D A R E
T O
B E
L U T H E R A N
Higher Things
Inside this issue:
• Christ Builds the Church in Africa • Paranormal Powers • The Jesus Book W W W. H I G H E RT H I N G S . O R G
/ WINTER / 2006
We’ve compiled a sampling of some notable blurbs from the Higher Things blogs. Check them out and read more online at http://blog.higherthings.org/.
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T A B L E
O F
Contents
Volume 6/Number 4 • Winter 2006
HigherThings Volume 6/Number 4/Winter 2006
FEATURES
COLUMNS
4
12 Dare to Be Lutheran: Luther on the Bible
Paranormal Powers By Rev. Tim Pauls Are you fascinated by aliens, ghosts, and haunted houses? Does the devil really command his demons to actively work against you? Read about Pastor Pauls’ experience with a possessed alarm clock and his explanation of what Christ has done to defeat the powers of darkness.
6
Myths of the Holy Spirit: Christmas Spirits
By Sem. Charles Lehmann Have you ever talked to someone who wondered what the Bible is about? Yes, it’s about wars, sin, angels, and other fascinating things, but it’s more than that. It’s what Christ has to tell us about Himself. And not only is the Word about Christ, the Word is Christ. And it’s all for you!
14 Caught in the Web
By Rev. George F. Borghardt III Who is the Holy Spirit? What is His role? And what on earth does He have to do with Christmas? To find out the answers to these questions as well as how the Holy Spirit works in you daily, turn no farther than Pastor Borghardt’s article.
10 Jesus Comes to You By Julie Stiegemeyer As surprising as it may seem, not all Lutherans worship in air-conditioned sanctuaries or get to eat coffee and donuts after church. Some gather beneath mangos trees to hear the Word of God preached while monkeys swing above their heads. God is building His Church around the world, and Julie Stiegemeyer gives us the inside scoop on how it’s happening in one corner of Africa.
20 Grace of the Court By Rev. Tim Pauls The courtroom is packed. The Judge isn’t in a good mood. And you’re the guilty one. How will you plead? And will the Judge be merciful or will He punish you for breaking the Law? For a dramatic fictional account of what the Last Day just might be like, turn to Pastor Pauls’ article on judgment and grace.
24 What I Didn’t Say in the Confessional By Susan Gehlbach Has it been a while since you’ve thought about what really takes place during Confession? Susan Gehlbach will refresh your memory by recounting the ache of confessing painful sins, the joy of receiving Holy Absolution, and the hope that sinners have in Christ.
By Kathy Luder E-mails can sometimes bring horrible news. After receiving one from a friend who admitted she was no longer a Christian, Kathy Luder had a frank discussion with her pastor about unbelief and faith. Read her latest account to find out how Kathy reacted to the news and what comfort her pastor had to share with her.
16 Christ on Campus: Christ in the Dock By Craig Parton Because today’s secular society seems to think that there is no truth, Christians are often called upon to give a defense of their faith. Craig Parton, a lawyer, summarizes common arguments used against Christianity and then outlines the best (and Lutheran) way to refute them.
26 Pulse: The Five Greatest Movies Never Made By Doktor Martin Luther and Anthony Sacramone Tired of not being able to find any Christianfriendly movies anymore? Read the good doctor’s proposal that Christian youth start making their own, and find out what his suggestions are for movies that would benefit Lutherans and the world as a whole.
30 God Revealed by Grace By Rev. David Petersen God created everything in the universe. But is it just there to look pretty or is there more to it? Understanding God through His creation is called the natural knowledge of God, and while it’s no easy subject to wrap your head around, Pastor Petersen will make it all clear!
28 Candles in the Dark: Jesus and Hanukkah By Kelly Klages Menorahs, dreidels, and yarmulkes—what is being Jewish all about anyway? If you’ve ever wondered about the topic of Hanukkah, the differences between Christians and the Jewish, and why they don’t celebrate Christmas, this is the article for you.
Also in this issue: 2 23 31 32
Blurbs from the Blogs Goofy Church Signs - Revisited Subscription Information For You Conference Information
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REV. BRENT KUHLMANN MARK PFUNDSTEIN BRUCE PARADIS REV. RICHARD RESCH DR. BEVERLY YAHNKE ___________ Higher Things Magazine ISSN 1539-8455 is published quarterly by Higher Things, Inc., 5009 Cassia, Boise, ID 83705. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the executive editor of Higher Things Magazine. Copyright 2006. Printed in the United States. Postage paid at St. Louis, Missouri. For subscription information and questions, call 208-343-4690 or e-mail subscriptions@higherthings.org. (This phone number is only used for subscriptions queries.) For letters to the editor, write letters@higherthings.org. Writers: you may submit manuscripts to: submissions@ higherthings.org. Please check http:// higherthings.org/magazine/writers.html for writers’ guidelines, theme lists, and reprint guidelines.
