Jesus in the New Year

From Messiah Lutheran Church's January 2012 Newsletter

There is much to think about at the beginning of a New Year. What’s in store for us? Prosperity? More hard times ahead? Will my family remain healthy? Will our nation remain safe or will we have to engage in another war somewhere around the world? What’s going to happen in the elections in 2012? It would be nice to have a crystal ball to have all the answers. Unfortunately, the future is a mystery.

All these questions and uncertainties swirl around at the top of the year. However, there is one certainty that we can all count on. At the beginning of another New Year, the Church focuses on Jesus and his certain grace and mercy towards us sinners. That should come as no surprise, of course. If we’re not focused on Jesus, then we’re certainly focused on the wrong thing.

On New Year’s Day, the Church celebrates the circumcision and naming of Jesus. We remember his circumcision because January 1 is eight days after Christmas. Through circumcision, each newborn boy in Israel was brought into the covenant community and obligated to keep the Law. The child was also publicly named for the first time, even though mother and father had probably already picked out a name. In the case of Jesus, his name was revealed to Joseph by the angel Gabriel, who instructed, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Jesus, or Yeshua as it is in Hebrew, means “Yahweh saves.”

Even this seemingly insignificant act of circumcision played an important role in the life of our Savior and the plan of salvation. Jesus took on the burden of the Law and kept it perfectly for us all throughout his life. This was also the first time the Savior shed his blood for us. The knife in those friendly hands at his circumcision foreshadowed the hammer in hostile hands when Jesus later shed his blood again for the sins of the world when nailed to the cross.

The English hymnwriter William How put it this way:

Jesus! Name of priceless worth
To the fallen of the earth
For the promise that it gave,
“Jesus shall His people save.”

Jesus! Name of mercy mild,
Given to the holy Child
When the cup of human woe
First He tasted here below.

Jesus! Only name that’s giv’n
Under all the mighty heav’n
Whereby those to sin enslaved
Burst their fetters and are saved.

Jesus! Name of wondrous love,
Human name of God above;
Pleading only this, we flee
Helpless, O our God, to Thee. (LSB 900)

May the name of Jesus grant you hope and comfort throughout the coming year. The future is a mystery. But in Jesus, it is no mystery how God feels about you. You are loved. You are forgiven. You have the promise of his help and aid in the face of whatever comes your way in the days and months ahead. And a future with Jesus is no mystery. Eternal life is yours now and always because of his finished work at the cross and the empty tomb.

At the beginning of a new year, there is indeed much to think about.

Think about Jesus and all that he is and has done for you.

In Christ’s service and yours,
Pastor Onken

The Ongoing Life of Jesus in His Church

From Messiah's May 2011 newsletter

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Lent is over. The solemnity of Holy Week is past. The joy of Easter shines brightly. For seven weeks, we bask in the glory of the empty tomb during another Easter season until Pentecost. Actually, our entire Christian life is shaped by the fact of the resurrection of Christ. “Every Sunday is a little Easter,” goes the old adage. In fact, for the Christian, every day – not just Sunday – is a “little Easter.” We don’t ever need to stop basking in the glory of the empty tomb. St. Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain … And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins … But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Cor. 15:14, 17, 20)

There is a unique feature in the lectionary during the Easter season. The reading from the Old Testament is replaced by a reading from the book of the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament. This makes much sense. Easter is the time of fulfillment. All that was promised about Christ Jesus in the Old Testament was fulfilled in the Gospels. Following upon the accounts of the Gospels are St. Luke’s accounts of the life of the early Church in the book of Acts. Here, the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus was fresh in the hearts of the apostles. “All the possibilities of that event were being explored. The Spirit that breathed on the apostles was unfolding God’s intentions for his people even as they received his gifts. Challenges were met, problems were addressed, the wonder of life in Christ was being discovered. The life and growth of the apostolic church is opened up for us [in the book of Acts] so that we may immerse ourselves in the same life and growth of the church.” (from Proclaim, Series A, Part 2, p.178) The life and growth of the Church continues today. The Risen Jesus is among us with his Word and Spirit. He gives life and grows his Church through Word and Sacrament. In that sense, we are no different from the first Christians, even though culturally, technologically, and linguistically we are centuries apart.

