No Harm, No Foul
even when the devil is trying to harm!
1/ More than Conquered, More than Conquerors (Romans 8:37)
Yet
in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through Him
who loved us.
2/ The Briefing is Back
Al Mohler is back from his summer break, and the Briefing is back on. I thought last Friday’s episode on Paganism was very helpful.
My morning (keep up with the world) commute podcasting lineup is: The Briefing, The World and Everything in It, and, if there’s time, Breakpoint.
3/ Common [and Not So Common] Sense Evangelism
Here’s Flamme’s latest article.
Jesus never promised numerical superiority in the world. He promised the church, as few or as numerous as she may be, will withstand the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18). When we invite people to church, we’re not trying to make Christianity successful by any worldly standard. We’re welcoming poor sinners into the spiritual combat against temptations, death, and the devil, the same enemies we struggle with until we enter in the Lord’s victory and rest on the day of resurrection.
4/ Unknowingly they lead us to joy
Yesterday I mentioned Martin Luther’s exposition of John 15:2, where he quotes an ancient hymn about the martyrs.
The world, to be sure, intends to do us harm, but it really accomplishes no more than what the church sings about the martyrs: “Unknowingly they lead us into eternal joys.” Unknowingly and involuntarily the world leads the Christians through torture and death to eternal joys. Such tortures are nothing else, as St. Agatha said, than taking our arms in a friendly way and leading us to heaven as a bride is led to a dance. Whatever harm is done to Christians by the world, God turns back their anger and lets the harm redound to their advantage.
(LW 24:196-197, On John 15:2 c. 1537)
And Take They Our Life: Martin Luther’s Theology of Martyrdom, Bryan Wolfmueller, 45
This is a profound spiritual mystery, that the devil unknowingly blesses us and carries us along to Jesus.
Pr Sean Kilgo found the hymn. I posted the lyrics here.
5/ Let it Breathe
This is a nice song.
6/ Covid, round two
I tested positive for Covid on Saturday. (I was sure I would be negative. I have no symptoms, but I was around a bunch of youth who were sick, so I wanted to make sure before I went to church. Alas! I’m feeling fine. Thank you for your prayers.)
But, I didn’t get to preach on Ephesians 4, so I recorded this Bible Study:
And, today’s Worldwide Bible Study on the Spirit and the mind of God was a lot of fun.
Remember to go to your pastor's Bible Class this week and, read old theology books. (If you don't have a pastor or congregation, click here. If you don't have old theology books, click here.)
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Thank you, again, for your time and attention, and for your prayers. Please keep in touch.
Lord's Blessings,
Pastor Wolfmueller
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
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