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Myths of the Holy Spirit:
Christmas
“Merry Christmas!” Have you ever considered how much of a Spirit-filled gift that greeting is? The phrase “Merry Christmas” communicates “A happy and blessed celebration of Jesus’ birth to you!” to those around you.
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Only on Christmas does everyone for just a moment hear the message of a virgin giving birth to her firstborn Son. All the earth declares, with much celebrating and merry making, the birth of our Savior. Everything stops: stores, restaurants, families, transportation, everything. Families gather together around His gifts, or at least around each other. And this message always seems to find a way to slip through:“And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:35 ESV). There’s the virgin, the baby, and the Most High— that’s Christmas! But how did the Holy Spirit get in there? Who exactly is the Holy Spirit, and where does He fit in at Christmas? Is the Spirit that feeling of warmth you feel welling up inside when you sing a Christmas song by candlelight on Christmas Eve? Is the Spirit the one who makes Grinches’ small hearts grow three sizes or convince mean old Scrooges to start giving things away? These are all good things, but they are not necessarily the working of the Holy Spirit. How can we tell? These things don’t save you from hell. Your heart can beat faster and grow bigger. It can even be so filled with love that you give your money away. And you and your great, big, warm heart can still find yourself in hell on the Last Day. The Holy Spirit’s work is all about saving you. If you want to find the Holy Spirit in Christmas, listen to Jesus, the Savior of your sins, being put into your ears. Listen to be reminded of Baptism when water and the Spirit sprinkled you into the Kingdom of God (John 3:5). Listen to your pastor’s Absolution, where Christ forgives you for all the times you grumbled “Bah, humbug!” or your heart really was
Spirits By Rev. George F. Borghardt III
three sizes too small. The Lord’s Word delivers a merry Christmas to you because the Holy Spirit gives Jesus to you through the Word. Probably the greatest myth about the Holy Spirit is that He works apart from the external Word. This myth is based on the false idea that God comes to you and creates faith in you without means or an outside instrument. Luther called those who believe such things “enthusiasts” (Schwarmerei). Enthusiasts get all revved up about the Spirit, but it’s always without the Word coming from outside of them. They don’t know exactly when or how or where God comes to them, but they sure feel it deep in their hearts when He has. Now, you may have never heard anyone called a Schwarmerei, but you’ve certainly heard their teachings. They get all excited about Jesus because of a decision they’ve made or because they’ve felt something, done something, thought something, or just generally have a better and deeper understanding of the Spirit than someone not quite as enthusiastic about Jesus as they are, like you or me. If you look hard enough at yourself, you’ll see that you’ve gotten excited about these things too, haven’t you? There’s a Schwarmerei in all of us, looking to have a merry Christmas apart from Jesus’ words and promises. But none of this merrymaking Christmas spirit is the Holy Spirit. That Spirit works through means to deliver Jesus to you. That’s what He does. He even delivered Jesus into Mary’s ears. The same goes for you. Where the Word is being preached, there you will find the Holy Spirit. Where sinners are having their sins washed away, there the Holy Spirit is at work. His gifts in Word and Sacrament are the means for the delivery of the “Holy Spirit, who works faith where and when He pleases in those who hear the Gospel” (AC V).
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It’s the o what’s the Bible about? It’s about a lot of things, like murder, intrigue, slavery, war, fire from heaven, angels, and plagues. It’s about how we please God. Ask the question, and you’ll get lots of answers, but are they worth hearing?