At the end of the book of Acts, the author sort of leaves us hanging. It ends abruptly with Paul under house arrest in Rome. The last sentence of Acts says that Paul lived in Rome for two years “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). Perhaps Luke meant to write “Acts Volume 2” someday (or “Volume 3” if we include Luke’s Gospel as “Volume 1” of his opus). On the other hand, the way Luke ends the book can be significant for us. Dr. Al Barry, in his book To the Ends of the Earth, explained it this way:

True, the last sentence does not tell us what happened after Paul’s two years under house arrest, but what difference does that make? Acts is not the story of Paul as much as it is the story of Jesus continuing to proclaim His Word through His Church … It is an open-ended account so the rest of His story – all the way down to us – can fit in. (A.L. Barry, To the Ends of the Earth, CPH 1997).

As you hear the readings from the Acts of the Apostles this Easter season, listen and see yourself fitting in to the story of Jesus and his ongoing work in and through his Church.

In Christ’s service and yours,
Pastor Onken

Hymns and Readings for Transfiguration Sunday (March 6, 2011)

Hymns
LSB 395
LSB 413
LSB 680, 537 during Distribution
LSB 417

Readings
Exodus 24:8–18
2 Peter 1:16–21
Matthew 17:1–9

Hymns and Readings for Epiphany 8

Hymns
LSB 574
LSB 819
LSB 639, 523 during distribution
LSB 922

Readings
Isaiah 49:8-16a
1 Corinthians 4:1-13
Matthew 6:24-34

The Holidays Are Not Over Yet!

From the January newsletter of Messiah Lutheran Church, Marysville, WA

Whew! I’m tired! All those services … midweek Advent services, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, then two Sunday services immediately the following day! All that partying … family dinners, staff parties, New Year’s Eve celebrations! Now it’s time to take down the tree, put the decorations away, move the kids’ new toys to their rooms, write thank-you notes, and start that diet to work off all that extra caloric intake during our holiday festivities.

I always have mixed emotions this time of year. I get a little melancholy when I see Christmas getting so quickly stashed away for another year (and much quicker in the departments stores!). On the other hand, it’s nice to be able to rest after all the hustle and bustle that accompanies the season. Another bonus is the lengthening of days which helps to alleviate a bit of the winter blues which afflict some of us.

But in fact, the holidays are not over yet! New Year’s Day in the Church is actually the day we commemorate “The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus.” Eight days after his birth, what happened to every Jewish baby happened to Jesus. When he was circumcised, Jesus was placed under the Law’s obligation as a member of the covenant community … and kept that Law perfectly for us. What’s more, this is the first time that the Son of God shed his blood on his way to shedding his blood at the cross to atone for the sins of the world. He was given the name Jesus, which means “The Lord Saves” … an appropriate name for our Savior.

Next comes "Epiphany." The word “epiphany” means a “manifestation” or a “showing forth.” Jesus was manifested to the world – in particular to the Gentiles, with the Wise Men from the East being the first Gentiles to worship the Savior – as the Savior of the world. Throughout the Epiphany season, we see how Jesus manifested his divine nature at his Baptism, through his miracles, and through his authoritative teaching. We will celebrate Epiphany on January 6 at 7 pm here at Messiah with a service of Evening Prayer. The following Sunday (Jan. 9) we will then celebrate "The Baptism of Our Lord."

So, you see, the holidays are not over! There’s more to come, even in the “slower” month of January. But for Christians, every day is a holiday … a holy day (Rom. 14:5-6; Col. 2:16-17; 1 Tim. 4:4-5). In fact, that’s where we get the word “holiday” from. Every day is a holy day for us because we have been declared holy through faith in Christ. Every day we live in the light of Christmas and Epiphany. Every day we remember that in our Baptism we are joined to the one who was manifested to us as the beloved Son of God in the waters of the Jordan. Every day we live in the light of the cross and the empty tomb where Jesus was victorious for us over sin, death, and the devil.

