Reflections on the word "Gospel" alone mentioned in devotions, articles, etc.

[CurtUtter]

The simple use of the word "Gospel" can mean many things in today's vocabulary. As I was rereading Sunday's portals of prayer which Rev. Aaron Koch wrote, Sunday March 17 and the beautiful statement "The Gospel thrives precisely in apparent weakness and defeat" made wonder if someone seeing this for the first time would understand what the Gospel is? Jesus knows our heart, that's why He gave us Jeremiah 17:9-10.
I come from an AOG background for most my life and have only been a Lutheran for a year and a half and one thing that baffles me about what we write is not "Where's the beef" but where is Jesus Christ and Him crucified on every page of our devotions? Why can't our literature declare this blanket important statement that needs and only needs to be plastered in our minds all the time? All it needed to state is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, yet it doesn't. I'm not as smart as Ricky Bobby so I need Jesus and Him crucified declared at all times. Am I alone in this...?

 

[JM]

The Gospel thrives precisely in apparent weakness and defeat" made wonder if someone seeing this for the first time would understand what the Gospel is?

I do not believe we can understand the Gospel without the work of the Holy Ghost. We believe because the Holy Ghost has revealed it to us.

where is Jesus Christ and Him crucified on every page of our devotions?

I think it may depend on the devotional you are using. My go-to devotionals the Bible, Lutheran Prayer Companion, Reading the Psalms with Luther and the Luther Service book in that order.

Why can't our literature declare this blanket important statement that needs and only needs to be plastered in our minds all the time?

That is the main thrust of Augsburg catholicism, theologia crucis and it the main point of Divine Service. If we faithfully attend we will see what you have seen, that we need Christ crucified stamped onto our minds and hearts.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

 

[CurtUtter]

I do not believe we can understand the Gospel without the work of the Holy Ghost. We believe because the Holy Ghost has revealed it to us.

I think it may depend on the devotional you are using. My go-to devotionals the Bible, Lutheran Prayer Companion, Reading the Psalms with Luther and the Luther Service book in that order.

That is the main thrust of Augsburg catholicism, theologia crucis and it the main point of Divine Service. If we faithfully attend we will see what you have seen, that we need Christ crucified stamped onto our minds and hearts.

Yours in the Lord,

jm

Indeed you are correct we can't understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified without the Holy Spirits work. I just know in our day and age, the gospel can mean many things. I look at what happened to the Galatian's and the adding of circumcision to the gospel.

I'm thankful that God never gives up and pointed me to a church my old adam hated (still hates, I wish he'd drown already. ). I debated going to a PCA church after one lutheran divine service and then it came to me that nothing is like the lutheran divine service. I first picked my first and only Lutheran church because it offered weekly Lord suppers, but have been blessed beyond belief. Having a couple LSB's at home are a treasure as well. LSB 555 still brings tears to my eyes.

My devotions consist of the portals of prayer by cph.org and also use to live with Christ (Bo Giertz devotionals as well). Studying the psalms is just daily reading for me. I thought I could study one each month but decided one a year while reading through the bible would help in memorizing them for prayers and have been blessed seeing the tapestry of connections. John Kleinig Grace upon grace was a very big help in my psalms studying.

 

[AbbaLove]

Luke 5:31-32 (NLT)

31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”​

How did the Lord know who [thought] were the righteous from those who knew they were sinners (Luke 18: 9-14)

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him,
“If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will
have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matt. 19:20-21)​

 

[CurtUtter]

Luke 5:31-32 (NLT)

31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”​

How did the Lord know who [thought] were the righteous from those who knew they were sinners (Luke 18: 9-14)

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him,​

“If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will​

have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matt. 19:20-21)​

In Matthew 19:20-21, Jesus shows that following the ten commandments are impossible for man. James 2:10 says "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." No man, other than Jesus Christ, has fulfilled the law. The law is show man his weakness in salvation by himself. We are to listen and keep His commands. What does a watchmen do in a tower? Psalm 127 details that its the Lord doing the work, not man. We are to be like Mary was at Jesus feet. (Luke 10:39b) Our life is gift, we are only guaranteed today not tomorrow but everything is a gift. We don't own gifts, we receive them.

We Lutherans are not synergists, the Bible is not a how-to manual on how to please God. It is an autobiography of Jesus Christ and His redemption story for reconciling His creation back to the creator.

I will say our formula of concord article 2 on the free will with its use of the word "cooperate" for the regenerate with the Holy Spirit, though in weakness can shipwreck peoples faith. Man is so insistent on adding "his works" into the fold that councils of men can error. This is our error as Lutherans.

I work in quality inspection field and we always ask, what would or could the auditor say that may turn this process back in on ourselves. So for any pastor or theologian, I turn this back at you, who agree with "cooperation" in regards to God's work (which is out of our hands and nothing we control) and ask how do you cooperate as a coma patient? How do you cooperate as a dementia patient? How about the special needs (I have a down syndrome son) and so how does he cooperate? Man has been trying to make it about himself since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and decided to be their own Gods. We know how that turned out, they ran and hid. Even their best, fig leaves for wear, was not even good enough. We should learn from God's word that the only one who has ever redeemed us is Jesus Christ. When we do this, we are blessed with a zeal for the Word of Jesus Christ. God's kingdom is active, the gospel is being preached. Satan is God's ape.

