. Listen to the Word of God in its reading and in its liturgy, and receive the Lord’s Supper often. You are free in Christ to use the First Article gifts God has given you, for your congregation and/or for your neighbor.

Plus you’re probably already working in several other vocations. High school students use the classes they take to see where their talents lie, and college students enhance those talents to best serve their neighbors and earn a gainful living to support a family. You may live with parents or guardians, or they may be helping

you live in college residential housing. Perhaps you are helping someone much older or much younger who needs assistance. You might be working to put yourself through college or earn money to pay for a car. If you’re not yet 18 and voting, you still have a duty as a citizen to be informed of the issues you’ll be asked to decide soon. As a member of a congregation, soak in as much of the saving Christian doctrine given in the Bible and reflected in the Lutheran Confessions, volunteer on those work days, and support those activities that are consistent with the faith once delivered to the saints.

We will never outgrow that vocation.

Sometimes our vocations conflict with one another.

A boss or a parent may ask you to do something that would benefit the company but would harm others.

Taking home supplies or padding expense reports for your school or employer may benefit the people then and there but harm your school or employer later.

Confessing a scriptural truth may violate a company’s code of conduct. If we are asked to obey men in the face of a direct prohibition of Scripture, we are to obey God, but we must be prepared to suffer any consequences.

Whatever God gives us to do is a gift indeed. We may, like Joseph in Genesis, see the eventual up side benefit of the adversities we face today, or God may have our efforts serve another without any seeming benefit to us. Whatever you are given to do in your lifetime, always remember what God has called you to first. You are baptized. Forgiven. You were dead in your sins, but you are now free in Christ. You have the faith and the salvation that nobody can take from you. This is your calling, in which everything in your other callings are done. As Luther said in the Heidelberg Disputation, “The Law says, ‘Do this,’ and it is never done. Grace says, ‘Believe this,’ and everything is already done.”

Dan Engle is a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio. He is a traveling software instructor for Halliburton Company. He is the host of the Time Out podcast, lutherantimeout.org, and he blogs at necessaryroughness.org.

He is married with two children.

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Higher Things Retreats News & Notes HIGHER THINGS

Farewell to our Executive Editor!

March 18, 2011

Law, Gospel, and the Rest of Your Life March 5, 2011

Invocation

Mount Forest, ON

All-Ages Day Retreat: $20/person

The Woodlands, TX

All-Ages Day Retreat: Free Will Offering

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April 8-9, 2011

I.D. The Divine Service Baptismal Kearney, MO March 25-27, 2011

Huntsville, TX

Pre-ConďŹ rmation Retreat: $20/person

Youth Retreat: $105/person

For more information on these Retreats or to schedule a Higher Things Retreat in your area, visit www.higherthings.org/retreats or email retreats@higherthings.org

Pastor Tim Pauls, the Executive Editor of Higher Things Magazine, will be stepping down from his post with the publication of this issue. Pastor Pauls has been on the editorial staff of the magazine since 2002!

He has served as Executive Editor since 2006. Pastor Pauls was recently called as the Sole Pastor (formerly Associate) of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Boise, Idaho.

THANK YOU, Pastor Pauls, for all of your hard work and dedication in helping to produce the greatest magazine for Christian youth ever!

We’ll miss you! May the Lord richly bless you in your new endeavors.

You can change a child’s life.

We can change the world.

Become a 1001 Orphans sponsor. For about $33 a month, you can give a disadvantaged child in Kenya: • Home-based care • Food • Education • Spiritual care Won’t you help? Become a sponsor.

Visit www.lcms.org/1001

Come join us June 26–July 2, 2011 for

Diakonia Days

A summer camp for prospective deaconess students

Who can attend?

The camp is open to young women of high school age, confirmed in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS).

A week of: •

Daily spiritual growth at chapel services and devotions

•

Classes led by deaconesses and theology professors from Concordia

•

“Hands-on” diaconal ministry as you visit the elderly, feed the homeless, teach children, and assist the disabled.

•

Fellowship activities, including Chicago sightseeing.

Total cost for the week is $325, which includes room and board, all activities, on-site transportation and materials. Scholarships may be available. For information, contact Deaconess Jennie Asher.

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For registration information, please contact:

Deaconess Jennie Asher

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Concordia University Chicago 7400 Augusta Street, Box 47G | River Forest, IL 60305-1499 crfdeaconess@CUChicago.edu | 708.771.8300, ext. 2136 www.CUChicago.edu/deaconess Higher Things Magazine_Diakonia Days ad_half page horizontal_2_1_11.indd 1

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Lord’s Supper (the Last Supper), 1978. Sadao Watanabe. Hand colored Kappazuri Dyed stencil print on Momigami (crumpled) paper, 5/80. Collection of the Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana

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God Gives Himself—For You!

by Rev. Brent W. Kuhlman

Are you ready for this? Would you ever have

guessed that you could say such a thing? Especially about God? When you give it some thought it will just blow your mind—joyfully, that is!

What am I talking about? It is what Dr. Luther learned from the Scriptures about who God is and what He does for sinners.

He confesses the truth about God in this way. First, God is Triune. In other words, God is one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That’s a no-brainer for us Lutherans. We all know and believe that fact from the Bible.

Second, (and this is what goes against the grain of how most people believe and think about God—including Dr. Luther early on in his life) this Triune God is first and foremost a giver!

He loves to give gifts. That’s His cup of tea! And that includes Himself! Yes, that’s right, God loves to give Himself—TO SINNERS! For their salvation! Incredible!

Ponder this the next time you recite the Apostles’ Creed as you get up in the morning or when you go to bed at night. The creed summarizes this biblical truth that Dr. Luther discovered in his studies. Note from the Bible and the Creed that God does the biggie verbs. He creates, He redeems, and He sanctifies. We don’t! We don’t create ourselves. We don’t redeem ourselves.

We don’t sanctify ourselves. Remarkably, the Triune God, by creating, redeeming and sanctifying, lives outside of Himself all for the sake of me the ungodly sinner. This is huge!

That’s why Dr. Luther in “Confession Concerning Christ’s Supper” offers this summary of the creedal faith: These are the three persons and one God, WHO HAS GIVEN HIMSELF TO US ALL WHOLLY AND COMPLETELY, WITH ALL THAT HE IS AND HAS. The Father gives himself to us, with heaven and earth and all the creatures, in order that they may serve us and benefit us. But this gift has become obscured and useless through Adam’s fall.

Therefore the Son himself subsequently GAVE HIMSELF and bestowed all his works, sufferings, wisdom, and righteousness, and reconciled us to the Father, in order that restored to life and righteousness, we might also know and have the Father and his gifts. But because this grace would benefit no one if it remained so profoundly hidden and could not come to us, the Holy Spirit comes and GIVES HIMSELF to us also, WHOLLY AND COMPLETELY. He teaches us to understand this deed of Christ which has been manifested to us, helps us receive and preserve it, use it to our advantage and impart it to

others, increase and extend it. He does this both inwardly and outwardly—inwardly by means of faith and other spiritual gifts, outwardly through the gospel, baptism, and the sacrament of the altar, through which as through three means or methods he comes to us and inculcates the sufferings of Christ for the benefit of our salvation.

Did you catch that? God gives Himself wholly and completely with all that He is and all that He has—to you! To me! God doesn’t live for Himself. He exists entirely for you! For your benefit! In terms of creaturely benefits as well as salvation benefits! And this means that our entire life and existence before God is passive. In other words, we are always on the receiving end of what the Lord gives in creation, redemption, and sanctification. And that passive life is spelled: F-A-I-T-H! This is just the opposite of how most people think about God. Most people would contend that God should be on the receiving end of our giving to Him! That we owe God! That we are under obligation! That we will all have to render an account of our giving and doing! And if that isn’t up to par, well, then we’ll hear,“Go to hell, do not pass go, do not collect …!”

Not true! Not even close! The Triune God is a giver of gifts.

And the giving includes Himself, all that He is, and all that He has! Dr. Luther wrote about it this way:“For this is a true God who gives and does not receive, who helps and does not let himself be helped, who teaches and rules and does not let himself be taught or ruled. In short, he does and gives everything, and he has need of no one; he does all things freely out of pure grace without merit, for the unworthy and undeserving, yes, for the damned and lost. This kind of remembrance, confession, and glory he desires to have.” (“Admonition Concerning the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus,” LW 38:107) This is just outstanding that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is for you! Completely! Totally! He will always be God for you as your creator, redeemer, and sanctifier!

Rev. Brent W. Kuhlman is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Murdock, Nebraska, and Vice President of Higher Things. He can be reached at bb5841@windstream.net.

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Give us this day our daily bread.

by Rev. William M. Cwirla

Let’s talk bread. Bread is the most basic of foods.

The “staff of life.” In Jesus’ day a couple of little loaves of bread and a few dried fish carried you through the day.

The Lord’s Prayer The Fourth Petition Give us this day our daily bread What does this mean? God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

From Luther’s Small Catechism © 1986 Concordia Publishing House. Used with permission.

All rights reserved. www.cph.org

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Ponder that humble loaf of bread. It starts as seed sown in the soil. The farmer harvests the seed. The miller grinds it. The baker bakes it.

The trucker ships it over roads from bakery to grocery store. The grocer sells it, and you buy it with money earned from your labors—unless you bake your own bread, but the point is still the same. There are lots of people involved, and lots of work, too. Bread is hard work.

Everything has to fall in place. Good weather, decent roads, sound economy. When things fail, bread becomes scarce and bread lines form. Luther was right.“Bread” embraces everything we need to support this body and life, right down to good neighbors. So when we pray,“Our Father in heaven...Give us this day our daily bread,” we are praying for everything we need to support body and life.

We pray not only for ourselves but for others, too. The Our Father is never prayed in isolation. Give us this day our daily bread. We’re in this together. Bread is community food. God doesn’t give out bread on an equal basis. He gives some more, some less. Those who have an abundance get to share with those who are lacking. The poor are a picture of the poverty of our faith; the generous wealthy a picture of our lavishly good Father in heaven.

In the Bible, bread goes back to Genesis 3.

Bread is post-Fall food. Before the Fall into sin, fruits and nuts were the diet. They involved no work; nothing died. Embryonic life. Just pluck, pick and eat. But after the Fall, food became work: cultivated plants and weeds and unyielding soil, grain and baking and sweat.“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread until you die.”

In the wilderness, the Israelites gathered bread from heaven. Manna. The name is a question:“What is it?” They’d never seen anything like it. Bread you didn’t work for. Free bread. Bread that came down from heaven each day. Daily bread in the wilderness.

Jesus multiplied bread miraculously. Five little loaves fed five thousand hungry men, along with their women and children. The

people wanted to make Jesus king, and who could blame them? Bread in abundance and plenty of leftovers. Food for nothing. The end of world hunger.

Give us this day our daily bread. God gives daily bread without our prayers, even to the wicked and unbelieving, just as He causes the rain and the sunshine to fall on the good and the evil alike. So then, why bother to pray? Why pray for daily bread when you have to bake it or pay someone else to bake it for you?

Prayer isn’t chiefly about getting stuff from God, even when we pray “give us.” It’s about keeping things in order—the Giver and the gift. In praying “Give us this day our daily bread” we are acknowledging the Father as the Source and Giver of our bread and all that the word “bread” entails—good weather, a plentiful harvest, a sound economy, peace, good neighbors, decent roads, the farmer, the miller, the baker. The Father is the Source and Giver of all these things, without any merit or worthiness on our part. He is the Giver and we are on the receiving end of His gifts. That’s why we pray,“Give us this day our daily bread” over the bread we for which we worked.

Jesus said,“I am the Bread of Life, living Bread come down from heaven.” Eat of this bread, and you will live forever. Ordinary bread we eat to our death. Even the manna in the wilderness, the bread from heaven, could not save the Israelites from death.“And the bread that I give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6). Jesus gives His Body for bread in His Supper. He takes ordinary, earthly bread and makes it something extraordinary and heavenly: His Body given into death for your life. Eat this Bread and you will live forever.

Give us this day our daily bread. On Your table and on ours. And for this daily bread, we give You thanks and praise, O Father in Heaven.

Rev. William M. Cwirla is the pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, California, and the President of Higher Things.

He can be reached at wcwirla@gmail.com.

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Coram Deo 2011 Higher Things Conferences

Coram Deo? What exactly does “Coram Deo” mean? Well, it’s Latin for “before God,” as in His presence, under His reign. Think a bit about living Coram Deo, before God. What does it mean that you live Coram Deo? Under the Law, life before God is terrifying. It is living under His judgment and wrath. But under the Gospel, life before God is beautiful, a restoration of what God intended when He made Man in the beginning.

H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 32

“Can mortal man be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?” (Job 4:17) This is the core religious question: How can a sinner destined to die stand before a righteous and holy God? Only by grace through faith for Christ’s sake!

July 5-8, 2011

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A HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “The Fourth Petition: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” Spring 2011 1. Consider what it takes to get a loaf of bread to your table. How many things have to fall into place?

How many things must the Lord provide, protect and preserve for us just to eat some bread? What are some other examples of the “process” by which the Lord provides for us?

Consider the farmer planting and tending the wheat, the harvest, the weather that needs to be good for the wheat to grow; the trucking of the grain to the bakery; the milling and baking; the transporting to the store; the workers in the store; the money parents earn from their vocation's to buy the bread, and so on. As further examples you might consider how something one youth owns is provided by something someone else does. For example, you might say that the pair of pants a person is wearing is provided by someone who drives a car. They bought the car that someone else's parent made in a factory somewhere. With a little thinking about the whole manner in which we obtain things, you can see that there are all sorts of intermediate steps where the Lord's hand must be to provide us the basic necessities of life.

Read the story of the manna in Exodus 16:4-30.

2. How did the Lord provide for the people? How much were they supposed to gather each day? What about before the Sabbath? What did some people do?

The Lord miraculously provided this bread for them in the wilderness. They could gather as much as they could eat, but anything extra would spoil. On the sixth day, however, they were to gather some for the Sabbath. Of course, some tried to hoard the manna and it went rotten. Others went looking on the Sabbath and there wasn't any.

3. What does the way in which the manna was to be gathered teach us about “daily” bread?

The Lord provided what they needed and no more. They learned to trust in the Lord to give them only what they needed for each day and not to try to hoard it. For the Sabbath, however, the Lord provided extra on the sixth day. This is a reminder that we are not to worry ahead but simply to trust in the Lord to provide us what we need each day.

4. Why does the Lord say what He does in v.28?

Here the Lord isn't just angry they can't follow simple instructions. Rather, He laments their unbelief.

The reason they tried to hoard the manna or collect it on the Sabbath is that they didn't trust in the

Lord to give them what they needed. They wanted more or extra or whatever He hadn't given, not trusting Him to provide for them. This shows the root of our ingratitude. It's not just that we don't say “Thank you,” it's that we don't believe and trust in the Lord to provide for us. This is evidenced in our lives by our always wanting more and something else and worrying about money and material things.

Read John 6:1-15 5. How does the Lord provide for the people near the Sea of Galilee? How does this story point to the Israelites in the desert? What differences are there?

Jesus feeds the five thousand by multiplying the loaves and fishes so that everyone is well fed. This hearkens back to the Lord providing manna for the people in the wilderness. It is a reminder that every gift of body and soul comes from the Lord. Notice, however, that where the Israelites in the desert had just enough, after the feeding of the 5,000, there were twelve baskets full of leftovers. Where Jesus is at work, there is more than you need, an abundance, as it is with His forgiveness which is way more than we have sins! The other difference is that Jesus will use this miracle as a direct introduction to an even greater bread...His flesh!

6. Read John 6:28-35. What does Jesus say about the manna? What is true of all the daily bread we consume?

The manna did not keep the Israelites from dying. Neither would the bread Jesus multiplied. The food and things of this life, as much as they are gifts from God, won't keep us from eventually dying. The problem with material things is that they can sustain us for awhile but never forever.

7. What is the “true bread from heaven” and what does it give us?

The True Bread is Christ Himself. The manna in many ways is a picture that points ahead to Jesus. It appears from above and sustains the people in the wilderness. Just show Jesus comes from above, is born of Mary and gives His flesh for the life of the world. He is the Bread of Life by which we have eternal life. To believe in Jesus is to have Bread that gives us life even when the daily bread we have won't sustain us any more.

8. Where do receive this True Daily Bread? See John 6:48-57.

Jesus speaks of “eating” by believing in Him but He also says clearly we are to eat and drink His flesh and blood. This doesn't mean to consume Him in a cannibalistic way! But His words do point ahead to the Institution of the Sacrament of the Altar when He will give His true body and blood to us to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.

9. How do we know we can trust the Lord for our daily bread? Romans 8:32.

If the Father gave His only begotten Son into death for our sins, He will surely take care of us in everything else. He teaches us to ask for our daily bread to trust in Him and learn that He is the one

who provides for all that we need.

10. Close by reading The Small Catechism, Lord's Prayer Fourth Petition and Meaning.

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A HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “The Fourth Petition: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” Spring 2011 1. Consider what it takes to get a loaf of bread to your table. How many things have to fall into place?

How many things must the Lord provide, protect and preserve for us just to eat some bread? What are some other examples of the “process” by which the Lord provides for us?

Read the story of the manna in Exodus 16:4-30.

2. How did the Lord provide for the people? How much were they supposed to gather each day? What about before the Sabbath? What did some people do?

3. What does the way in which the manna was to be gathered teach us about “daily” bread?

4. Why does the Lord say what He does in v.28?

Read John 6:1-15

5. How does the Lord provide for the people near the Sea of Galilee? How does this story point to the Israelites in the desert? What differences are there?

6. Read John 6:28-35. What does Jesus say about the manna? What is true of all the daily bread we consume?

7. What is the “true bread from heaven� and what does it give us?

8. Where do receive this True Daily Bread? See John 6:48-57.

9. How do we know we can trust the Lord for our daily bread? Romans 8:32.

10. Close by reading The Small Catechism, Lord's Prayer Fourth Petition and Meaning.

HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Deconstructing Evolution's Icons” Spring 2011 Overview: When looked at closely, the “icons” of evolution don't stand on their own merits. Rather, they are assumptions that break down when examined closely. This Bible Study looks at some key passages that remind us that human beings were created uniquely by God after all the other animals.

We bore the image of God once, lost it in the Fall and it is now restored in us in Christ, who is the “image” (literally “icon”) of God. 1. What are some of the common taunts that those who hold to the theory of evolution level against those who believe the Bible's account?

Answers will vary but the two big ones are that you can't prove what is in the Bible and that evolution is clearly based in observable science. Other insults might be that Christians believe in “myths” rather than “reason” and by doing so are anti-intellectual and unsophisticated.

Read Genesis 1:26-31 and answer the following.

2. How did God make man and what was different about man than the other animals? What did it mean to have this?

Man was made in the image and likeness of God. This means that man “looks like” God. It also means that when man and woman were first created, they had perfect fear, love and trust in God. They saw the Lord perfectly as their Father and looked to Him for all things.

3. What does it mean that man is given “dominion” over the earth and other creatures? How does this contradict the theory that life evolved without any design or purpose?

The Lord created things and then gave man authority over them. Adam and Eve were in God's place with respect to the rest of creation, to take care of it. We still see this order of things in the example of parents: Parents are given God's place in our lives to give us life and provide for us, and to teach us how to live and to have authority over us. God gives and has these things but He gives His honor to parents who are in His place. To say that life has no design or purpose clearly contradicts God's Word.

Man is not the random end result of some chemical process but the deliberate work of a loving Father who gives us the gift of life. In this sense, man IS the center of the universe as is proved when the Lord creates man and adds a “very” to His statement that it was all good.

4. Look at Genesis 1:11,21 and 25. What does it mean that these things were created “according to their kind?”

Here is the Word of God which says specifically that each thing was made as a unique type (species and so forth) and didn't come from something else. The basic principle of evolution is that all things have evolved via genetic mutation from simple one-celled organisms. While you can't “prove” that God created all things separately according to their kind, you cannot likewise prove that one type of animal began as another type. In light of the disproving of the embryo fraud (that all the stages of an embryo look like former animals humans supposedly were) this is a reminder that when science disproves itself, the answer was there all along in the Bible. Another example Rev. Schneider gives in the article is Darwin's finches. Sure, they changed colors and beak lengths and so on, but there were always finches!

They didn't turn into something else. And likewise the bacteria. While they can develop resistance to antibiotics, they don't change what sort of bacteria they are.

5. Rev. Schneider in his article debunks just a few of evolutions “icons,” that is, well-known and recurring items that supposedly support evolution but really even scientists no longer agree with. Why do you think such “icons” continue to persist? Consider John 8:44.

The devil is the “Father of Lies.” It should come as no surprise that if he can continue to spread false information through something as universal as our education system, he will do it. The purpose of these deceptions is simple: to introduce doubt of our heavenly Father. If we cannot see our heavenly Father's hand at work in creation, we won't trust or even believe in such a God. But the Lord doesn't settle for us to find Him up there somewhere, He comes to us in His Son, in the flesh.

6. An “icon” is something that represents something else by a picture. For example, the drawing of a human embryo that looks like all different animals we evolved from, even if it's incorrect, say “Evolution!” to people when they see it. What “icon” do we have that teaches us to say, “God! Lord!”

See Colossians 1:15-16.

Jesus is the “image” of God. (The literal Greek word is “icon”) That means that in Jesus, we see God. He is shown to us. Baptized into Christ, with Christ in us, we once again have the image of God in us, Christ Himself. Notice that St. Paul goes on to say that all things were created through Him. That means that the true Icon, the image of the Father, is the one who has made all things. Remind the youth that the “icons” of evolution continue to change but the truth of God's Word has been the same since it was written. As a comparison, ask the youth what the Bible taught about creation 2000 years ago and 200 years ago and today. Ask them what medicine was like 2000 years ago, 200 years ago and today!

7. What warning does St. Paul give to Timothy about worldly knowledge that might be well applied to being scared of such things as “evolution?” Read 1 Timothy 6:20-21.

Paul warns Timothy against what is “falsely called knowledge.” The operating assumption of most textbooks and even most people is that evolution is right and has been proven and that the Bible's explanation is just a made up story. As Rev. Schneider points out in his article, much of what has been “proven” has later been disproven or even exposed as pure fraud. Christians need not worry that the world thinks we're silly. At the same time, we are certainly at liberty to study these topics and learn how they don't always make sense and will usually fall into place just as the Bible has taught us.

8. While the Bible states the truth of how things were made it's purpose is not to be a science textbook.

What is the purpose of God's written Word and how can that help us sort things out when science is contrasted with the Bible? See John 20:30-31.

The Bible was written so that by its Word the Holy Spirit would work in us repentance for our sins and faith and trust in Jesus. While it is not inaccurate in any way, it doesn't answer every question there is about the world around us. In that sense, science, done reasonably, is a gift our Lord has given by which we can grow in our understanding of His creation. At the same time, our goal as Christians shouldn't be “proving evolution is wrong” or “proving the world was created in six days” but teaching people that God has sent His Son to rescue us from our sins. In an evolutionary understanding of things, death is a natural part of the process. God's Word teaches us that death is not natural and is an enemy but has been conquered by Jesus who died and rose again and gives us life even beyond this world.

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HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Deconstructing Evolution's Icons” Spring 2011 Overview: When looked at closely, the “icons” of evolution don't stand on their own merits. Rather, they are assumptions that break down when examined closely. This Bible Study looks at some key passages that remind us that human beings were created uniquely by God after all the other animals.

We bore the image of God once, lost it in the Fall and it is now restored in us in Christ, who is the “image” (literally “icon”) of God. 1. What are some of the common taunts that those who hold to the theory of evolution level against those who believe the Bible's account?

Read Genesis 1:26-31 and answer the following.

2. How did God make man and what was different about man than the other animals? What did it mean to have this?

3. What does it mean that man is given “dominion” over the earth and other creatures? How does this contradict the theory that life evolved without any design or purpose?

4. Look at Genesis 1:11,21 and 25. What does it mean that these things were created “according to their kind?”

5. Rev. Schneider in his article debunks just a few of evolutions “icons,” that is, well-known and recurring items that supposedly support evolution but really even scientists no longer agree with. Why do you think such “icons” continue to persist? Consider John 8:44.

6. An “icon” is something that represents something else by a picture. For example, the drawing of a human embryo that looks like all different animals we evolved from, even if it's incorrect, say “Evolution!” to people when they see it. What “icon” do we have that teaches us to say, “God! Lord!”

See Colossians 1:15-16.

7. What warning does St. Paul give to Timothy about worldly knowledge that might be well applied to being scared of such things as “evolution?” Read 1 Timothy 6:20-21.

8. While the Bible states the truth of how things were made it's purpose is not to be a science textbook.

What is the purpose of God's written Word and how can that help us sort things out when science is contrasted with the Bible? See John 20:30-31.

www.higherthings.org

A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY “Lord, I Forgive; Belp Me in My Unforgiveness!�

Spring 2011 1. Read Colossians 2:13-14. How does St. Paul illustrate the forgiveness of our trespasses?

St. Paul likens the forgiveness of our trespasses to being raised from death to life, and also canceling a debt by nailing it to the cross.

2. Read 1 John 1:8-9. Do we ever have to wonder whether we've committed a sin so great that God will not forgive us?

No! God is faithful and just, and He forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

3. In light of the fullness of God's forgiveness of our sins, are we ever justified in refusing to forgive others? (see Colossians 3:13 and Matthew 6:14-15).

In light of the forgiveness we have already received, we are called upon to forgive others.

Our Lord Jesus Christ warns us that our Father in heaven will withhold forgiveness from us if we do not forgive others.

4. Read Matthew 18:21-22. Does Peter appear to want to put limits on his obligation to forgive? What does Jesus say to this in His answer? What does this say about God's forgiveness of our sins?

Peter appears to assume that one might withhold forgiveness from a repeat offender. In answer to this, Jesus says that he must forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven.

Jesus here uses hyperbole, for He does not mean that we should count up to 490 sins and then withhold forgiveness (who keeps a record like that?), but that we are to forgive without limit because the grace and forgiveness we have received from Him is limitless.

