“Saints Preserve Us!”
Have you ever heard that line uttered by someone in a movie or a TV show? Usually it means that this person is a caricature of an Irishman, running about while saying that phrase, “faith and begorrah,” and the like. We may be hearing more of it as the world marks St. Patrick’s Day in a few weeks. As Christians, we can ignore the wearing of green, corned beef and cabbage, and all the rest of the stuff if we want and go straight to Patrick’s proclamation of the Gospel to the Irish people in the 5th century.We can honor Patrick for that, and thank our gracious Lord for using Patrick and many others to bring the Gospel to all tribes, nations, and peoples. In a sermon a few weeks ago I mentioned St. John Chrysostom, and sometimes you’ll see on our calendars various days for this or that saints. What’s the point of this?
In the Smalcald Articles, Luther wrote about the
invocation of the saints: “The invocation of saints is also one of the
abuses of Antichrist conflicting with the chief article, and destroys the
knowledge of Christ. Neither is it commanded nor counseled, nor has it any
example [or testimony] in Scripture, and even though it were a precious thing,
as it is not [while, on the contrary, it is a most harmful thing], in Christ we
have everything a thousand fold better [and surer, so that we are not in need
of calling upon the saints].”
“And although the angels in heaven pray for us (as Christ
Himself also does), as also do the saints on earth, and perhaps also in heaven,
yet it does not follow thence that we should invoke and adore the angels and
saints, and fast, hold festivals, celebrate Mass in their honor, make
offerings, and establish churches, altars, divine worship, and in still other
ways serve them, and regard them as helpers in need [as patrons and
intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help, and ascribe to each one
a particular form of assistance, as the Papists teach and do. For this is idolatry,
and such honor belongs alone to God.”
“For as a Christian and saint upon earth you can pray for
me, not only in one, but in many necessities. But for this reason I am not
obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations,
hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my
salvation. I can in other ways indeed honor, love, and thank you in Christ” (SA.25-27).
Furthermore, you—like all Christians—are saints already. Here. Now. You are
clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ; how could any good works
improve upon that which is already perfection? So why would we bring up saints
at all? Our Augsburg Confession states, “Of the Worship of Saints they
teach that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their
faith and good works, according to our calling, as the Emperor may follow the
example of David in making war to drive away the Turk from his country. For
both are kings. But the Scripture teaches not the invocation of saints or to
ask help of saints, since it sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator,
Propitiation, High Priest, and Intercessor. He is to be prayed to, and has
promised that He will hear our prayer; and this worship He approves above all,
to wit, that in all afflictions He be called upon, 1 John 2:1 If any man sin,
we have an Advocate with the Father, etc.” (AC XXI.1-4)
We can look at the lives of those Christians who’ve gone before us as examples
of steadfastness and remaining firm in the faith. Even though we do not address
our prayers to the saints in heaven, we should continue to pray for one
another, as James wrote in his epistle: “Is anyone among you suffering?
Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you
sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will
save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has
committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one
another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a
righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a
nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three
years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and
heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit” (5:13-18).
Think of the believers who have preceded us because they were used by God to
bring His gifts to the people, as with John Chrysostom and Patrick. Also, we
can look at the lives of those Christians and see how God has forgiven them of
their sins (e.g., Christ forgiving Peter of his denial that he knew Jesus),
which is a comfort and assurance to us that God has indeed forgiven our sins.
Finally, we can look at the lives of these Christians and follow their example
of faith in our Lord Christ and His saving work on Calvary.
So, “saints preserve us”? No, Christ’s atoning work and the faith in that worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit preserves us. But we can look back and thank God that the gates of hell have not prevailed against His Church and His saints, as God has amply demonstrated over the years.The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
LCMS Stewardship Ministry
Newsletter article –March 2021
Hudson Taylor, a Nineteenth Century British missionary to China, is reported to have said, “God’s work, done in God’s way, will not lack God’s supply.” To know God’s way, we need to know His Holy Word. Or to say it another way: you need to know your Bible.