Now for our neighbors, I'd say he instructs and teaches us, in Jesus Christ, to serve them in our vocations. We put our old adams to death in baptism each and every day and our lives as Christians is our tension as simul justus et peccator.

 

[AbbaLove]

We Lutherans are not synergists, the Bible is not a how-to manual on how to please God. It is an autobiography of Jesus Christ and His redemption story for reconciling His creation back to the creator.

What Protestant denomination has ever implied that Lutherans (or other. Protestants) have ever included a pagan religious belief as a way of turning/sinning lost souls to accept Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior?

Can you give us any Protestant Reformation religious example (since 1517) of having ever incorporated a pagan religious practice as a means to encourage a pagan culture to more readily accept Christianity (Jesus Christ as their God and Savior).

 

[CurtUtter]

What Protestant denomination has ever implied that Lutherans (or other. Protestants) have ever included a pagan religious belief as a way of turning/sinning lost souls to accept Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior?

Can you give us any Protestant Reformation religious example (since 1517) of having ever incorporated a pagan religious practice as a means to encourage a pagan culture to more readily accept Christianity (Jesus Christ as their God and Savior).

A good book to read from a Pastor Michael Horton is "Christless Christianity" or you can listen to White Horse Inn and their entire year of 2008 on the same topic. Rod Rosenbladt is only the Lutheran surrounded by reformed during those sessions.

Also The Augsburg Confession and Formula of Concord list a good deal of denominations that we do not agree with. Not sure if I gave a good enough answer to your questions.

 

[AbbaLove]

Also The Augsburg Confession and Formula of Concord list a good deal of denominations that we do not agree with. Not sure if I gave a good enough answer to your questions.

You never answered my question ... "Can you give us any Protestant Reformation religious example (since 1517) of having ever incorporated a pagan religious practice as a means to encourage a pagan culture to more readily accept Christianity (Jesus Christ as their God and Savior)?

Is incorporating a chocolate Easter Bunny, Easter Basket full of candy, and an Easter colored egg hunt on Easter Sunday really appropriate for Christianity? Why then do so many Protestant families (including Lutherans) celebrate this pagan spring fertility ritual on Resurrection Sunday? How does this pagan practice encourage children to keep their eyes on Jesus instead of an Easter Bunny? Or is Christ's Resurrection just too much for children to grasp ... so maybe some Easter Bunny candy, colored eggs and games are needed..

As Christians probably already know, the Bible makes no mention of a mythical hare who delivers eggs to children on the day of Jesus Christ's resurrection. So, why exactly has a rabbit become a prominent part of one of Christianity's most important events? One theory, according to Time, is that the symbol of the rabbit stems from the ancient pagan tradition on which many of our Easter traditions are based — the festival of Eostre, which honored the goddess of fertility and spring. The goddess's animal symbol was a rabbit, which have long traditionally stood for fertility due to their high reproduction rates.

 

[JM]

Pachamamas and the Pope.

 

[CurtUtter]

You never answered my question ... "Can you give us any Protestant Reformation religious example (since 1517) of having ever incorporated a pagan religious practice as a means to encourage a pagan culture to more readily accept Christianity (Jesus Christ as their God and Savior)?

Is incorporating a chocolate Easter Bunny, Easter Basket full of candy, and an Easter colored egg hunt on Easter Sunday really appropriate for Christianity? Why then do so many Protestant families (including Lutherans) celebrate this pagan spring fertility ritual on Resurrection Sunday? How does this pagan practice encourage children to keep their eyes on Jesus instead of an Easter Bunny? Or is Christ's Resurrection just too much for children to grasp ... so maybe some Easter Bunny candy, colored eggs and games are needed..

As Christians probably already know, the Bible makes no mention of a mythical hare who delivers eggs to children on the day of Jesus Christ's resurrection. So, why exactly has a rabbit become a prominent part of one of Christianity's most important events? One theory, according to Time, is that the symbol of the rabbit stems from the ancient pagan tradition on which many of our Easter traditions are based — the festival of Eostre, which honored the goddess of fertility and spring. The goddess's animal symbol was a rabbit, which have long traditionally stood for fertility due to their high reproduction rates.

Our church doesn't have any ties before, during or afterwards the divine service to celebrating the easter bunny. We don't even have a "children's sermon" because we treat children the same way as the adults, receiving the faith. We see Jesus Christ giving us his gifts of His Word and His Sacraments no matter the age.

Should celebrating the easter bunny happen in a church service? No, it shouldn't. But we sin in thought, word, and deed as Christians. Is Jesus Christ the subject of our service? Is He doing the verbs or are we? Do we receive his gifts with fear and trembling? Psalm 130:4 (ESV) "
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared."

AbbaLove are you a Lutheran and have been catechized in the Lutheran faith?