5. Now read the parable through which our Lord illustrates His point for Peter (Matthew 18:23-35). How are we to view the sins committed us by our fellow sinners in light of the sins we have committed against God? In the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus compares our trespasses and sins to a debt to God that can never be repaid. Meanwhile, the sins that others commit against us

are insignificant in comparison with our own against God. In the story, the king shows mercy to his servant, even though he would have been justified in putting him in jail for life. But having received the king's mercy, the servant fails to show mercy to his fellow man, and this ultimately results in his imprisonment. The parable teaches us that the forgiveness God requires of us is the same forgiveness He has already won for us and freely given us in His grace and mercy.

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY “Lord, I Forgive; Belp Me in My Unforgiveness!�

Spring 2011 1. Read Colossians 2:13-14. How does St. Paul illustrate the forgiveness of our trespasses?

2. Read 1 John 1:8-9. Do we ever have to wonder whether we've committed a sin so great that God will not forgive us?

3. In light of the fullness of God's forgiveness of our sins, are we ever justified in refusing to forgive others? (see Colossians 3:13 and Matthew 6:14-15).

4. Read Matthew 18:21-22. Does Peter appear to want to put limits on his obligation to forgive? What does Jesus say to this in His answer? What does this say about God's forgiveness of our sins?

5. Now read the parable through which our Lord illustrates His point for Peter (Matthew

18:23-35). How are we to view the sins committed us by our fellow sinners in light of the sins we have committed against God?

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HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Ghosts and The Gospel” Spring 2011 1. What is a ghost? What do people mean by talking about “ghosts?” Why do you think shows and movies about “ghosts” are so popular?

Answers will vary but generally the definition Pastor Grams uses in the article is common: A soul that has died without peace and must wander this earth and haunt it. Ghosts are popular because of the many unexplained experiences people have. Ultimately it comes down to the influence of the devil, who desires to turn our attention away from Christ and his power over the devi,l to believe in and be scared by things we cannot explain, and possibly to turn away from God's Word as the basis for what we believe about life after death.

2. What does the Bible say about what happens to us when we die? Does it indicate that we might be wandering or lost souls or spirits? See 2 Samuel 12:22-23; Hebrews 9:27 and Luke 23:43.

There is nothing in God's Word that indicates people will stay around after death. On the contrary, we die once and are judged; the thief was with Jesus when He died and David indicated he would see his child in death, but not again in this life.

3. Read John 14:3. What promise do we have from Jesus regarding those who die in Him? The Lord prepares a place for us. When we die, we are with the Lord. We need not worry that someone is wandering around without peace or is “stuck” in this world.

4. What must we keep in mind when thinking of spiritual things that may frighten us? See Ephesians 6:12.

There truly are demonic forces at work in this world. They have as their mission to frighten us and scare us away from Christ. If we begin to believe that souls can wander lost in this world, then we have forgotten that Christ is the Lord and conqueror of death.

5. What unseen forces may we take comfort in? What do these do? See Hebrews 1:14.

Just as demons are real, so are the holy angels whom the Lord sends to minister to us and protect us.

We should be confident that those who serve the Lord are far more powerful than those who serve the evil one.

6. What does God's Word say about seeking out such experiences or trusting in them? See

Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

The practices of witchcraft and sorcery and calling on the dead were common in the land the Israelites conquered. The Lord didn't want them to imitate these false beliefs, which would take them away from Him. So today, anything that deceives or takes away from Christ should be avoided.

7. Read Luke 10:17-20. What was the effect of the preaching of the Gospel? What warning does the Lord give? What promise?

When the Gospel is preached, Satan flees before it. The preaching of the forgiveness of sins for Jesus' sake drives away the devil. This is why the first part of the Baptismal Liturgy used to be called the “exorcism,” because Satan was being chased away. The Lord wants to make sure that His disciples know that the big deal isn't the supernatural behind-the-scenes. Rather, the big promise is that their names are written in the Book of Life.

8. What practical advice is there if you experience something along these lines that troubles you and cannot be easily explained?

Pastor Grams is helpful in pointing us to the Morning and Evening Prayers in the Catechism, both of which contain the phrase, “Let your holy angel be with me that the evil foe may have no power over me.” Also, the making of the sign of the cross is encouraged in the Large Catechism on the Second Commandment. You might share these words with the youth: “This is also a blessed and useful habit and very effectual against the devil, who is ever about us, and lies in wait to bring us into sin and shame, calamity and trouble, but who is very loath to hear God's name, and cannot remain long where it is uttered and called upon from the heart. And, indeed, many a terrible and shocking calamity would befall us if, by our calling upon His name, God did not preserve us. 72] I have myself tried it, and learned by experience that often sudden great calamity was immediately averted and removed during such invocation. To vex the devil, I say, we should always have this holy name in our mouth, so that he may not be able to injure us as he wishes.

73] For this end it is also of service that we form the habit of daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, children, servants, and all that we have, against every need that may occur; whence also the blessing and thanksgiving at meals, and other prayers, morning and evening, have originated and remain in use. 74] Likewise the practice of children to cross themselves when anything monstrous or terrible is seen or heard, and to exclaim: "Lord God, protect us!" "Help, dear Lord Jesus!" etc.” (Large Catechism) Finally, it is good advice to speak with one's pastor, that he may guide us with the Word of God to those promises of Jesus which cast down the troubling lies of Satan.

9. Close with Luther's Morning or Evening Prayer as appropriate. “A Mighty Fortress” is a good hymn to sing as well, rejoicing in the Lord's victory over our enemy, the devil.

HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Ghosts and The Gospel” Spring 2011 1. What is a ghost? What do people mean by talking about “ghosts?” Why do you think shows and movies about “ghosts” are so popular?

2. What does the Bible say about what happens to us when we die? Does it indicate that we might be wandering or lost souls or spirits? See 2 Samuel 12:22-23; Hebrews 9:27 and Luke 23:43.

3. Read John 14:3. What promise do we have from Jesus regarding those who die in Him?

4. What must we keep in mind when thinking of spiritual things that may frighten us? See Ephesians 6:12.

5. What unseen forces may we take comfort in? What do these do? See Hebrews 1:14.

6. What does God's Word say about seeking out such experiences or trusting in them? See Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

7. Read Luke 10:17-20. What was the effect of the preaching of the Gospel? What warning does the Lord give? What promise?

8. What practical advice is there if you experience something along these lines that troubles you and cannot be easily explained?

9. Close with Luther's Morning or Evening Prayer as appropriate. “A Mighty Fortress� is a good hymn to sing as well, rejoicing in the Lord's victory over our enemy, the devil.

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A HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Put Guilt in Its Place” Spring 2011 Overview: Guilt can be good or bad. When God's Word leads our conscience to feel sorry for what we've done, such a feeling of guilty properly leads us to repentance. But a false guilt, which denies that we are forgiven, thinks that our sins are too big for Jesus, or leads us into despair is a tool of the Accuser (Satan). This Bible Study points us to the promises of God which teach us that God has forgiven the guilt of our sins and we stand before Him (“Coram Deo”) at peace.

1. Read Romans 2:12-15. What does it mean that the Law is written on our hearts? Why does it sometimes accuse or sometimes excuse?

The notion that we should believe in God and help not hurt others is something we are born with. The Lord has built these ideas into our conscience. However, since the fall into sin, our consciences don't always follow the course of doing what is right. When we do wrong, our consciences often accuse us and give us a sense of guilt. On the other hand, our sinful nature makes it easy to dismiss our conscience or even manipulate it into excusing our sins.

2. What are responses to our guilt? How do we usually deal with it?

Answers will vary but may includes such ideas as ignoring it, trying to compensate by doing something good, or “making deals” with God if He'll make the feelings of guilt go away. Most often, we try to justify our actions by making excuses, even if the guilt inside of us is eating away at us.

3. What Good News is given by St. Paul to those who are troubled by their guilt and can't seem to get rid of it on their own? See Romans 4:5.

Good works are not equal to sins. You can't make up for a sin by doing a good work. Trying to overcome what we've done wrong by trying harder to keep the Commandments is a dead end. It will only lead to more guilt and despair. The Good News is that the Lord has taken care of our guilt by justifying us freely by grace for Christ's sake through faith. It is through faith in Jesus and His death for our sins that our guilt will be overcome.

4. What comfort does Jesus give to those who are bearing burdens of guilt and trying to overcome that guilt and save themselves? Read Matthew 11:28-30.

Jesus makes a point of saying that He did not come to bring more burdens of guilt and shame. He came to lighten our load, to take the burden of our guilt and sins upon Himself. His reference to His burden being “light” is simply the teaching that to live in Christ and let Him have the burden of our sins is far

better than to try to carry these things ourselves.