Today is a holy day for you in Christ! Celebrate your victory in Christ each and every day. That doesn’t mean you have to decorate and throw a party. All the special festivals that we have would become commonplace if we pulled out all the stops every day. It’s good to save some of the “hoopla” for certain days. But don’t let that stop you from rejoicing in what Christ has done for you even on the days that don’t get a special note on the calendar. Consider every day a holiday in Christ … and rest in his peace and joy!

In Christ’s service and yours,
Pastor Onken

"The End is Near" (November newsletter article)

“The End is Near.” So says the proverbial sandwich board sign carried by the unkempt man wandering the streets of downtown … not to mention the hundreds of other prognosticators who have come down the pike over the years. The so-called Christian networks on television are rife with false prophets proclaiming their visions of what is to come. Now the internet and YouTube have made it easy for anyone to upload their wacky proclamations and bizarre interpretations of the Bible and claim to be the latest in a long line of “End Times Prophets.”

Our first reaction may be to laugh at these individuals and mock them for their foolishness. Perhaps a better response would be to pray for them … for the ones who are mentally ill that they would receive help, for the ones who are deceived that they would learn the truth, and for the shysters that they would repent of their hypocrisy and greedy deception.

Besides, the sandwich board sign guy is actually right. “The End” IS near. We must be prepared. Every second that ticks off of the clock is another second closer to the Last Day that is promised in the Bible, with all of its fire and wrath and judgment (see, for example, Matt. 25:41; Rom. 2:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:5-10; Heb. 10:26-27; 2 Pet. 3:7-12). And every beat of the “ticker” inside each of us means we are drawing closer to our own personal end … that is, if in death our souls are taken to heaven before the Last Day comes and wait to be reunited with our buried bodies in the resurrection of all flesh (1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 4:13-18).

Our Church Year calendar winds down to its end in November. As it does so, we are reminded that “The End is Near.” The assigned Scripture readings remind us about the culmination of all human history, the visible return of the Lord Jesus, and the final judgment promised in Scripture. This theme of the Second Coming of Jesus also overlaps with Advent, the beginning of a new Church Year, even as we consider the meaning of the First Coming of Jesus at Christmas.

We begin the month by celebrating All Saints’ Day on the first Sunday of November (transferred from November 1). On this day we give thanks for the mercy and grace God showed to the departed during their lives here on earth, most importantly for giving them faith in their Savior Jesus. At the same time, we look forward to the day when we will be reunited with them in the resurrection of all flesh when Jesus returns.

Unlike the prognosticators, we do not make any predictions as to when Jesus will return. After all, he made it clear that “you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:13). Therefore, Jesus gave us plenty of instructions about the importance of being prepared (Matt. 24:42, 44; 25:13; Mark 13:33-37; Luke 12:35-40). The apostles of our Lord did so, too (Rom. 13:11; 1 Thess. 5:1-6; 1 Pet. 4:7-11; 2 Pet. 3:8-13).

St. Peter concludes his second epistle with these words: “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these [the new heavens and the new earth mentioned in the previous verse], be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (2 Pet. 3:14) How do we do this? Not by our own efforts. Apart from Christ, we are soiled and stained by sin and at war with God. The return of Jesus fills us with fear, because we know we have disobeyed his commandments and offended his holiness. But in Christ, we are washed clean and are at peace with God. Now, we can await “The End” with joyful anticipation. Our diligence consists in this: in remembering our baptismal identity as those who have been united to Christ’s saving death and resurrection (Rom. 6) … in regularly hearing the word of absolution that declares the forgiveness of sins to us which is “just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself” (Small Catechism) … and coming often to the Table of the Lord where we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ for forgiveness, life, and salvation. These are all God’s Gospel gifts to the Church, the Bride of Christ. And on the Last Day, when Jesus our Bridegroom returns and the eternal wedding banquet begins (Rev. 21:2, 9), he will indeed “present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27).