S
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When I hear these answers, they fall flat. They’re bland and empty like a pizza without cheese. They miss the point. I first learned what the Bible is about when I learned the word Bible in sign language. Bible is signed as “Jesus” plus “book.” Sign gets it right. The Bible gives us Jesus, the baby born to Mary and Joseph, the Savior who died for you and me. Luther once remarked that Jesus didn’t give Mary and Joseph great signs and wonders so they’d know who He was. He gave the signs to shepherds. To His parents He gave what He gives you. Jesus may be found in “the writings of the prophets and the law; in these He is wrapped, they contain Him, they speak only of Him and bear witness of Him; they are His sure sign, as He says Himself.”1 Luther’s just repeating what Jesus said (John 5:39). The scribes and Pharisees knew the Scriptures very well and tried to obey them. But they couldn’t do it. It was too hard, and so Jesus pointed them away from their failed deeds. He said, “The Scriptures are about me. It is in Me that you receive eternal life.” Where is Jesus? He is the Savior. He is the one acting to redeem His people. That’s what He does. Winning you back from Satan’s claws is the Lord’s joy. See? You’re there too. The sinner, the one being won back, the one who is dead without Jesus—that’s you. And so that’s the way you read the Scriptures. In them you will find Jesus, your Savior, seeking you
out. You are the lost lamb, and He is the shepherd who finds you. He dies on a cross, and you are the centurion who killed him, forgiven anyway through the water of Baptism that splashes on you from His pierced side. Christ is the beginning, the end, and everything in between. It is in the Scriptures that He relentlessly comes after you. When you listen to them honestly, you find that the Scriptures are filled with adulterers, murderers, children lying to parents, and families scheming against each other. They are all sinners like you. But Jesus is right there with them. He’s trudging through the muck. He’s feeling the pain you deserve. He’s receiving the wrath and evil you’ve earned. He promises to crush the head of the serpent. He shuts you up in the ark. He delivers you from Egypt. He is born. He grows up. He is tortured. He dies. He puts an end to Satan’s attacks because He takes the nails the demons want to pound into your arms. He rises from the dead, and death is destroyed forever. If someone tells you about the Scriptures, it’s important that they give you what the Scriptures give. It‘s the same when you read them. The Word of God is a two-edged sword severing bone from marrow. It will kill you. It will bring you down low. It will make you despair of earning God’s favor. You will hurt and hurt bad. But that’s not the end, and if it is, you’ve not yet heard Jesus. Satan wants the Scriptures to end in the Law. The
Not History, Not Rules... Jesus When Luther started lecturing on Genesis in 1535, he found something there that would surprise some Christians in America today. He found Jesus. He found Him all over the place. He found Him in God’s speaking the world into existence. He saw Him in the promise to Eve. As Luther kept reading, he kept seeing Jesus. He saw Him in the pillar of cloud. He saw Him enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. by Seminarian Charles Lehmann This is important. The Bible does a lot of things. It tells us about the history of the world up through the first century. But it’s not just a history book. It tells us about what pleases God and what angers Him. But it’s not just a rule book. It speaks in language that is stirring and beautiful. But the Bible is not just great literature. The Bible is the very Word of God. When it speaks, God speaks, and when God speaks, He reveals and gives Himself. The Holy Spirit delivers all His gifts through God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit cannot speak a Word that is not Jesus. When you read this Word of God, Jesus comes to you and speaks the Law. He hits you where it hurts. You see in Law makes you dead, and Satan likes you that way. If the lives of these sinful people your own sin. You aren’t on you stay there, it’ll be in despair or security. If it’s the outside looking in. Jesus pulls you in and makes the despair, you’ll be sure you can’t possibly be saved, that story hit you. But He doesn’t leave you in your sins. He Jesus isn’t big enough, or that He couldn’t love you. If forgives them. That’s what Jesus delights in—taking your you believe this, Satan will sing in what passes for joy sin into Himself and paying the price on your behalf. in hell. But it can go another way too. You think you’re That’s the Gospel. All of Scripture is Law or Gospel. doing all right. You’re not that bad. You don’t need this Sometimes seeing Jesus in the text can be hard. This is Savior business. Again, demonic glee rises from the when you look at other passages in Scripture to help you place where they suffer. understand. We call this letting Scripture interpret But Jesus won’t let you stay there. When you read Scripture. The clear reveals the unclear. It’s important to the Scriptures aright, ready to receive from your Savior let the Scriptures speak what they wish to speak. all He wishes to give, Jesus will speak life into your Sometimes it might not make sense. But our ideas need ears, just like He did to David. “The LORD also has put to remain silent when the Scriptures say something else. away your sin; you shall not die.”They were Nathan’s Here’s an example. If you look at Genesis 3:24, it’s hard lips but Jesus’ words. The Savior did the talking to understand. Why cherubim? Why do they guard the (2 Samuel 12:13 ESV). way to the tree of life? The answer comes in Exodus 25-40. And He says the same to you. All through the Here you see a tabernacle that is guarded by cherubim. Scriptures, the message is the same. Jesus has forgiven But here they let you in. Here you can go to where the you, the sinner who killed Him. There is nothing that lamp stand—which looks like a tree—is. Here is where the can separate you from the Savior’s grasp. You are His, Lord gives a sacrifice on your behalf (Leviticus 17:11). washed in the waters of baptism and fed with His own And where does the Lord give the final sacrifice? On body and blood. Rejoice as you see Jesus in His Word. the cross, the wood of a tree. A tree that gives you life. It He is singing over you (Zephaniah 3:17). all comes back to Jesus because it all starts there. The Charles Lehmann is a student at Concordia Holy Spirit is speaking the Word, but the Word He speaks Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. is Jesus. So enjoy the ride. Jesus is the boat, the captain, Before studying for the ministry, Charles was and the food in the galley. a Lutheran high school theology teacher. You can e-mail him at lehmanncr@ctsfw.edu. 1 Luther. Church Postils of 1522, Sermon for the Epiphany, Baker Book House, Public domain.
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