St. Paul, before he spends two chapters on giving, wrote that every thought is to be taken captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Doctrine matters. And doctrine matters because the Scriptures matter. And the Scriptures matter because this is where we learn the teaching of Christ. Our thoughts must be brought into line with the teaching of Scripture so that our work is what God wants done and so that we do this work in His way.
Bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ is recognizing that God does provide. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to pray for daily bread. Praying this day in and day out reminds us that the Lord is the giver of our daily bread, and that we are to gives thanks for His daily provision of it. God is rarely early and never late in His work, as Abraham learned on the mount of the Lord it will be provided. The Lord’s generosity forms our generosity in return.
“Here I Stand” on the
Word in My Community “...REMEMBERING YOU IN MY PRAYERS…” (Eph. 1:16) For Rev.
Vernon Boehlke (emeritus, Riverton), as he continues treatments for cancer. For
Rev. Ralph Jaeger (emeritus, Laramie), health For Jennifer Wittrock (wife of
emeritus Rev. Michael Wittrock), diagnosed with cancer. PASTORS AND
CONGREGATIONS St. Paul’s, Sidney is being served by Rev. Allen Strawn (St.
Paul’s, Bridgeport) during the vacancy. The congregation is holding discussions
with Salem, Gurley and St. Paul’s, Potter (Rev. Ted Bourret) about forming a
multi-point parish. Rev. Travis Sherman (Grace, Gordon) is serving Grace,
Merriman, NE (Nebraska District) while it considers its future. St. John’s,
Lovell: Rev. Jacob Benson will be installed on March 14 at 4:00 PM. Immanuel,
Alliance (Rev. Richard Mueller): Rev. Shaun Daugherty has accepted the divine
call as assistant pastor and is being installed February 28 at 4:00 PM.
Here I Stand: God’s
Word in My Community Here I stand on God’s Word in my community! This month we
ask, What is the relationship between my household and my community? How do I
live as a Christian husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter, or
worker in my community? And what duties does God give to my household that He
has not given to the civil community or government? Let’s take the last
question first. We confess that God is the source and giver of marriage and family—the
household with all its duties. These are not products of evolution, nor of
human will and choice, nor of government edicts. In fact, God established
marriage and the authority of parents first, and only afterwards gave
government out of the authority of the parents. We teach in the Large
Catechism, “For all other authority is derived and developed out of the
authority of parents” (LC I.141). Furthermore, “Through civil rulers, as
through our own parents, God gives us food, house and home, protection and
security, and He preserves us through them” (LC 1.150). God teaches us that He
has originally given to marriage and household the duty to bear and rear
children. He commands parents to “bring up their children in the education and
instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). He gives the household the duty to be a
school for wholesome knowledge and useful skills for the service of others. He
places in the household the duty to supply the members of the household with
food and medicine. He orders fathers and heads of households to instruct all
members of the household in God’s Word and to lead them in prayer. Both church
and civil community may help and support the household in these duties, but
neither of them should dare to usurp these prerogatives or take them away. No
government law or program has first rights in these matters. Take an example
from the Lutheran Reformation: The Roman Catholic church made it illegal for
pastors to get married. This unjust law was enforced in the civil community,
the church, and the household. But the Lutherans responded first with Holy
Scriptures and then with natural law. God instituted marriage in Genesis 1 and
2, gave it as a gift to all men, commanded that it be used both for the
procreation of children and for a defense against lust, and blessed it with
great promises. It is also evident from nature and observation that the
lifelong conjugal union of a man and a woman is a design written into nature
itself, that it is best for the man and woman, children, the community, and for
humanity in general. The conclusion? Let pastors marry. Neither church law nor
civil government has the authority to pass laws that contradict the Scriptures
and the divine law written into nature itself. So how do we confess the truths
of marriage and household in our community? How do we live as Christian
householders in a civil culture that is hostile to the Christian faith? This
is, of course, the daily question of every Christian. But here are a few
observations from God’s Word. First, to Christians and Christian households,
Jesus says, “You all are the salt of the earth. . . You all are the light of
the world. . . Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good
works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:13–16). Let your
Christian good works begin at home. Go to church as a family. Read God’s Word
and pray together as a household. Be loving and faithful to husband and wife,
children and parents. Parents, be the teachers of your children, or give them
Lutheran teachers to help you raise them to be pious and virtuous Lutheran
adults. St. Paul teaches us in Titus 2:1–10 that we honor and adorn the
doctrine of our Savior by how we conduct our lives in our households. He tells
Pastor Titus, “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older
men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in
love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in
behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is
good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be
self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own
husbands, that the Word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger
men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good
works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that
cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing
evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in
everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but
showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of
God our Savior.” What we confess to our communities by our family life is
Christ Himself. Paul continues, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing
salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly
passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present
age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God
and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all
lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are
zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11–14).
