Enjoy Scotland and help our Seminary

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Just look at this fantastic offer: Mt. Calvary Balmoral

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GOD’S MONEY: STEWARDSHIP & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

moneyGOD’S MONEY: STEWARDSHIP & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Purpose of the course: To equip church, community and non-profit leaders with financial management skills for building sustainable organizations.

Date: 5 – 7 Aug 2013        Price: R1000                      Venue: Pretoria University

 RECOMMENDATION: “I attended the course God’s Money: Stewardship and Financial Management. The 3 day course was of great value to me. I recommend it for our treasurers of the congregational councils or any member of our church interested in finance and fundraising. Financial detail of budgets, balance sheets and cash flows are explained in lay terms. At the cost of R1000 it is money well spend. You don’t need a financial background to attend the course.” Hans Schütte – Lay member, Church Council, ELCSA (NT)

 Attached please find the enrolment forms to register with the university directly. Please note that this course will be run from 5 – 7 August at UP full time. The cost of the course for the 3 days is R1000.00 per person and does not include accommodation or transport to UP. Please do not delay if you would like to attend the course. I may be contacted for further information.

 Kind regards,

Uli Johl.

ujohl@elcsant.org.za

Cell: 0832541814

p.p. Liselotte Knöcklein

Office of the Bishop ELCSA (N-T)
P.O. Box 7095, Bonaero Park 1622
Kempton Park, South Africa
Tel. +027-11-979 7137
Fax.+027-86- 502 6891
l.knocklein@elcsant.org.za
bishop@elcsant.org.za
www.elcsant.org.za

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A simple way to pray

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

ConcordiaDr. Martin Luther wrote a brief overview for his friend how to pray. Read it here: A_Simple_Way_To_Pray-v1-Luther

“This document represents Luther’s mature catechetical piety, the integration of theology and prayer in the context of catechesis. He shows here his long-standing attention to the practical concerns of the Christian life. His response to the question of his barber shows how the reformer viewed this kind of Reformation – believers living at the nexus of the Word of God, catechesis, and prayer. As a confessor of the faith, Luther recommends that believers ‘pray’ the chief articles of the church’s confession, that is ‘the Lay Bible’, as found in the catechism.” (William R. Russel, Praying for Reform. Luther, Prayer and the Christian Life. Minneapolis, Augsburg Fortress 2005 Pg. 71)

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Lutheran Order of service in isiZulu/seTswana

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

jesus-heals-blind-man (1)The Lutheran Order of Service for the 8th Sunday after Trinity is available here in isiZulu and seTswana. Today it comes with a sermon based on God’s word from the gospel of the evangelist St. John in the 9th chapter verses 1-7 written by Rev. T.Z. Mkhize (LC Daveyton, GP) in isiZulu (wz1338130721 n Tr 8) and translated as usual into seTswane (wt1338130721 n Tr 8) by my father Rev. E.A.W.Weber DD (Welbedacht, KZN).

The readings for this Sunday are the following:

From the Old Testament:   Isaiah 2:1-5

The Epistle:                     Eph 5:8b-14

The Gospel:                      Mt 5:3-16

The Hymn of the day:        Kopelo 18

The liturgical colour is green.

May you have a very blessed weekend and have time to meditate on the watchword for this Sunday: Live as children of light; for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth. (Eph 5:8-9 NIV)

We thank the Lutheran Heritage Foundation for supporting the distribution of hard-copies of these orders of worship and sermons throughout Southern Africa. If you also want a copy please do not hesitate to subscribe by writing to EAWWeber@bundunet.co.za.

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Löhe on Romans 6,22

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

vine and branchesBut now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Rom 6:22 NIV)

The apostle St. Paul puts the then and now, the past and present of their lives into perspective as he writes to the Christians in Rome. His goal is to underline and stress the blessedness of their salvation. The Romans had all reason to be proud of being free citizens of the mightiest nation of that time. However in comparison with that political freedom, they now have a far greater treasure and status as they are liberated from the tyranny of sin, death and the devil and put under the gracious reign of the living God. Compared with this eternal liberty of God’s people the temporal political expediency is not so exiting after all. Now they belong to the Lord and King Jesus Christ – and they know no higher bliss and greater joy than serving him with gladness and gratefully for all his goodness and lovingly for all his grace and mercy.

With us the past and present are not so vivid in our memory, mainly because most of us were moved from the sinful tyranny to divine grace and blessed service of God long ago when we were still babies.  We grew up in baptismal grace. We were nurtured in godly discipline and the fear of the Lord. We should know the new life in Christ no doubt about that. Yet in some of us there might now arise a sigh of melancholy, self-accusation and regret. Yes, we are baptized, yet too many of us have not experienced much of the divine influence and power of baptism. They have experienced so little of this, that they actually believe that they have good reason to doubt the very efficacy and sacramental usefulness of baptism in general and in their lives specifically. And in the same way there are far too many, who don’t praise the discipline and fear of the Lord either. If they would trust baptism’s grace initially, they’d experience its blessed workings in later life too. Where there is godly discipline and fear of the Lord, there you’ll find the blessed workings of holy Baptism in richest measure too. So looking at it in this way, we find that many of us also have there “then” and “now” – the before and after baptismal grace. Before we were without God and the living Christ. Now however they have been converted to the bishop and shepherd of their soul.

