April 8, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther

He’s Risen, He’s Risen
By: C. Ferdinand Walther

He’s risen, he’s risen, Christ Jesus, the Lord;
Death’s prison he opened, incarnate, true Word.
Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song
While earth, sea, and mountain the praises prolong.

The foe was triumphant when on Calvary
The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree.
In Satan’s domain his hosts shouted and jeered, For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones feared.

But short was their triumph, the Savior arose,
And death, hell, and Satan he vanquished, his foes; The conquering Lord lifts his banner on high. He lives, yes, he lives, and will nevermore die.

Oh, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more; Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden’s door. For all our transgressions his blood does atone; Redeemed and forgiven, we now are his own.

Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice; Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice. Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain; In glory he reigns, yes, and ever shall reign.

Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther was the first President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). He would go on to be one of its most influential theologians. He is commemorated by the LCMS church on May 7. He has been described as a man who sacrificed his homeland, his health, and nearly his life for the freedom to live freely and to believe freely. He was dedicated to his Church and the faith for those he loved.

“During his college years at Leipzig, Germany, Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther faced two crucial events. The first was a spiritual crisis in which, with the help of Martin Stephan, he came to an assurance that God had justified him by his grace. Shortly afterward, Walther nearly died from a lung disease. He had to interrupt his studies for six months while he recuperated. Those months were not wasted, though. While laid up, he read Martin Luther’s works. He became absolutely convinced that Lutheran theology was correct and that the historical Lutheran statements of faith such as the Augsburg Confession and the Book of Concord needed to be fully accepted. This decision led to another crisis. When he graduated, he tutored for a time, then was ordained and took a pastorate in the Kingdom of Saxony. However, German church leadership was embracing rationalistic views (explaining away the Scriptures and key doctrines) which rubbed against Walther’s insistence that there must be complete commitment to the traditional Lutheran faith.

Walther joined 750 like-minded Lutherans and emigrated to America. Led by Martin Stephan, these Germans settled near St. Louis, Missouri. Stephan proved to be both undemocratic and a skirt-chaser. The Lutherans excommunicated him and asked Walther to take his place. He preached many sermons, started the “log college” which grew into Concordia Seminary, and founded two church papers. Walther never deviated from his solid commitment to the written statements of the Lutherans. Again and again, he pointed his people back to the great confessions of his church. On them they must take their stand. He called one statement of faith “our dear Formula of Concord” –and meant it.

He wrote a hymn which was later translated into English by Anna M. Meyer. His own note says, “on the first Easter Day, April 8, 1860, on the Ocean.” (C.F.W. Walther Completed “He’s Risen, He’s Risen”, Dan Graves, Christianity.com) This week collect one roll of paper towel to bring in for Trinity’s Table.

Pastor Dave

April 7, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Love or Hate Your Money?

“Throughout the Bible, faithful giving does not bind God. Instead, the opposite is the case. Giving is meant to be a primary sign of a people who are living under God’s gracious sovereignty. Throughout the New Testament, one can find examples of the principle that the motivation of the giver are as important, if not more so, than the gift itself. Giving is motivated … by gratitude for what one has already received. The primary reason for giving is gratitude for the bounty which one has already received.

Paul said the love of money is but the beginning, or the root, of many kinds of evil. The lives of those who love money are characterized by greed, hoarding, and abasement. They have accumulated thousands, or even millions, and the loss of even a few dollars is traumatic. Many people love their money so much they will not part with it – to give to God’s work or even to their own children. – Larry Burkett” (Lenten Devotional Stewardship Principles, We walk together as stewards in God’s church, ELCA, 2012, March 30)

“Teach and urge these duties. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” 1 Timothy 6:2-10

Do you have a love/hate relationship with money? I do. I hate the feelings that dwell within me about this relationship with money. Being a pastor I see all sides of this coin – and there are more than just two sides. I observe people who struggle with every day and the need for money. Having enough money, the need or the thought of this need, never leaves their minds. And then I meet with people who have so much money, and their lives are a monument to the amount of money they have had to spend, whether they realize that reality of not. Then I meet with someone who has only a little amount of money, and the generosity that wells up in their lives is overwhelming. Yes, money is needed – we cannot live with it sometimes, and we cannot live without it. We just cannot allow money to lead us away from our faith or our pursuit of faithful living.

This week collect one roll of paper towel to bring in for Trinity’s Table.

Pastor Dave