REFORMATION 500: Summoned to Worms In April and May we will
be remembering the 500th anniversary of Luther’s faithful confession before
Emperor Charles V at Worms, Germany. It is a remarkable thing that an obscure
professor of the Old Testament at a recently founded German university should
be brought from posting 95 Theses for academic debate in the Fall of 1517 to
standing before the great ruler of Western Europe in the Spring of 1521.
History records these events as the actions of men. We recognize the working of
God on behalf of His church. In these three and half years, Luther was not only
accused of false doctrine and divisiveness in the church, but he was caught up
in the political intrigues of the papacy and imperial government. During this
time he was studying, teaching, writing, debating, and maturing in his
understanding of Scriptures and the errors of the Roman church. Also, the young
Charles V became emperor during this time (1519) and spent the following years
establishing his throne. The “heretical” Wittenberg monk was his German
problem. Luther’s faced the formal condemnation of both church and state when
he was threatened with excommunication and outlawry in 1520 in the papal bull
Exsurge Domine. As we heard, Luther burned the bull and books of canon law in
December 1520. His excommunication was made official with a papal bull
published January 3, 1521. But would the rulers enforce the excommunication by
making Luther an outlaw and punishing him?
Luther’s confession
was made possible because his secular rulers were persuaded that he should
receive a hearing before being condemned. In late 1520 the Emperor and Luther’s
prince, Duke Frederick, began negotiations to provide a hearing for Luther in
German lands, possibly at the Diet (the parliamentary meeting of the Estates)
to be held in Worms in the Spring of 1521. On March 29 Luther received the
summons to appear before the Diet in Worms. He left Wittenberg on about April
2. Luther had a very sober view of what might happen in Worms. In a letter
written to George Spalatin (Duke Frederick’s secretary), dated December 29,
1520, Luther wrote (AE 48.188–190), If God does not want to preserve me, then
my head is of slight importance compared with Christ, who was put to death in
greatest ignominy—a stumbling block to all and the ruin of many. No one’s
danger, no one’s safety can be considered here. We must rather take care that
we do not expose the gospel (which we have finally begun to promote) to the
derision of the godless and thus give our enemies a reason for boasting over us
because we do not dare confess what we have taught and are afraid to shed our
blood for it. May the merciful Christ prevent such cowardice on our part and
such boasting on their part. Amen. Of course it has come about that the kings
and rulers of the earth would gather and rage with the nations and peoples
against God and His Christ. Yet the Spirit teaches in that same Psalm [2] that
those who trust in God will be blessed; and not only this, but also that the
Lord will laugh and deride those who don’t. Certainly it is not up to us to
decide whether my life, or for that matter my death, will bring greater or less
danger for the gospel and the public welfare. You know that God’s truth is a
rock of stumbling set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel [Is. 8:14;
Lk 2:34]. . . Now you have my judgment and opinion on this matter. You may
expect everything of me except flight and recanting. I do not want to escape,
much less recant; may the Lord Jesus strengthen me in this. I could do neither
without endangering piety and the salvation of many. FUTURE DATES March 12-13:
Powder River Winter Youth Retreat, Buffalo May 6-8: Wyoming District
Convention, Casper June 17-19: Family Retreat, Uinta County June 25-27: Fathers
and Sons, Fort Robinson July 20-22: Homeschool Conference, Casper Mountain THE
NEXT ROUNDUP The next Roundup will be delivered to congregations around March
20 (April 2021 issue).