5. As an example of the power of guilt, consider Judas. How does he address the guilt of his sins? See Matthew 27:3-5.

Judas DOES feel bad for what he did by betraying Jesus. He went to the religious leaders and confessed his sin. But they are the religion of the Law and there command to “see to it yourself” means that it is on Judas to deal with his own sins and guilt. But that is a dead end. There was nothing there but despair and so he killed himself. Judas, in the end, didn't know that Jesus has borne his burden and so carries it himself into death.

6. What are the two kinds of feelings of guilt and sorrow for our sins? See 2 Corinthians 7:9-10.

Sorrow in and of itself and for its own sake, feelings of guilt, etc. by themselves don't do any good. Just feeling bad about our sins doesn't get rid of them. Paul spells out that godly sorrow leads to repentance unto salvation. It is important to point out that simply being sorry about something doesn't make it go away, fix it, or erase the guilt we have before God. We need the Spirit to work in us, by His Word, true repentance which turns to Christ for forgiveness.

7. What role do our feelings of guilt have in true repentance? Consider this definition of repentance: “Repentance has two parts. One part is contrition, that is, terrors striking the conscience through the knowledge of sin. The other part is faith, which is born of the Gospel or the Absolution and believes that for Christ's sake, sins are forgiven.” (Augsburg Confession, Article 12) Feelings of sorrow or guilt over sin ought to be part of repentance; but true repentance doesn't stop with just feeling bad, but is turned to faith and trust that, for Jesus' sake, those sins are forgiven.

8. Where do we hear that our sins are forgiven?

We can hear this good news from any Christian but primarily it is given in the Divine Service where the Gospel is preached and Absolution and the Sacrament are given for the forgiveness of sins.

9. What should we do if we know that our sins are forgiven but we still feel guilty about them?

Good counsel here is to direct kids to their pastor, perhaps for Private Absolution. The pastor, one on one, can help a Christian see how their sins cause them guilt and trouble and then lay on his hands and give them personal, just-for-them absolution, the powerful voice of the Lord declaring their sins are gone!

10. What promise does the Lord give about our sins in Isaiah 43:25? What does this mean for our standing before God? See Romans 5:1.

The Lord promises to forget our sins. Period. Not to dredge them up or keep them on our “permanent record.� Forget them. He forgets them because they have been wiped out by the blood of Jesus. Paul tells us that now we have peace with God. Guilt is ultimately fear that God is going to deal with us according to our sins. Peace with God means precisely that He will NOT deal with us according to our sins, but looks upon us kindly and compassionately in Christ, for whose sake our sins are forgiven.

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A HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Put Guilt in Its Place” Spring 2011 Overview: Guilt can be good or bad. When God's Word leads our conscience to feel sorry for what we've done, such a feeling of guilty properly leads us to repentance. But a false guilt, which denies that we are forgiven, thinks that our sins are too big for Jesus, or leads us into despair is a tool of the Accuser (Satan). This Bible Study points us to the promises of God which teach us that God has forgiven the guilt of our sins and we stand before Him (“Coram Deo”) at peace.

1. Read Romans 2:12-15. What does it mean that the Law is written on our hearts? Why does it sometimes accuse or sometimes excuse?

2. What are responses to our guilt? How do we usually deal with it?

3. What Good News is given by St. Paul to those who are troubled by their guilt and can't seem to get rid of it on their own? See Romans 4:5.

4. What comfort does Jesus give to those who are bearing burdens of guilt and trying to overcome that guilt and save themselves? Read Matthew 11:28-30.

5. As an example of the power of guilt, consider Judas. How does he address the guilt of his sins? See Matthew 27:3-5.

6. What are the two kinds of feelings of guilt and sorrow for our sins? See 2 Corinthians 7:9-10.

7. What role do our feelings of guilt have in true repentance? Consider this definition of repentance: “Repentance has two parts. One part is contrition, that is, terrors striking the conscience through the knowledge of sin. The other part is faith, which is born of the Gospel or the Absolution and believes that for Christ's sake, sins are forgiven.� (Augsburg Confession, Article 12)

8. Where do we hear that our sins are forgiven?

9. What should we do if we know that our sins are forgiven but we still feel guilty about them?

10. What promise does the Lord give about our sins in Isaiah 43:25? What does this mean for our standing before God? See Romans 5:1.

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY “God Gives Himself—For You” Spring 2011 1. Read John 10:11. What makes the Good Shepherd good? What does this say about the purpose of our Lord's incarnation?

The Good Shepherd is good in that He lays down (gives) His life for His sheep. This is His whole purpose in being made flesh and dwelling among us. This is also what is declared in John 3:16-17. Don't forget to read that one!

2. Read Romans 8:31-32. What does St. Paul teach here about how readily God will provide for His people? What does this reveal about God's love for you?

God did not even spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all. This assures us that He will give us all things–that He holds nothing back from us. His love for us is eternal and unbreakable.

3. Now take a look at Galatians 2:20-21. St. Paul rejoices that the Son of God gave Himself for him. His joy is in the knowledge that Jesus died for his sins. But look carefully at what he says next: I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose (ESV). According to St. Paul's reasoning here, what might he try to do in order to nullify (set aside) God's Law? What does this tell us about the relationship between righteousness and works?

St. Paul equates nullification of the Law with seeking to be righteous through the Law. That is, if he were to try to make himself righteous in God's eyes through his works, then he would be rejecting the grace of God. For if we can make ourselves righteous by keeping the Law (obeying the Ten Commandments perfectly), then there would be no reason for Christ Jesus to die for us! Indeed, Jesus gave Himself for us because His blood would accomplish what ours never could–atonement for our sin and redemption of our souls. St. Paul also teaches in this passage that his good works as a Christian are not what led to his salvation, but they are the result of his salvation in Christ. So, our good works are done not because we hope to be saved by them, but they are rather the fruits of the faith that has already saved us. To use St. Paul's words, it is not we who live, but Christ who lives in us.

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY “God Gives Himself—For You” Spring 2011 1. Read John 10:11. What makes the Good Shepherd good? What does this say about the purpose of our Lord's incarnation?

2. Read Romans 8:31-32. What does St. Paul teach here about how readily God will provide for His people? What does this reveal about God's love for you?

3. Now take a look at Galatians 2:20-21. St. Paul rejoices that the Son of God gave Himself for him. His joy is in the knowledge that Jesus died for his sins. But look carefully at what he says next: I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose (ESV). According to St. Paul's reasoning here, what might he try to do in order to nullify (set aside) God's Law? What does this tell us about the relationship between righteousness and works?

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY "The Divine Service Liturgy: Perfect Praise Every Time" Spring 2011

Overview: Pastor Sollberger invites us to consider the differences between what is commonly referred to as “contemporary” or praise worship and the historic liturgy of the Divine Service.

One tends to emphasize the work and praise of man, while the other emphasizes the work and activity of God in the context of the Service. The following questions will take us deeper into this topic, and explore what God’s Word has to say about worship.

1. Why, according to the article, is it not a good idea to trust human feelings and emotions when it comes to discussions about worship? See Jeremiah 17:9, Genesis 6:5, and Matthew 15:19.

Scripture teaches that the human heart is full of sin and cannot be trusted. It is “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9). Out of it come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, blasphemies, and the like (Matthew 15:19). Emotions change. They fluctuate. One day we feel like we really love God. The next we feel like we could not care less. God’s Word, on the other hand, is neverchanging, and is always reliable and trustworthy.

2. Promoters of contemporary worship often think that having praise bands and more “upbeat” music will draw a younger crowd, and will be an evangelism tool for reaching the lost. What leads Pastor Sollberger to disagree with this thinking?

For one thing, many of those who promote so-called “contemporary worship” are of an older crowd. Pastor Sollberger questions the idea that it is the style of music that grows Christ’s church because Scripture says that God’s Word alone makes Christians.

3. Read Isaiah 55:10-11 and review the meaning of the 3rd article of the Apostles’ Creed. What do the words of Isaiah and Luther’s Small Catechism remind us about how God brings people into His Church?

They teach us that the Holy Spirit “called us by the Gospel.” The Word of God gets all the credit for making us members of Christ’s holy Body, the Church. We cannot, as Luther states, by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ our Lord or come to him. This is all the work of God, through His Word, in those who believe. Christians should simply trust the Word to do what it has said it will do.

4. Discuss what the author means by saying that “Emotion can never lead to faith, but faith often leads to emotion.” How do Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 and Psalm 51:15 support this idea?

We learned already that it is the Word alone that creates faith. So, emotions do not ever lead to faith, since that would mean that the Word is not responsible for it. However, it is very true that faith, especially when it is grounded in the truths of God’s Word, leads to an emotional experience. One may have a strong sense of joy in the knowledge that Christ has risen from the dead and defeated death and hell. One may also be moved to a deep emotion of gratitude by the knowledge of Christ’s sacrifice unto death for our sins.

