Johannes von Staupitz

Commemoration of Johannes von Staupitz, Luther’s Father Confessor
November 8, 2009

The Lord be with you

Today, on the Church Calendar used in the LCMS, has been set aside to commemorate Johannes von Staupitz (ca. 1469-1524). Born in Saxony, he was the vicar-general of the Augustinian Order in Germany and friend of Martin Luther. He studied at the universities in Leipzig and Colonge and served on the faculty at Cologne. In 1503, he was called by Frederick the Wise to serve as dean of the theological faculty at the newly founded University of Wittenberg. There Staupitz encouraged Luther to attain a doctorate in theology and appointed Luther as his successor to professor of Bible at the university. During Luther’s early struggles to understand God’s grace, it was Staupitz who counseled Luther to focus on Christ and not on himself.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Does God Deceive?

Friday after All Saints’ Day
November 6, 2009

The Lord be with you

This post must come under the heading of “better late than never.” This coming Sunday at Lamb of God Lutheran (LCMS) the adult Bible study will be looking at Jeremiah 20:7, where Jeremiah complains:

O LORD, you have deceived me,
and I was deceived;
you are stronger than I,
and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughingstock all the day;
everyone mocks me.

So, does God deceive Jeremiah? Find out Sunday.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Zecharias and Elizabeth

The Commemoration of Zecharias and Elizabeth
November 5, 2009

The Lord be with you

On the calendar used by the LCMS, today is the Commemoration of Zecharias and Elizabeth. I thought, therefore, I’d share something about this couple.

Zecharias and Elizabeth were “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in the commandments and statutes of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). Zecharias, a priest in the Jerusalem temple, was greeted by the angel Gabriel, who announced that Zecharias and Elizabeth would become parents of a son. Initially, Zecharias did not believe Gabriel’s announcement because of their old age. For his disbelief, Zecharias became unable to speak. After their son was born, Elizabeth named their son John, as Gabriel had instructed Zecharias. The neighbors found it an odd name because no one in the family had been named “John.” Zecharias confirmed the name and his ability to speak was restored. In response, he sang the Benedictus, a magnificent summary of God’s promises in the Old Testament and a prediction of John’s work as forerunner to Jesus (Luke 1:68-79). Zecharias and Elizabeth are remembered as examples of faithfulness and piety.

Zecharias’ song is called the Benedictus because the first word in Latin, the standard Bible for over 1,000 years, is “benedictus.”

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Say Thank you

Thursday after All Satins’ Day
Commemoration of Zacharias and Elizabeth
September 5, 2009

The Lord be with you

Many of you already know about this, it has been making the rounds, but it is worth a post because some might not know. It is a way to say “thank you” to our troops who serve, placing their lives on the line. Please watch the following video.



Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

Worship for Pentecost 23

Thursday after All Satins’ Day
Commemoration of Zacharias and Elizabeth
September 5, 2009

The Lord be with you

This coming Sunday, November 8, is the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost. At Lamb of God Lutheran (LCMS) we will be using the first setting of the Morning (Divine) Service, which begins on page 151 of the hymnal. This will be a Communion Service. Our appointed lessons are 1 Kings 17:8-16, Hebrews 9:24-28, and Mark 12:38-44. The sermon text is Mark 12:38 and is titled “It’s Showtime!” Our opening hymn will be “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty,” LSB 901. The Sermon hymn will be “The Temple Rang with Golden Coins,” LSB 787. Our Closing hymn will be “May God Bestow on Us His Grace” LSB 824. The Distribution hymns will be “Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray” LSB 623, “Take My Life and Let it Be” LSB 784, and “Come, My Soul, with Every Care” LSB 779.

Better Noise has every hymn for Sunday except “Come My Soul, with Every Care,” which no one seems to have. I found a video of a Lutheran congregation singing “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty.” It is an installation service. Though they are not “choir” quality, they sing with gusto. The embedding for the video has been disabled, but if you click here you will go to it and can listen.

Preview of the Lessons

1 Kings 17:8-16: This is a portion of the story about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. The drought was dragging on as the Lord disciplined his people for worshiping Baal. Elijah is sent to this widow, who would provide for him. The Lord provides for her by miraculously extending her supply of oil and flour. One thing we can draw from this story is the importance of putting God first, as this widow did. Another is that God does care and provide for us, even in difficult times. It actually is a good stewardship text.