O blessed spring, where Word and sign Embrace us into Christ the Vine: Here Christ enjoins each one to be A branch of this life-giving Tree.

 Through summer heat of youthful years, Uncertain faith, rebellious tears, Sustained by Christ’s infusing rain, The boughs will shout for joy again.

 When autumn cools and youth is cold, When limbs their heavy harvest hold, Then through us, warm, the Christ will move With gifts of beauty, wisdom, love.

 As winter comes, as winters must, We breathe our last, return to dust; Still held in Christ, our souls take wing And trust the promise of the spring.

 Christ, holy Vine, Christ, living Tree, Be praised for this blest mystery: That Word and water thus revive And join us to your Tree of Life. (Susan Palo Cherwien 1993).

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Friday after the seventh Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 269 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

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Herrenhuter readings for Friday, the 19th July 2013

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

Jona and the vineBut the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine… It sprang up overnight and died overnight… Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (Jon 4:10-11 NIV)

Jesus said: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luk 5:32 NIV)

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Smalcald Articles: Issues for a true council

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber
ConcordiaDr Martin Luther writes in the Introduction to his Smalcald Articles in 1537 and I quote according to Kolb & Wengert, 299,10-13:
I would indeed very much like to see a true council, in order to assist with a variety of matters and to aid many people. Not that we need it, for through God’s grace our churches are now enlightened and supplied with the pure Word and right use of the sacraments, an understanding of the various walks of life, and true works. Therefore we do not ask for a council for our sakes. In such matters, we cannot hope for or expect any improvement from the council. Rather, we see in bishoprics everywhere so many parishes empty and deserted12 that our hearts are ready to break. And yet, neither bishops nor cathedral canons ask how the poor people live or die—people for whom Christ died. And should not these people hear this same Christ speak to them as the true shepherd with his sheep?13 It horrifies and frightens me that Christ might cause a council of angels to descend upon Germany and totally destroy us all, like Sodom and Gomorrah, because we mock him so blasphemously with the council.14
In addition to such necessary concerns of the church, there are also countless important matters in worldly affairs that need improvement. There is disunity among the princes and the estates. Greed and usury have burst in like a great flood and have attained a semblance of legality. Wantonness, lewdness, extravagant dress, gluttony, gambling, conspicuous consumption with all kinds of vice and wickedness, disobedience—of subjects, servants, laborers—extortion by all the artisans and the peasants15 (who can list everything?) have so gained the upper hand that a person could not set things right again with ten councils and twenty imperial diets. If participants in the council were to deal with the chief concerns in the spiritual and secular estates that are opposed to God, then their hands would be so full that they would forget all about the child’s games and fool’s play of long robes, great tonsures,16 broad cinctures, bishop’s and cardinal’s hats, crosiers, and similar clowning around. If we had already been following God’s command and precept in the spiritual and secular estates, then we would have found the spare time to reform food, vestments, tonsures, and chasubles. But if we swallow such camels and strain out gnats or let logs stand and dispute about specks,17 then we might just as well be satisfied with such a council.

12 In 1538 it was reported in Wittenberg that there were some six hundred vacant parishes in the bishopric of Würzburg (WATR 4, no. 4002; LW 54:308).
13 John 10:3*. SA III, 12, 2.
14 The Latin translation: “pretext of a council.” For the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, see Genesis 19.
15 LC, “Ten Commandments,” 226 and 235.
16 The distinctive haircut worn by medieval monks.
17 Matthew 23:24* and 7:3–5*.
Kolb, R., Wengert, T. J., & Arand, C. P. (2000). The Book of Concord : The confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (299). Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
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Why should we pray?