And then, “The End” will only be “The Beginning” of eternity.

In Christ’s service and yours,
Pastor Onken

Cartoon HT:  David Sipress, The Phoenix

Why Christian Congregations Should Not Celebrate a Passover Seder

We're well past Holy Week, so this may seem like the wrong time to bring this up...but let's do it anyway.

Every so often, the question comes up whether a congregation ought to have a Seder meal during Holy Week, in particular on Maundy Thursday. My gut feeling has always been that it could be done apart from the worship service as an educational exercise. This post by Paul McCain at Cyberbrethren articulates well some of what I have thought over the years.

Now that we are through Holy Week, let's reflect on a few practices that have arisen in recent years and examine to what extent they truly do serve the best interest of the Gospel. One of these is Christians having a Passover Seder. I would say that while perhaps some kind of demonstration with explanation of a Passover Seder is an interesting teaching tool, I think that a congregation that institutes a regular practice of having a Passover Seder during Holy Week is making a mistake. We have no indication from the New Testament that after Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, the Church continued to observe the Passover. The whole point of the "new" testament is precisely that, in Christ, everything the Passover pointed toward, has been fulfilled. Rev. Dr. Daniel Gard raises a number of very valid objections that I think are well worth our time and attention. Let me know what you think of this practice, in light of Dr. Gard's concerns.

"Is it appropriate for a Lutheran congregation to celebrate a Passover Seder? This is not an unimportant question since the practice has become rather widespread in our Synod. In fact, it has even been promoted (complete with Eucharist!) by the Synod's Board for Evangelism (A Passover Haggadah for Christians , ed. Bruce J. Lieske, no date). But can it be historically or theologically sustained?

"The historical question is rather complex, as the history of liturgical forms generally are. To begin with, we have no manuscript of a Seder Haggadah which is early than the tenth century A.D. (Siddur Rav Saadya Gaon ). Nearly a millennium exists between the time of Jesus and the earliest extant text. Passover Haggadoth have never been standardized but have always been shaped and reshaped by circumstances and time. The ritual has been extraordinarily versatile since the tenth century A.D. and in all likelihood was just as versatile in the preceding centuries. The claim that any ritual now in existence is identical with that used by Jesus is both anachronistic and historically suspect.

"The theological questions are equally complex. Even if it were proven (which it has not been) that a specific extant Haggadah is identical with that used by Jesus, these problems remain. The Lord's Supper was instituted by Jesus with the words "the blood of the new covenant." He commanded that we "do this in remembrance of Me." But, to do what? Celebrate a Seder? Or celebrate His Sacrament? The two are simply not the same. On the night in which He was betrayed, the Blessed Savior gave His disciples something new. All that came before converged and found fulfillment in Him. All that has happened since that night has grown from that same point of convergence and fulfillment. The Galatian Christians failed to understand the radical nature of the new order found in Christ; as a result, St. Paul found it necessary to correct their Judaizing error.

"It makes no more sense for Christians to gather around a Passover Seder than it does to gather around another sacrificial lamb. The very Lamb of God has been slain, once and for all. We would not and could not offer another sacrifice. The final Sacrifice was offered on Calvary. We now celebrate only that Lamb's own feast as instituted and commanded by Him. It is the Passover of Jesus, and only the Passover of Jesus, which the Church legitimately celebrates.

One final question might be asked. Why, given the historical and theological questions, do some parishes regularly or even occasionally sponsor a Seder? Two responses have sometimes been given. First, to teach Christians about the context of the Last Supper. But given the historical uncertainties of the Haggadah , what anachronisms are being taught as historic facts? Simply teaching our people a biblical and Lutheran Sacramentology and Christology is difficult enough; why confuse the issue?

"A second rationale is to reach out and build bridges to the Jewish community. But is a "Christian" Seder not as offensive to Jewish people as a "Jewish" Eucharist would be to Christians? Communication with any group of people is rarely enhanced by misappropriating their beloved traditions. Those Lutherans who use a Seder do so with commendable intentions. But the inherent problems of the practice result in more harm than good."

Easter Joy to You!

Thought this drawing of mine from Matt Harrison's "A Little Book on Joy" was appropriate for this weekend's celebrations.

Good advice on prayer, and not just for teenagers

Pastor Will Weedon wrote a post on his blog entitled "Helping a Teen Ager Use the Treasury." His advice applies to people of all ages, not just teenagers. The Treasury of Daily Prayer is just that...a treasure chest full of scripture, song, and prayer to help guide us in our daily life of prayer and teaches us how to pray.

I have frequently commented that Luther really didn't get rid of monasteries; his idea was to move the monastery into the home! I mean, he PREACHED at home, for heaven's sake. Not to mention hymns and prayers and Bible reading and such.

But it is true that most people are not called the monastic life and cannot actually pray the daily office, even in the sense of three offices of Matins, Vespers and Compline that comprise the heart of the office for Lutherans.

So what can a young person do who laments that they just don't know how to pray? I had this conversation last night. "But I always only think about myself. My prayers are so narcissistic."

My answer is: "take up the Treasury." A very simple discipline can be made of praying each day the Psalm (printed out for the day) and one of the Bible readings and the prayer for the day and then the prayer for the day of the week (pages 1306ff.) and wrap up with the Lord's Prayer. Simple, really. It does NOT need to be elaborate. It does need to be consistent, but even with when you fail to pray on a certain day, remember - as Pr. Kinnaman wrote so beautifully in the intro - that others of the Body of Christ are praying that day and you are not alone; you are joining a vast company who bear your weaknesses. Doing this much will keep you praying for all sorts and conditions of people, will draw you out of yourself into the Word and into the world as you bear the burdens of others. Yesterday was Wednesday, and I pointed out that by praying the week day prayers we remembered all those whose pilgrimages are coming to an end, and asked God's grace and mercy on them.

Making disciplined, daily prayer a part of one's life is a battle - and Satan wants nothing more than to see you go for days without being fortified by the Word or calling on God. Remember above all: the discipline of prayer is FOR YOUR BENEFIT. It doesn't make God love you any more than He already does (His fullness of love for you can never be diminished). He doesn't NEED your prayer; YOU need Him, and that's why you pray. He comes to you in His Word (and that's why praying the Psalm and the Bible reading are vital to the discipline). Treasury simply makes these much easier.

Too many start out trying to do too much in prayer. It's a formula for failure. Start out small, do so consistently, and it will grow. It can't not.

My two cents on the topic.

Rath Dé ort! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

My Irish blood (on me ma's side) gets all giddy on March 17, although I'm not one to go out and raise too many jars on a day like today. Besides, I have to preach tonight. Nevertheless, I'll give thanks to God today for sending preachers and defenders of the faith like Patrick. Here is a brief bio from the LCMS website:

Patrick is one of the best-known of the missionary saints. Born to a Christian family in Britain around the year 389, he was captured as a teenager by raiders, taken to Ireland, and forced to serve as a herdsman. After six years he escaped and found his way to a monastery community in France. Ordained a bishop in 432, he made his way back to Ireland, where he spent the rest of his long life spreading the Gospel and organizing Christian communities. He strongly defended the doctrine of the Holy Trinity in a time when it was not popular to do so. His literary legacy includes his autobiography, Confessio, and several prayers and hymns still used in the church today. Patrick died around the year 466.

For a longer bio, click here to go another Irishman's website, the Rev. Paul McCain's Cyberbrethren.

By the way, in case you were wondering, "Rath Dé ort!" is "God bless you!" in Gaelic.