Hebrews 9:24-28: The writer continues to show the superiority of Christianity over Judaism. In this case Christ is the superior sacrifice, needing to be made only once. Through this sacrifice entrance into the true Holy Place, heaven, is gained.

Mark 12:38-44: Christ and his disciples are at the Temple. He warns against a “for-show” religion. Then a poor widow comes with a meager offering, worth about half a cent. Others had been giving much, much larger sums. Jesus points to the widow as a model of giving, for she gave out of the funds needed for necessities while the others gave from their disposable income. Again this is a good stewardship text. It is also good to accent how God has regard for that which humanity looks down upon. Jesus once said, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Sunday’s Collect

Almighty and ever-living God, You have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You. Grant us so firmly to believe in Your Son Jesus that our faith may never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Gradual (Rev. 7:14b; Ps 84:5)

These are ones coming out of the great tribulation.
They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
In whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Verse (2 Cor. 8:9)

Alleluia. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. Alleluia.

Introit (Ps. 107:1-2, 41-42; antiphon: Ps. 107:8)

Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of men!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble.
He raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of men!

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

In Honor of All Saints' Day

Tuesday after All Saints’ Day
November 3, 2009

The Lord be with you

This past Sunday was All Saints’ Day. In light of that, I thought I’d quote a 20th Century saint as he wrote about the saints that came before him, and the saints who were alive in his day.

Patriarchs of sacred story
And the prophets there are found;
The apostles, too, in glory
On twelve seats are there enthroned
All the saints that have ascended
Age on age, through time extended,
There in blissful concert sing
Hallelujahs to their King.

Thus the old funeral hymn ... speaks of the church of all the perfected in heaven (cf. Heb 12:22-23). And this thought of the fathers of the church who have preceded us into heaven rings through the centuries down to Wilhelm Lohe's hymn on the Sacrament, where it says of heaven: "There the angel host stands inflamed in your [God's] light, and my fathers gaze upon your sight." All the saints, from the beginning of the world who have died believing in the Redeemer, whether he was yet to come or had come in the flesh, all members of the people of God of all times to the present day—in this sense, all are fathers of the church. Whether Christians have found themselves in the loneliness of a Siberian prison camp or the isolation of the diaspora or suffering inner alienation within the great secularized "churches" of our century, it has become even more the consolation of those who have suffered for the sake of the church and whom God has led on a “lonely path” to know that they are not alone in the one church of God. They who have been removed from every error and sin of the earthly church stand with us in the seamless fellowship of the body of Christ.
Hermann Sasse

Hermann Sasse (July 17,1895 to August 9, 1976) was born in Germany, became a Lutheran pastor and theologian, opposed Adolph Hitler, emigrated to Australia in 1949 where he served on the faculty of the seminary of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia (later merged into the Lutheran Church of Australia) until his death. He was one of the leading (some say “the” leading) voice of Confessional Lutheranism in his day.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert

The Past Speaks

Monday after All Saint’s Day
November 2, 2009

The Lord be with you

“How mighty is the grace of water, in the sight of God and His Christ, for the confirmation of Baptism! Never is Christ without water: He who is Himself baptized in water (Matt 3:13-17); inaugurates in water the first display of His power when invited to the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11); in His preaching He invites the thirsty to His own eternal water (John 7:37-38; John 4:6ff.); He approves, among the works of charity, the cup of water offered to a poor child (Matthew 10:42); He gathered His strength at a well (John 4:6); walks over the water (Matthew 14:25ff.); calms the waves (Mark 4:39); and serves His disciples with washing by water (John 13:5). Even His Passion bears witness to the power of Baptism’s waters, for while He was being handed over to the cross, water intervened and was a witness against Pilate’s hands (Matthew 27:24). And when He is wounded, after His death, water bursts forth from His side that had been pierced with the soldier’s lance (John 19:34).”
Tertullian, On Baptism IX.

This quote is found in Treasury of Daily Prayer, published by Concordia Publish House. Tertullian (160-230 AD) was an early Christian theologian and founder of Western theology who was the first great Latin Christian writer.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert