a Lutheran’s Confessions

     Rev. Fredrik Sidenvall, of Gothenberg, Sweden, is part of the underground confessing church in that country.  He recently wrote about the woeful state of Christianity there in an article, “Confessing the Faith in an anti-Christian Culture.”

     Not only the culture, but the [Lutheran???] state church in that country persecutes the true Lutheran faith.

     However, he wrote that even worse than living in an anti-Christian culture is living in a culture which tolerates Christianity.  The ultimate persecution may be no persecution at all.

     Why?  To tolerate something is to marginalize it, to ignore it, essentially.  But when you are hated and persecuted, then you are being listened to and taken seriously.

     We never seek persecution, but perhaps we should be a little more thankful when it eventually comes our way.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  (Matthew 7:15)

     The greatest danger to you and yours is not terrorism, unemployment, or global warming. It is false teaching.  False teaching is devastating and damning.  It ruins its hearers as well as its own teachers.

     Jesus is our security in this dangerous world.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one can snatch them out of My hand.”  (John 10:27-28)

     Hear Him. Hear Him every Divine Service and hear Him each day in family devotions. Hear and believe the Good News that He lived, died and rose for your sins and that He alone is your righteousness today and on judgment day.

…from Dr. C.F.W. Walther, first president of our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

     “If you are to become efficient teachers…it is indispensible that you have a most minute knowledge of all doctrines of the Christian revelation.

     However, having attained such knowledge, you have not yet attained all that is needed.

     What is needed over and above your knowledge of the doctrines is that you know how to apply them correctly.

     You must not only have a clear apperception of the doctrines in your intellect, but all of them must have entered deeply into your heart and there manifested their divine, heavenly power.

     All these doctrines must have become so precious, so valuable, so dear to you, that you cannot but profess with a glowing heart in the words of Paul:  ‘We believe, therefore we have spoken,’ and in the words of all the apostles:  ‘We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’”

from:  The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel, 1897.

through the people of Grace Lutheran

     Grace Lutheran is privileged to serve as a polling place every primary and general election. Last Tuesday, Carrie Davies and the people of Grace again rose to the occasion to extend a friendly welcome to the voters.
     One of the election supervisors said to me on Tuesday, “This church [Grace Lutheran] is far and away the most hospitable polling place we work with. We want to continue to work with you and maintain a good relationship with your congregation.”
     Hospitality is a vital gift of the Holy Spirit because it reflects the Spirit of Christ who welcomed sinners. Our God is by nature hospitable to all who are lost and undeserving—including each of us!
     As God welcomes you and me through the ministry of His Son, forgiving our sins and counting us as His family, He moves us to welcome others in the same fashion.
     Praise God for all who assisted in last Tuesday’s outreach to the voters and the many outreach activities of Grace.