A blog of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy
When I had children at home, we were quite disciplined, though certainly not perfect, about family devotions after dinner. Since they grew up and moved away, our lives are less structured and Jacqui and I have sometimes gone weeks without doing them. In the recent months, I switched some things around that have been helpful for us.
Read MoreHow could the Seraphim cry "Holy, Holy, Holy," were they not taught by the Spirit how often true religion requires them to lift their voice in this ascription of glory? Do "all His angels" and "all His hosts" praise God? It is through the co-operation of the Spirit. Do a "thousand thousand" angels stand before Him, and "ten thousand times ten thousand" ministering spirits? They are blamelessly doing their proper work by the power of the Spirit.
Read More“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought…” (Rev 12:7)
Read MoreThe example of Sarah is the rhetoric, as it were, which draws, arouses, and persuades us to despise death; but the Sacrament brings about and works in my body what was brought about in Abraham and many saints who were raised from the dead. Therefore examples should not be scorned, since the rhetoric they employ is pleasant; but because the example of Christ is at the same time a Sacrament, it is efficacious in us and not only teaches us, as do the examples of the fathers, but accomplishes what it teaches. It gives life, the resurrection, and deliverance from death.
Read MoreSometimes, I read a statement that I already knew and believed but because it was written so eloquently and forcefully that it sticks with me. Recently, I have been reading Grundsätze Evangelisch-Lutherischer Kirchenverfassung by Johann Hoefling.
Read More“We have frequently testified in this assembly that it is our greatest wish to maintain church-polity and the grades in the Church [old church-regulations and the government of bishops], even though they have been made by human authority [provided the bishops allow our doctrine and receive our priests].
Read MoreThe above quote attributed to Luther - it seems this is from Table Talk, though I did not invest the time to secure a page number - was used by a Facebook friend to make a case against forensic justification.
Read MoreHere’s something fabulous we have organized to provide you with the conference you wanted: Novemberfest and Gottesdienst Central.
Read MoreA faithful servant of the Church should not have such a desire for change to the point where he wants to change according to his own desires the usual church practice and ceremonies…
Read MoreO Tree of beauty, Tree of light, O Tree with royal purple dight; Elect, on whose triumphal breast Those holy limbs should find their rest
Read MoreHow often have you heard people say that all sins are equal?
Read MoreThe addition of three new bloggers helps us move energetically toward our goal of promoting confessional and liturgical integrity.
Read MoreThe Supreme Court of the United States refused to hear arguments against a new Texas law that outlaws abortion once the child has a heartbeat. President Harrison caught a lot of grief - even from many claiming to be LCMS members…
Read MoreIt’s a scene that Matthew, Mark, and Luke record, but for the sake of the length of the post, I’ll stick with Mark’s account.
Read MoreThat, at any rate, is how the Feast of the Blessed Virgin’s Nativity was denominated in the back of the old German CPH Bibles, with their lists of Sundays, Feasts and Minor Festivals: Mary’s Birthday.
Read MoreThis last week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the “Texas Heartbeat” law, which bans the murder of unborn children after they are six weeks old in the womb.
Read MoreWhat the Prophet Moses once saw from afar, from the cleft of the Rock on Mt. Sinai and from the heights of Mt. Nebo outside the Promised Land, he has rejoiced to see fulfilled in the One of whom he wrote and testified. On the Mountain of Transfiguration he spoke with Him concerning that great Exodus which the Lord Jesus was about to undergo and accomplish in Jerusalem. [So has He] opened the way through death into life. He has opened the Kingdom of heaven to all who believe and are baptized into Him.
As Moses carefully constructed the Tabernacle according to the sacred pattern that the Lord God showed to him, so has the true Image and Likeness of God been manifested in the Incarnate Son, Christ Jesus, who is the radiance of His Father’s Glory and the exact representation of His Nature, who upholds all things by the Word of His power. In Him, who has become Flesh and tabernacles with us, all the fullness of God dwells bodily.
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