5. Why, according to the article, is it important that God have the first word in worship?

The Introduction to the Lutheran Worship hymnal that was widely used in many Lutheran Churches in the 80s and 90s says, “Our Lord speaks, and we listen. His Word bestows what it says…” When the church lets God have the first word in the Divine Service, then the proper relationship is established immediately. It was God who first spoke and brought all things into existence at Creation. Psalm 51 says, “O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise.” It establishes God as giver and we as recipients of his gifts, which come through His Word.

6. How does the term “Divine Service” more effectively communicate what happens in a worship service?

As the article points out, Divine Service puts the emphasis on God as the one who is serving us.

Worship, though in itself not a bad word to use, emphasizes what we are doing. We are the subject, and God is the object of our worship. Using the term “Divine Service” puts things in their proper order.

7. In the liturgy, who is the primary actor/server? Why is this important? See Matthew 20:28.

What primarily is man’s role in the Divine Service?

As noted above, God himself is the primary server. Jesus says that He came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. How true this is in the context of the Divine Service, where the living Lord comes and serves His Bride with forgiveness and mercy.

8. How does God define “praise” in Psalm 51:16-17?

Unlike the definition that one often hears where contemporary worship is the norm, praise is defined as a “broken and contrite spirit.” True praise is essentially saying “amen” to God’s Word of Law and His Word of Gospel. It is acknowledging the truth of His Word, both as it convicts us of our sins and as it soothes the afflicted conscience.

9. Why is it comforting to know that the “Divine Service liturgy never depends on us having to be uplifted in our thoughts and feelings�?

If the Divine Service liturgy depended on us having to be uplifted in our thoughts and feelings, then we could never be certain if we were praising God or worshiping him rightly. But since the Divine Service depends on things that do not change, we can be certain that we are truly worshiping God as He desires.

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY "The Divine Service Liturgy: Perfect Praise Every Time" Spring 2011

1. Why, according to the article, is it not a good idea to trust human feelings and emotions when it comes to discussions about worship? See Jeremiah 17:9, Genesis 6:5, and Matthew 15:19.

2. Promoters of contemporary worship often think that having praise bands and more “upbeat” music will draw a younger crowd, and will be an evangelism tool for reaching the lost. What leads Pastor Sollberger to disagree with this thinking?

3. Read Isaiah 55:10-11 and review the meaning of the 3rd article of the Apostles’ Creed. What do the words of Isaiah and Luther’s Small Catechism remind us about how God brings people into His Church?

4. Discuss what the author means by saying that “Emotion can never lead to faith, but faith often leads to emotion.” How do Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 and Psalm 51:15 support this idea?

5. Why, according to the article, is it important that God have the first word in worship?

6. How does the term “Divine Service” more effectively communicate what happens in a worship service?

7. In the liturgy, who is the primary actor/server? Why is this important? See Matthew 20:28.

What primarily is man’s role in the Divine Service?

8. How does God define “praise” in Psalm 51:16-17?

9. Why is it comforting to know that the “Divine Service liturgy never depends on us having to be uplifted in our thoughts and feelings”?

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY “Use and Abuse: The Proper Role of Reason in the Christian Faith�

Spring 2011

1. Read Isaiah 55:6-9. According to verses 8 and 9, does the LORD teach His people that He thinks like us or that His ways are different from ours? Use your answer as a clue in defining who the wicked and unrighteous are in verse 7. As a result, what should we learn NOT to expect from God? These words of Isaiah teach quite clearly that God does not behave the way we do or think the way we think. His thoughts and ways are as far above ours as the heavens are above the earth. This suggests that the wicked and unrighteous in verse 7 are those who have departed from the LORD and do not seek Him because of the use of their reason and the fact that God's ways are not like theirs. As a result, we should not expect God to think and act the way we do.

2. God's words about Himself in Isaiah 55 might be a little unsettling to us at first. After all, it is much easier to trust someone who is like us than someone who is not. But read Jeremiah 17:7-8. May we still trust in the LORD, even when it seems that the whole world thinks we're crazy?

Yes! For our Lord promises us that those who trust in Him will not be left desolate but will be given all they need, like a tree next to a stream.

3. Perhaps the best discussion in all of Scripture about the wisdom of God not meshing too well with our human reason is in the first two chapters of I Corinthians. Read I Corinthians 1:17-31. Does St. Paul try to tell us that the Gospel is true because it makes sense to our reason (and by extension, would make sense to the unbelieving world)?

No. In fact, St. Paul states the opposite in pointing out that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.

4. Now take another look at I Corinthians 1:25. Does St. Paul conclude that God needs to rethink His message and try another way to get through to the world?

No. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men (i.e., the wisdom of human reason), the problem is not with God or His revelation of the Gospel but with the world's

unbelief.

5. Finally, take a look at I Corinthians 2:6-10. In light of these words, where does our wisdom come from–our common sense (reason), or from the Spirit of God? The latter. In fact, St. Paul tells us that the wisdom that comes from the Spirit will even contradict what we get from our reason.

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY “Use and Abuse: The Proper Role of Reason in the Christian Faith�

Spring 2011

1. Read Isaiah 55:6-9. According to verses 8 and 9, does the LORD teach His people that He thinks like us or that His ways are different from ours? Use your answer as a clue in defining who the wicked and unrighteous are in verse 7. As a result, what should we learn NOT to expect from God?

2. God's words about Himself in Isaiah 55 might be a little unsettling to us at first. After all, it is much easier to trust someone who is like us than someone who is not. But read Jeremiah 17:7-8. May we still trust in the LORD, even when it seems that the whole world thinks we're crazy?

3. Perhaps the best discussion in all of Scripture about the wisdom of God not meshing too well with our human reason is in the first two chapters of I Corinthians. Read I Corinthians 1:17-31. Does St. Paul try to tell us that the Gospel is true because it makes sense to our reason (and by extension, would make sense to the unbelieving world)?

4. Now take another look at I Corinthians 1:25. Does St. Paul conclude that God needs to rethink His message and try another way to get through to the world?

5. Finally, take a look at I Corinthians 2:6-10. In light of these words, where does our wisdom come from–our common sense (reason), or from the Spirit of God?

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY "Here You Stand" Spring 2011 Overview: In his article, Pastor Borghardt uses the expression Coram Deo, meaning “Before God.” The first part of the article describes how we stand Coram Deo in our sins and under the condemnation of the Law. The second part describes our standing before God in Christ Jesus, under the forgiveness of the Gospel. To prepare for this Bible study, read Romans 5:15-21.

1. The article describes the foolishness of trying to “charm” God with one’s own works, reminding us that God knows our deepest, darkest secrets. What does St. Paul say about those who would rely on works of the Law in Galatians 3:10?

St. Paul says that everyone who relies on the works of the Law is under a curse.

2. Read James 2:10. What does this verse say to those who would reason to themselves: “I’ve done well in most of the things that are required by God in His Law; that should be enough.”?

James says that one minor infraction of the Law makes one guilty of all of it. There is no “good enough” when it comes to the Law. 3. When Isaiah was called by God as a prophet, he saw a vision of God on his throne, and realized that he was standing Coram Deo (Before God). He was immediately afraid for his life.

What reason does Isaiah give for his fear? See Isaiah 6:1-5.

In verse 5, Isaiah says that he is a man of unclean lips and he lives in the midst of a people of unclean lips. He is a sinner, and he knows that he does not deserve to be the presence of the living God. 4. What did the seraphim do to remove Isaiah’s fear? See Isaiah 6:6-7.

One of the seraphim brings a coal from the altar (part of the sacrifice, no doubt), and touches it to Isaiah’s lips and declares him to be forgiven. This is similar to the way the pastor puts the Body and Blood of the Lord on the lips of communicants, by which they are also forgiven.

5. If the Law makes us truly sinful Coram Deo, what, according to Pastor Borghardt, makes the sinner truly righteous Coram Deo? Review the meaning of the 2nd Article of the Apostles’ Creed.

The death and resurrection of Jesus are what make us righteous in God’s sight. As Pastor Borghardt writes, “Because He lives, you now stand before God forgiven.” It is not because of anything that we have done, but only because we trust in the righteousness of Christ.

6. In the Parable of the Publican and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14), only the tax collector returned to his house “justified.” Why was this man, and not the Pharisee, justified Coram Deo? The tax collector returns to his house justified before God because he trusts not in his own works, but in the mercy of God. “God be merciful to me, the sinner.” His words show a faith that believes that God is merciful toward sinners who trust in Him. 7. Can believers be absolutely certain that they are forgiven in God’s sight? If so, then on what does our certainty lie? See Galatians 3:13-14 for a hint.

Yes! Believers in Christ can be absolutely certain that they are forgiven in God’s sight. For Scripture says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” And St. Paul says that Christ has removed the curse by becoming a curse for us.