Lent: A time to renew your prayer and devotional life

Ash Wednesday is tomorrow, the first day of Lent. For those of you using the Treasury of Daily Prayer, it's time to go back to the beginning and start the cycle of readings all over again. The Treasury editors chose Lent as the place to begin since many people make a new commitment to devotion and prayer during this season.

Whether you use the Treasury or not, Lent is indeed a good time to start a new devotional regimen and to enjoy the blessings God gives through a regular, daily time spent in God's Word and prayer. There are other resources you may choose to use, such as Portals of Prayer (most LCMS churches have copies available for free), the Lutheran Book of Prayer, Starck's Prayer Book, or even the orders of service and collects contained in Lutheran Service Book.

Another wonderful book to help you invigorate your prayer and devotional life is Grace upon Grace: Spirituality for Today by John Kleinig. You may wish to read this during Lent to give some guidance for your devotion, prayer, and meditation on God's Word.

And don't forget Pastor Matt Harrison's book A Little Book on Joy with it's devotional guide in the concluding section entitled "The Great Ninety Days of Joy after Joy" (the ninety days from Ash Wednesday through Pentecost).

The Halloween and Reformation Connection

Read about it at Past Elder's blog by clicking here. It's a lengthy post but well worth the time.

Great article from a former advocate of Contemporary Worship

Click here to read this excellent article written by the Rev. Sean Rippy, posted over at the Brothers of the John the Steadfast.

Properly Honoring Mary

Paul McCain has an excellent post over at his blog Cyberbrethren about the proper respect that is due Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. Read it by clicking on the link below...

http://ping.fm/I8Ybp

Lent begins next week

Pastor Scot Kinnaman at Blog My Soul explains the meaning of the season of Lent. Here is what he wrote:

THE TIME OF EASTER

Easter celebrates the chief event in the life of Christ. It was the earliest and major celebration among early Christians. Given that Easter is both a movable date and also a principal celebration of the Church Year, the date of Easter determines much of the rest of the Church Year. Generally speaking, Easter is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. The date of Easter will influence the date of Ash Wednesday, the fortieth day (not counting Sundays) before Easter; the date of the Transfiguration, the Sunday before Ash Wednesday; and the number of Sundays in Epiphany and after Pentecost.

Lent

The resurrection of Jesus is our great salvation. To prepare to celebrate the feast of the Resurrection (Easter), the Church sets aside a period of preparation. In AD 325, the Council of Nicaea recorded the first reference to the specific number of days for Lent: forty. This forty-day preparation was first prescribed for baptismal candidates and became known as Lent (from the Old English word for “spring”). During this period, the candidates were examined in preparation for Baptism at the Easter (or Paschal) Vigil. Later, these forty days were associated with Jesus’ forty days in the desert prior to His temptation. The forty day period is is symbolic of other periods of 40 in Scripture: the forty years Moses and the children of Israel were detained from entering the Promised Land, Elijah’s forty days spent in the wilderness, Noah had rain for forty days and forty nights, the Israelites wondered forty years to the promised land, and Jonah gave the city of Nineveh forty days to repent.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with midday prayer on Holy Saturday.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the observance of Lent. The name is derived from the practice of placing ashes on the forehead as a sign of penitence and a reminder of human mortality. The color for Ash Wednesday is black, while the liturgical color for Lent is violet. Lent is a season of forty days. The Sundays during this season are not counted as a part of the forty-day season; the Sundays are not “of Lent” but “in Lent.” Thus the Sundays retain an Easter tone and may be less solemn than the midweek services that congregations typically offer. The observances of Lent are concrete reminders of the greater solemnity of this season, yet Lutherans emphasize the Gospel of Christ as central even to this penitential season. The Gospel on the Sundays in Lent do not speak of Christ’s Passion, rather they prefigure the great Easter victory

The Lent Quarantine

The observation of Lent is characterized by the liturgical omission of the joyous Alleluias. After the Epistle we hear the Tract or Verse instead. The Gloria in Excelsis also is not sung. Some congregations forbid the playing of the organ or limit its use to accompanying congregational singing, thus there are no instrumental preludes, postludes, or anthems. Though less enforced today, weddings were not to be scheduled during Lent. Another of the traditional omissions is to not place flowers in the chancel. Crucifixes and crosses are covered with opaque viels of violet or unbleached white linen. The quarantine sets the tone for the liturgy of Lent which is patient preparation and waiting for the climactic liturgies and services of Holy Week.