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber
IX teaching
Our Lord Jesus Christ taught his disciples to pray. That’s what we can learn from the “Our Father”. In his introduction to this 3rd main part of the Christian faith Dr. Martin Luther writes  the following:
We have now heard what we are to do and believe. The best and most blessed life consists of these things. Now follows the third part, how we are to pray. We are in such a situation that no one can keep the Ten Commandments perfectly, even though he or she has begun to believe. Besides, the devil, along with the world and our flesh, resists them with all his power. Consequently, nothing is so necessary as to call upon God incessantly and to drum into his ears our prayer that he may give, preserve, and increase in us faith and the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments and remove all that stands in our way and hinders us in this regard. That we may know what and how to pray, however, our Lord Christ himself has taught us both the way and the words, as we shall see. (440)
This should be kept in mind above all things so that we may silence and repel thoughts that would prevent or deter us from praying, as though it made no great difference if we do not pray, or as though prayer were commanded for those who are holier and in better favor with God than we are. Indeed, the human heart is by nature so desperately wicked that it always flees from God, thinking that he neither wants nor cares for our prayers because we are sinners and have merited nothing but wrath. Against such thoughts, I say, we should respect this commandment and turn to God so that we may not increase his anger by such disobedience. By this commandment he makes it clear that he will not cast us out or drive us away, even though we are sinners; he wishes rather to draw us to himself so that we may humble ourselves before him, lament our misery and plight, and pray for grace and help. Therefore we read in the Scriptures that he is angry because those who were struck down for their sin did not return to him and assuage his wrath and seek grace by their prayers.
From the fact that prayer is so urgently commanded, you ought to conclude that we should by no means despise our prayers, but rather prize them highly (441)
In the second place, what ought to impel and arouse us to pray all the more is the fact that God has made and affirmed a promise: that what we pray is a certain and sure thing. As he says in Psalm 50[:15], “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you,” and Christ says in the Gospel in Matthew 7[:7–8], “Ask, and it will be given you,” etc. . . . “For everyone who asks receives.” Such promises certainly ought to awaken and kindle in our hearts a longing and love for prayer. For by his Word, God testifies that our prayer is heartily pleasing to him and will assuredly be heard and granted, so that we may not despise it, cast it to the winds, or pray uncertainly.
You can hold such promises up to him and say, “Here I come, dear Father, and pray not of my own accord nor because of my own worthiness, but at your commandment and promise, which cannot fail or deceive me.” Those who do not believe such a promise should again realize that they are angering God, grossly dishonoring him, and accusing him of lying. (443)
Therefore from youth on we should form the habit of praying daily for our needs, whenever we are aware of anything that affects us or other people around us, such as preachers, magistrates, neighbors, and servants; and, as I have said, we should always remind God of his commandment and promise, knowing that he does not want them despised. This I say because I would like to see people learn again to pray properly and not act so crudely and coldly that they daily become more inept in praying. This is just what the devil wants and works for with all his might, for he is well aware what damage and harm he suffers when prayer is used properly.
This we must know, that all our safety and protection consists in prayer alone. For we are far too weak against the devil and all his might and forces arrayed against us, trying to trample us underfoot. Therefore we must keep this in mind and grasp the weapons with which Christians are to arm themselves for resisting the devil. What do you think has accomplished such great results in the past, parrying the counsels and plots of our enemies and checking their murderous and seditious designs by which the devil expected to crush us, and the gospel as well, except that the prayers of a few godly people intervened like an iron wall on our side? Otherwise they would have seen a far different drama: the devil would have destroyed all Germany in its own blood. Now they may confidently laugh and make their snide comments. But by prayer alone we shall be a match both for them and for the devil, if only we persevere and do not become weary. For whenever a good Christian prays, “Dear Father, your will be done,” God replies from above, “Yes, dear child, it shall be done indeed, in spite of the devil and all the world.” (444)
The following excerpts are from  The Book of Concord : The confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church edited by Kolb, R., Wengert, T. J., & Arand, C. P. (2000). Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
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Caveat and handle with care

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

babiesRead the following publication: “After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?” in the Journal of Medical Ethics and see how the killing of new-born babies is promoted. This is very scary and shows, what seemingly sane and rational people can argue for if they don’t fear God nor his commandments: medethics-2011-100411.full.pdf.

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Löhe on Romans 6,22a

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Wilhelm Weber

sanctification1But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God (Rom 6:22 NIV)

It is something most glorious if one can say that about somebody. It demonstrates too that the liberation of Romans from slavery was something very earnest and most significant. It can be summarized as: “Snares are broken and we are free!” That opened up a powerful, happy and joyful life to them. However if we announce this to our people today, there is hardly a happy or joyful reaction – never mind a powerful one. It’s as if this powerful truth does not really hold any comfort or liberating blessing for them. Yes, it is true that the old slavery of serving sin is past and no longer a binding force, yet too often sin still plays a negative and downright impeding role in Christians lives. Healing is far away. It’s as if we’ve stopped at the crossing and are just too indecisive whether to move left or right. There seems to be no power or strength for a determinative decision – and it’s like turning around aimlessly in a circle – going either backwards or forwards, but never really breaking out of the same old and sinful cycle. Blessed is he, who is no longer is caught up in this endless sequel of rotations around his own self. Blessed is he, who has broken with the sinful past and is now free from sin and serving divine righteousness and holiness.

O Lord Jesus Christ! Strengthen the confidence of our faith, that it proves itself quite vital and vigorous in constant sanctification and living hope. Grant that we praise you joyfully as our only saviour and liberator, you, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.   

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross; Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory His army shall He lead, Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the solemn watchword hear; If while ye sleep He suffers, away with shame and fear; Where’er ye meet with evil, within you or without, Charge for the God of battles, and put the foe to rout.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey; Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day. Ye that are brave now serve Him against unnumbered foes; Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone; The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own. Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer; Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, each soldier to his post, Close up the broken column, and shout through all the host: Make good the loss so heavy, in those that still remain, And prove to all around you that death itself is gain.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long; This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song. To those who vanquish evil a crown of life shall be; They with the King of Glory shall reign eternally. (George Duffield 1818-1888)

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for Thursday after the seventh Sunday after the high holiday and festival of the Holy Trinity. It is found on Pg. 268 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.

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