8. Discuss how we stand Coram Deo in the Divine Service.

In the Divine Service, God Himself is present. We assemble in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. His Word is read. His Supper is administered. We stand Coram Deo in the Confession of Sins, acknowledging our guilt in his sight. We stand Coram Deo in the Absolution, hearing the heavenly verdict: You are forgiven by God. We stand Coram Deo in the Lord’s Supper, receiving on our lips the very Body and Blood of our Savior for the forgiveness of our sins.

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY "Here You Stand" Spring 2011

1. The article describes the foolishness of trying to “charm” God with one’s own works, reminding us that God knows our deepest, darkest secrets. What does St. Paul say about those who would rely on works of the Law in Galatians 3:10?

2. Read James 2:10. What does this verse say to those who would reason to themselves: “I’ve done well in most of the things that are required by God in His Law; that should be enough.”?

3. When Isaiah was called by God as a prophet, he saw a vision of God on his throne, and realized that he was standing Coram Deo (Before God). He was immediately afraid for his life.

What reason does Isaiah give for his fear? See Isaiah 6:1-5.

4. What did the seraphim do to remove Isaiah’s fear? See Isaiah 6:6-7.

5. If the Law makes us truly sinful Coram Deo, what, according to Pastor Borghardt, makes the sinner truly righteous Coram Deo? Review the meaning of the 2nd Article of the Apostles’ Creed.

6. In the Parable of the Publican and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14), only the tax collector returned to his house “justified.” Why was this man, and not the Pharisee, justified Coram Deo?

7. Can believers be absolutely certain that they are forgiven in God’s sight? If so, then on what does our certainty lie? See Galatians 3:13-14 for a hint.

8. Discuss how we stand Coram Deo in the Divine Service.

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A HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY "Stem Cell Research—Understanding the Basics" Spring 2011 Overview: The underlying question addressed by this article and that which is at the center of the embryonic stem cell debate is when does life begin. But also key is the recognition that all life is a gift from God and only He has the authority to give or take that life.

1. What separated man from the other beasts when the Lord first created all things? How was that life given to Man? See Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7.

God creates man in His own image. He is given life when the Spirit (“breath”) is breathed into him.

This is a reminder that God is the one who creates and gives life. It is important to remember, however, that the image of God has been lost through our fall into sin. This means it is not correct to give an intrinsic value to life “just because God made it.” While it is true that life is always a gift from the Lord, the value that is placed upon it is given by what Christ did to redeem us all from sin. See the next question.

2. What gives human life its value in the Lord's eyes? See Colossians 1:15-16.

The image of God has always been connected to Christ, even before the Fall! Thus human life has always (before and after the Fall) had its value and worth “in Christ.” That means that killing a human life (as embryonic stem cell harvesting does) is not simply a breaking of the Law (murder) but even worse, a denial of the Gospel—that God redeems all people in Christ.

3. Read Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5. What do these verses tell us about the Lord giving us life and knowing us?

We are to always operate under the assumption that the Lord gives us life from the moment of conception (sperm penetrating egg). The miracle of life is in how the Lord knits us so wonderfully together. The human body is a physical marvel that begins with just two cells and grows into an immensely complex body that science still continues to learn about.

4. Read Luke 1:31 and 2:6-7. What does it mean for our understanding of life that the Son of God was conceived and born?

When the Son of God is incarnate (becomes man; takes on flesh), He is what we are completely, from the very time of conception (though without sin because He has no earthly father). Jesus was a baby in the womb as we were babies in the womb. There is no part of our lives which is not redeemed and

sanctified because Jesus Himself was everything we are. The fact that Jesus shares in these early stages of life and growth as part of His being man teaches us that the value of life is in Jesus being what we are to save us from our sin (which we have had since conception). To put it another way, to kill an embryo is to deny that Jesus was an embryo or “fetus” or better, a baby in the womb. It's to deny the Gospel that He was conceived and born as our Savior!

5. How would you respond to someone who says that it doesn't matter if we kill (“harvest”) embryos because “nature” does it anyway in the form of miscarriages? How might Psalm 104:29-30 and Isaiah 55:8 give us words to use in our answer?

The Scriptures do not answer that question of “What happens to babies who die in the womb?” We know from John the Baptist leaping in the womb (Luke 1:41) that a child in the womb can hear the word of God. As Christians, we are comforted that the Word saves even a baby who is not born. The Scriptures referenced remind us that it is the Lord alone who gives or takes life. It is sin that presumes to decide instead of God when a human life should be taken. (Note that for the specific causes of capital punishment and war, the Lord grants authority and exceptions to the kingdoms of this world.)

The answer to this question posed above is best summarized by saying that while the Lord may choose to take life from an unborn child, it is not our place to do so, lest we be guilty of bloodshed and murder.

6. Embryonic stem cell research is often called “noble” and “necessary” for the cure of various diseases and since it could help others, it is wrong not to use it. How would you respond to that? See Isaiah 10:2 and Mark 12:31.

To use one person for the gain of another person is not only murder but a twisted denial of our command to love our neighbor. Dr. Lamb helpful points out in his article that “ God has shown His love for us on the cross, not in the absence of disease.” It would be good to share with the youth that portion of the article that deals with the “Theology of the Cross.”

7. Considering the fact that adult stem cells have proven far more effective in treating disease, what do you think may account for the continued drive by some to use embryonic stem cells? See John 8:44.

This is purely a Satanic attack on all life. The more the devil can do to convince us that life does not truly begin in the womb, the more death and destruction he can wreak in the world. We ought to understand that just because we are capable of doing something doesn't mean we should do it. In the case of embryonic stem cells, the devil tempts us by the logic that such a clump of cells is not a real person or can't feel pain or whatever. He lies and murders with this attack on the unborn.

8. Why does Jesus say that He has come in John 10:10.

Here Jesus is referring not just to physical life but eternal life that is given by the forgiveness of sins.

Like anyone, we ought to pray that an unborn child, no matter how small, may be brought to birth safely and then to the new birth of water and the Spirit in Holy Baptism.

9. Read the explanations to the Three Articles of the Creed in the Small Catechism. In what ways is God active in giving us life and preserving our lives?

The First Article teaches that it is our Father who gives us all things. We ought to thank and praise Him for such gifts, not throw them away. The Second Article says that the Son redeemed our lives, giving them value and identity in Him. After all, He Himself is one of us now by His incarnation. The Third Article teaches us that the Spirit sanctifies us by the Word; we are made holy by the Spirit through the Word and preserved in His church unto eternal life. Remind youth that the “Big Picture” means seeing an embryo not as a “collection of cells” but as a unique human being for whom the Son of God became man and gave His life and rose again. That's the basis for our response as Christians to such challenging ideas as embryonic stem cell research.

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A HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY "Stem Cell Research—Understanding the Basics" Spring 2011

1. What separated man from the other beasts when the Lord first created all things? How was that life given to Man? See Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7.

2. What gives human life its value in the Lord's eyes? See Colossians 1:15-16.

3. Read Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5. What do these verses tell us about the Lord giving us life and knowing us?

4. Read Luke 1:31 and 2:6-7. What does it mean for our understanding of life that the Son of God was conceived and born?

5. How would you respond to someone who says that it doesn't matter if we kill (“harvest”) embryos because “nature” does it anyway in the form of miscarriages? How might Psalm 104:29-30 and Isaiah 55:8 give us words to use in our answer?

6. Embryonic stem cell research is often called “noble” and “necessary” for the cure of various diseases and since it could help others, it is wrong not to use it. How would you respond to that? See Isaiah 10:2 and Mark 12:31.

7. Considering the fact that adult stem cells have proven far more effective in treating disease, what do you think may account for the continued drive by some to use embryonic stem cells? See John 8:44.

8. Why does Jesus say that He has come in John 10:10.

9. Read the explanations to the Three Articles of the Creed in the Small Catechism. In what ways is God active in giving us life and preserving our lives?

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A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY "Vocation 101" Spring 2011

Overview: Dan Engle uses his experience working with Egyptian Muslims to explain the roles that Christians play in their daily callings. Every believer is a member of the Body of Christ, and each has a different part to play within that Body. Some are called to serve the Lord as pastors and other church workers. Others serve the Lord in non-church related careers. With this understanding, Mr. Engle could, in good conscience, serve even Muslims in love.

1. As a teacher in a classroom full of Muslims, what was Mr. Engle’s primary calling in that place: to bear witness of the Gospel to Muslims, or to teach them computer software? Explain your answer.

His primary calling was to teach them computer software. He notes that he was not a minister of the Gospel. He was serving God by serving his neighbor, who in this case happened to be a class full of Muslims.

2. Why did he feel that it would have been wrong for him to use the classroom as a platform to teach them the Gospel? What did Mr. Engle say he would have done if the topic of religion had come up?

It would have been wrong because he did not have a call to preach the Gospel to those students.

If the topic of religion had come up, he would have continued the conversation outside of class, which would have been the appropriate time and place to share his faith with them.