Merry Christmas!

Ever since this 17th century text was joined to this modern tune, this hymn has become my favorite Christmas hymn. The text is by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676). The tune is by Kenneth Kosche, director of the Concordia University Wisconsin "Kammerchor," which is also the choir you hear in the video.

O Jesus Christ, Thy manger is my paradise at which my soul reclineth. For there, O Lord, doth lie the Word made flesh for us; herein Thy grace forth shineth.

He whom the sea and wind obey doth come to serve the sinner in great meekness. Thou, God's own Son, with us art one, dost join us and our children in our weakness.

Thy light and grace our guilt efface, Thy heavenly riches all our loss retrieving. Immanuel, Thy birth doth quell the power of hell and Satan's bold deceiving.

Thou Christian heart, whoe'er thou art, be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee! For God's own Child, in mercy mild, joins thee to Him; how greatly God must love thee!

Remember thou what glory now the Lord prepared thee for all earthly sadness. The angel host can neve boast of greater glory, greater bliss or gladness.

The world may hold her wealth and gold; but thou, my heart, keep Christ as thy true treasure. To Him hold fast until at last a crown be thine and honor in full measure.

Lutheran Service Book #372

Advent Suggestions from Pr. Weedon

Following up on my post yesterday about suggestions for commemorating Advent, here are some additional thoughts from Weedon's Blog to help you in your Advent devotion.

Demo of the Treasury of Daily Prayer

You've heard me talk about it at church. You've read here that it's going to be our October book of the month and our annual congregational devotional resource for those who wish to use it. Now see it for yourself online by clicking here. This is about the coolest thing I've seen to introduce a book on the internet. It's a fully working demonstration of the new devotional book from Concordia Publishing House, the Treasury of Daily Prayer. It's like having the book virtually on your desktop, with pages turning and all. CPH designed this so you can start using the Treasury right now. All the prefatory material is included along with all the daily readings for September and October.

Festivals and Commemorations

A while back I started posting on days when we had a feast day for a particular saint or on days when a particular person was commemorated on the calendar (according to the liturgical calendar in Lutheran Service Book). That didn't last very long. What I've done now, instead, is included these on our congregational calendar on our church website. If you want to read the details about a particular feast or commemoration, you can click on the item on the calendar. It's still a work in progress, but I plan to have it completed soon.

Exciting New Devotional Resource

I'm sort of jumping the gun on October's book of the month, which will be what you see above. I'd like to see our congregation use this as our annual prayer and devotional resource, much as we've done in the past with "God Grant It" and "The Lord Will Answer: A Daily Prayer Catechism."

There's been a huge "buzz" about the new "Treasury of Daily Prayer" from Concordia Publishing House. In order to pique your interest, I thought I should direct you to some posts that tell you more about it. Apparently, it's supposed to be one of the best one-volume devotional resources ever. And I'm not trying to be parochial nor a shill for CPH. There are a lot of superlatives about this book being thrown around by some non-Lutheran folks, too.

Below are links to some posts about the new "Treasury of Daily Prayer." I think you will agree that this will prove to be a very valuable resource for years to come. Make sure to get your name on the list at the church. We already have 20 books on order to avoid having to wait for backorders.

A Treasure Chest Full of Gems

"Nothing this good, or even close" -- words of praise for Treasury of Daily Prayer

Having Looked Through it in Even More Detail...

Treasury of Daily Prayer: White Papers

John Pless' Words of Praise for Treasury of Daily Prayer

Treasury of Daily Prayer Excerpts Ready to View