Stewards of Hope
which involves not hoping in war horses
1/ Stewardship of Hope
Three times in Psalm 33 we receive instructions for our hope (see verses 17, 18, 22).
The war horse? A false hope. Our hope belongs to the LORD.
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. (Psalm 33:18-19)
2/ World-Wide Bible Class: Back at it!
We will restart the Worldwide Bible Class next Wednesday, 10a central time. Find the link to join and all the other information here: www.wolfmueller.co/bible
We will continue to study Genesis alongside Martin Luther.
If you’ve never joined us for the study, jump in. It’s a lot of fun.
If you missed a few, you can watch old classes here. (That’s a series of 27 videos so far.)
(I’ll try to send you all a reminder next Tuesday.)
3/ Christian Culture, A Magazine for Lutherans
This is a nice journal by the folks building Lutheran Classical College. You can subscribe for free, and all the articles are available online. Check it out here.
Pr Ryan Loeslie translated some old quotations from the Lutheran Witness about the importance of learning the Bible (and Catechism and Hymns) by heart. You can read that here.
The great historian Heinrich von Treitschke says: “Since Diesterweg (a well-known but liberal seminar director) made it his method to let his students find the truth for themselves, he maintained that it was spiritless training when they were coerced, according to the old school custom, to learn by heart Bible verses and hymn verses which were only partly understood. Also the church-hostile press acts very clever when it constantly rails against ‘dull memorization.’ They believe wrongly. This worldly darkness of knowledge thoroughly forgets that even the mature man only partly understands religious truths. Only when he has first made a self-concerted effort to learn them himself can these religious truths be grasped firmly. Likewise, the sublime sayings of biblical wisdom survive in a receptive memory, even when they are not engaged. Then suddenly come temptations and tragedies of life, and they prove to be a comforting and edifying power.”
4/ Faithfulness Is the Future of the Church | Acton Institute article
I found this article encouraging and shared it with my elders.
The first thing to note is that credibility with the world outside the church is not something to be desired in an unqualified manner. The New Testament makes it clear that the church is not a continuous part of the wider culture. The message of the cross is foolishness to Greeks and an offense to Jews, as Paul argues in 1 Corinthians. That sets limits to the church’s plausibility in the wider culture and indicates that a church that is not at some level offensive to that wider culture is likely not articulating the gospel in a correct manner.
5/ Luther on the Two Parts of Scripture
Meanwhile it is to be noted, that the whole Scripture of God is divided into two parts, precepts and promises. The precepts certainly teach us what is good, but what they teach is not forthwith done. For they show us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it.
They [the precepts, the laws] were ordained, however, for the purpose of showing man to himself; that through them he may learn his own impotence for good, and may despair of his own strength. For this reason they are called the Old Testament, and are so. For example: "thou shalt not covet," is a precept by which we are all convicted of sin; since no man can help coveting, whatever efforts to the contrary he may make. In order therefore that he may fulfil the precept, and not covet, he is constrained to despair of himself and to seek elsewhere and through another the help which he cannot find in himself; as it is said: "O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but in Me is your help" (Hosea 13:9).
Now what is done by this one precept, is done by all; for all are equally impossible of fulfilment by us. Now when a man has through the precepts been taught his own impotence, and become anxious by what means he may satisfy the law--for the law must be satisfied, so that no jot or tittle of it may pass away; otherwise he must be hopelessly condemned--then, being truly humbled and brought to nothing in his own eyes, he finds in himself no resource for justification and salvation.
Then comes in that other part of Scripture, the promises of God, which declare the glory of God, and say: "If you wish to fulfil the law, and, as the law requires, not to covet, lo! believe in Christ, in whom are promised to you grace, justification, peace, and liberty." All these things you shall have, if you believe, and shall be without them, if you do not believe. For what is impossible for you by all the works of the law, which are many and yet useless, you shall fulfil in an easy and summary way through faith; because God the Father has made everything to depend on faith, so that whosoever has it, has all things, and he who has it not, has nothing. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all" (Romans 11:32).
Thus the promises of God give that which the precepts exact [require], and, fulfil what the law commands; so that all is of God alone, both the precepts and their fulfilment. He alone commands. He alone also fulfils. Hence the promises of God belong to the New Testament; nay, are the New Testament.
Martin Luther, The Freedom of the Christian (p16-18). Download Free. Buy it for your library, and to give to a friend.
6/ Favorite Luther
Do you have a favorite Luther quote? I’d love to hear it.
A/ Updates and Announcements
A huge thanks to all of you who have jumped in to support Deaf Ministry in Central Texas! God be praised!
Apologetics for the 21st Century, a continuing ed class with Dr. Francisco, St Paul Austin, Aug 23-25.
Pr Brian Kachelmeier installation, Aug 28, 4p, Mt Calvary Lutheran Church, San Antonio, TX.
Pr Robert LeBlanc installation, Sept 4, 4p, St Paul Austin
IN SERVICE TO THE GOSPEL THROUGH WORD & MUSIC, a conference for musicians and theologians, St Paul Austin, Sept 8-10.
The Prodigal Son: Three Slaveries and Three Freedoms, St John Fraiser MI, Sept 17
Young Adult Retreat, St Paul Austin, Oct 22 (more info coming soon)
Al Mohler’s Briefing is back after the regular July break.
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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“I am of a different mind ten times in the course of a day. But I resist the devil, and often it is with a fart that I chase him away. When he tempts me with silly sins I say, 'Devil, yesterday I broke wind too. Have you written it down on your list?'" -Martin Luther
“If you are a preacher of the Gospel, do not preach as though you could gain all men for Christ, for not all heed the Gospel (cf. Rom. 10:16); but if you convert three or four souls and lead them to Christ, like the tips of burning brands (cf. Amos 4:11), give thanks. For one should not quit simply because so few are changed for the better to hear the preaching of the Gospel. But do what Christ did: He rescued the elect and left the rest behind. This is what the apostles did also. It will not be better for you. You are foolish if you either presume that you alone can accomplish everything or despair of everything when it does not go your way.” - Martin Luther (AE 15:124)