3. Read 1 Corinthians 12:27-31. According to v. 27, what does St. Paul say is the first “calling” of every believer? Why is it important for Christians to remember this?

The first call of every Christian is a call to membership in the body of Christ. It is important for Christians to remember this because it reminds us that regardless of what we are doing in service to our neighbor, we are freed from the condemnation of the Law and live under the grace of God in Jesus. We may have confusion at times as to what we are supposed to be doing in life, but we never need to be confused about our membership in Christ’s body, the Church.

4. The article gives several examples of the various “vocations” that individual Christians may have. Discuss the callings that you have. What are your vocations in the home, the church, and

everyday life?

Answers will vary. Depending on the age of those present, they could include student, son or daughter, worker, hearer of God’s Word, a citizen, a brother or sister, a friend, etc.

5. In 1 Corinthians 7:17, St. Paul instructs the members of the church to lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him. Does that mean that one should not seek advancement or promotion in a particular career? Why or why not?

No. St. Paul is not saying that one should never seek advancement, or that one must be satisfied to remain at the bottom of the corporate ladder. Paul was dealing with people who had been converted to Christianity as a married person or a slave. Their conversion did not give them the freedom to leave that estate which they were in. Husbands or wives that had converted to Christianity had to remain married to their unbelieving spouses, as long as they were free to practice their faith. Slaves were free with regard to the Lord, but they had to remain in service to their masters. Christians are not sinning if they leave a job for one that pays better, or has better working conditions, or is better suited for them. The job itself is not the vocation—the job is helping the Christian fulfill their vocation as husband or father, wife or mother.

6. Christians often think that it is only by words that we bear witness to the hope that is within us. What do Christ’s words in Matthew 5:16 tell us about the role of good works in the witness of Christians to their unbelieving neighbors? “…that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” That is the key verse. One does not have to stand on street corners holding signs with Bible verses written on them to let their light shine before men. Christians bear witness to their faith and the Gospel simply by doing the things they are given to do. It helps to do it with a cheerful attitude.

7. The article notes that sometimes Christians may have to make a choice between obeying man and obeying God. Discuss some circumstances in which such a choice might be necessary.

Answers, again, will vary. The idea is expressed in the article in the paragraph that talks about when vocations conflict. For example, a boss or a parent tells you to do something that conflicts with God’s Word. The right thing to do is to obey the Word of God rather than the Word of men.

We have to be ready, however, to face the consequences of such a decision.

8. Regardless of what God gives us to do in this lifetime, what can every Christian be certain of, according to the article?

Every Christian can be certain that their sins are forgiven, for they have been baptized, and given salvation in Jesus Christ. We often fall short in our vocations of service to God and men, yet we are taught that it is by “grace that you have been saved, through faith…”

A HIGHER THINGS MAGAZINE BIBLE STUDY "Vocation 101" Spring 2011

1. As a teacher in a classroom full of Muslims, what was Mr. Engle’s primary calling in that place: to bear witness of the Gospel to Muslims, or to teach them computer software? Explain your answer.

2. Why did he feel that it would have been wrong for him to use the classroom as a platform to teach them the Gospel? What did Mr. Engle say he would have done if the topic of religion had come up?

3. Read 1 Corinthians 12:27-31. According to v. 27, what does St. Paul say is the first “calling” of every believer? Why is it important for Christians to remember this?

4. The article gives several examples of the various “vocations” that individual Christians may have. Discuss the callings that you have. What are your vocations in the home, the church, and everyday life?

5. In 1 Corinthians 7:17, St. Paul instructs the members of the church to lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him. Does that mean that one should not seek advancement or promotion in a particular career? Why or why not?

6. Christians often think that it is only by words that we bear witness to the hope that is within us. What do Christ’s words in Matthew 5:16 tell us about the role of good works in the witness of Christians to their unbelieving neighbors?

7. The article notes that sometimes Christians may have to make a choice between obeying man and obeying God. Discuss some circumstances in which such a choice might be necessary.

8. Regardless of what God gives us to do in this lifetime, what can every Christian be certain of, according to the article?

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HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Words, Words, Words” Spring 2011 1. Pastor Burhop's article is written with college students who are away from their home church in mind. Why is it important that we remain in God's Word, whether away in college or just from Sunday to Sunday? See John 15:4-6.

It is the Word of God which keeps us connected to Christ. Apart from Christ we would wither and die.

Apart from Him we cannot please the Father or do any good thing. Point out to the youth that by “Word” we mean the preached and taught Word as well as the Holy Scriptures, along with Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

2. Compare Genesis 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3. In what manner does the Lord make everything? Who is that Word? What does this tell us about the importance of the Word?

The Lord created by speaking. That Word we learn in John's Gospel is Christ. For the Lord and therefore for us, everything is about the Word, what God says. That Word gives life. It creates. It bestows gifts. It forgives. It can condemn. The importance of the Word for Christians is that it has the power to do what God says it can do.

3. If you tell someone to “have a nice day,” is that a guarantee that they will? But what sort of power does the Lord's Word have? See Isaiah 55:10-11. Where do we see this in Christ's church?

When the Lord speaks, what He says happens. That's not like our word, which may or may not do what it says. Even parents can tell a child to do something and that ought to make them do it, but it might not. The Lord's Word has authority, which means it does what it says. If it says we are named by the Lord in Baptism, we bear His name. If it says our sins are forgiven, they are forgiven. If it says that this bread and wine are Christ's Body and Blood, they are. This is the power of God's Word to do and give what it says.

4. Some people think the Bible and preaching are just “information.” What does God's own Word say about this? Read John 20:30-31; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12.

God's Word is not just “data” or “information.” It is living and active and by it the Spirit works faith in us and keeps us in the faith. Point out that when the Lord's Word is preached, it's not just some more stuff to learn like in a school class lecture. Rather, by the very preaching of that Word, the Holy Spirit is at work turning us from our sins in repentance, strengthening us in the faith, bestowing Jesus' gifts on us and keeping us in Christ.

5. Read Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:15; Colossians 3:16. What does it mean to “meditate” on God's Word?

What are ways that we can mediate on God's Word?

The Hebrew word for meditate really meant something like “murmur, mumble.” Often we think of meditating as sitting quietly and thinking, but the Biblical way is that of repeating over and over (like memorizing the Small Catechism!). That plants the Word in our hearts. We hear the Word preached and taught on Sunday in church but we ought to be such students of God's Word that we continue to read, learn and study it all week long. Answers may vary but suggest a daily Bible reading and Reflection (like the HT Reflections!), the Treasury of Daily Prayer, Morning and Evening Prayers from the Catechism, the Lutheran Prayer Book, and the hymnal as a source for meditating upon God's Word and hearing it over and over.

6. Why is remaining in the Lord's Word more important than ever when we encounter the often unChristian teachings of high school and college? See John 8:31-32.

Jesus' Word gives us the truth: Him! If we don't continually have the Word going into our ears both by reading and hearing it, the Lord will be drowned out by the atheistic teachings that we are surrounded with in school. When we let go of God's Word, the devil easily seduces us with other truths that are really lies. Thus, to keep hearing God's Word is to be strengthened in the faith against those kinds of temptations.

7. What should we do if the words of the world seem to drown out the Word of God? See 2 Timothy 4:2.

These are instructions given to Pastor Timothy. Often times we meet challenges which we cannot address on our own. Here we need to go and ask our pastors. The Lord has given us our pastors to teach and comfort us with God's Word and teach us how by that Word, Christ overcomes the world and the Spirit gives us victory over the world's false knowledge and pride. Encourage the youth to seek out their pastors when they have doubts and questions so that they may do their job of strengthening them

by God's Word.

8. Close with the following prayer for the Word.

Blessed Lord, You have caused all holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

www.higherthings.org

HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY “Words, Words, Words” Spring 2011 1. Pastor Burhop's article is written with college students who are away from their home church in mind. Why is it important that we remain in God's Word, whether away in college or just from Sunday to Sunday? See John 15:4-6.

2. Compare Genesis 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3. In what manner does the Lord make everything? Who is that Word? What does this tell us about the importance of the Word?

3. If you tell someone to “have a nice day,” is that a guarantee that they will? But what sort of power does the Lord's Word have? See Isaiah 55:10-11. Where do we see this in Christ's church?

4. Some people think the Bible and preaching are just “information.” What does God's own Word say about this? Read John 20:30-31; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12.

5. Read Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:15; Colossians 3:16. What does it mean to “meditate” on God's Word?

What are ways that we can mediate on God's Word?

6. Why is remaining in the Lord's Word more important than ever when we encounter the often unChristian teachings of high school and college? See John 8:31-32.

7. What should we do if the words of the world seem to drown out the Word of God? See 2 Timothy 4:2.

8. Close with the following prayer for the Word.

Blessed Lord, You have caused all holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

www.higherthings.org