LWML
Corner:
Next meeting: Sunday,
March 14 @ 2:00 pm. All ladies are invited to join us for Bible Study and
fellowship.
Current
Mission Project: Diapers & formula & other miscellaneous items for area
families that are struggling due to the Covid virus. We would invite the
congregation to join us by either donating money or anything from the following
list of items: Size 2, Size 4, size 5 diapers; Regular or Sensitive Skin
Wipes; Panties size 2T, 3T & 4: Boys Briefs 2T, 3T, & 4; Boys &
Girls Pants/jeans 2T, 3T & 4T. We will have a mite box available for
donations. You can bring your items to the church and we will distribute them.
If you have question please visit with any LWML member. Thank you for your
participation!
Called to Order: 7:00pm
The February Council Meeting was called to order by Chairman Virgil Ritz. Pastor Humphrey read an opening devotion from the 8th Psalm and Mark Chapter #1. The minutes from the previous Council meeting were read and approved. The Treasure’s report was read and approved.
Pastor’s Report: Pastor Humphrey reports the Kyocera printer
has been repaired and is working well, at the moment, however parts will
continue to be hard to get for that model. He notes that Century has multiple
purchase and lease options available, as well as service contracts available.
Pastor reports the Tell the Good News About Jesus Convocation took place Feb.
5-6 in Casper with Rev. Brent Kuhlman speaking on “persecution and the end
times.” Lenten Services are being held at 4pm (Service of Prayer and Preaching)
and a Responsive Prayer at 7pm. Pastor Humphrey reports Thursday Morning Bible
Study has taken up Revelation and has decided to move times to Wednesdays at 9:30a.m.
Elders Report: Don Bowlin reports Judy Bowlin and Karissa
Bowlin have completed adult confirmation and have been confirmed. He also
states Levi Bowlin has informed the Board of Elders and Pastor Humphrey of his
intention to transfer and has asked for a release from his position as elder.
Trustees Report: Jim reports Castro roofing has repaired the
north roof on the Church.
New Business: No new business to address;
With no further business to address the meeting closed with
the Lord’s Prayer.
Adjourn: 7:36pm
March 2 Kenneth
Humphrey Birthday
March 2 Shelia
Jayne Birthday
March 10 Joanne
Kurtz Baptismal Date
March 10 Kylie
Kindred Baptismal Date
March 13 Kathryn Haskins Birthday
March 21 Ashley
Wagoner Birthday
March 22 Melvina
Dillman Baptismal Date
March 23 Brayden
Schneider Baptismal Date
March 23 Jonathan
Humphrey Birthday
March 30 Beverly
Ritz Birthday
March 31 Peggy Strauch Birthday
If your name
does not appear, it is because these were taken from Trinity’s directory for
which we have permission to use names and dates. Please notify the office to have a date added.
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
2021 SCHEDULE OF LENTEN SERVICES
DIVINE SERVICES WILL TAKE PLACE AT 9 AM ON SUNDAYS, FOLLOWED BY BIBLE
STUDY AND SUNDAY SCHOOL THROUGHOUT LENT
MARCH 10, 2021
4:00 PM SERVICE OF PRAYER AND PREACHING
7:00 PM RESPONSIVE PRAYER
MARCH 17, 2021
4:00 PM SERVICE OF PRAYER AND PREACHING
7:00 PM RESPONSIVE PRAYER
MARCH 24, 2021
4:00 PM SERVICE OF PRAYER AND PREACHING
7:00 PM RESPONSIVE PRAYER
APRIL 1, 2021
4:00 PM HOLY THURSDAY
DIVINE SERVICE ONE
7:00 PM RESPONSIVE PRAYER
APRIL 2, 2021
4:00 PM GOOD FRIDAY
VESPERS
7:00 PM RESPONSIVE PRAYER
APRIL 4, 2021
6:30 AM EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE AT ST JOHNS/ SCOTTSBLUFF
9:00 AM EASTER
DIVINE SERVICE 4 at TRINITY
