(Preface: I respect that the reader will develop his own impressions as he reads what is presented here. Please allow me to emphasize a number of things here at the outset. One, I love the LCMS, believing it has been wonderfully blessed by God Two, I hold our pastors in honor, despite my speaking to how some have brought upon themselves and the Word dishonor. Three, I am not a legalist. Two pastors who previewed this were a bit surprised that my writing sounded like I was emphasizing law while my verbal communications with them over time were quite grace referenced. This may be because I am overcompensating for the de-emphasis the LCMS puts on Law today. And I may appear to be emphasizing Law due to "reader bias," as one pastor put it. Whatever the reason, maybe a better word would be "boundary." Maybe a better concept would be "instructing those that oppose themselves." As much as anything, I believe what we need as the people of God in the LCMS is for our leaders to sit down with us and persevere in teaching us the true Word of God along with its ramifications, "until Christ is formed in us." Most of us would be quite ready to experience this. I believe a great many of our people would disagree with or be aware of how much "our good works need God's pardoning mercy. "But I believe we would ultimately follow our leaders proper understanding of this as they sat dawn with us and endured our initial resistance. In this way the pastor has not set down a law, but has given his people a boundary for their mind. In this way we are shepherded until our minds are more and more renewed. Sanctification then flows forth from justification. We are free to recognize who we are before a holy God. This "working in" as I like to call it of our theology then becomes what might be called a gentle barb. While we will never be too much delivered from the Old Man this side of Heaven, this gentle barb checks our Old Man occasionally. The Spirit can use this to lead us to contritely say, "There I go again, Lord, being impressed and focused on what I do. I confess this and humbly ask you for victory. I know this and all battles belong to You.)

I sat in my spa early this morning admiring God's Handiwork above me. As the sky began to brighten I was impressed with watching the stars dim and trying to search them out as long as I could. As my game became futile my heart wondered toward the day when all we will be able to see and want to see is the Morning Light. The wretchedness within us that strives to peer and hang onto each twinkling work will be absorbed by the glory of the Ancient of Days That Morning Star of our hearts.

Until then I must submit to the Word that we are in a warfare against spiritual wickedness even among and within ourselves. Job 7: 1 states that "man's life on earth is a military service." We seem to be living in a time when what I call the "truth practiced" is all but dead. We have it right on paper, but we have it so wrong in practice. In commenting on Zechariah 1:5 Luther states that "this is a neat threat, which rightly should terrify us that we, too, may take the Word to heart and that we may not be listless and negligent, as if it had nothing to say to us and as if we were scorning it as something cold and dead. Otherwise we will pay the same penalty as they did for neglecting the Word and holding it in contempt."

I have been a Lutheran for four years. It is my experience that we in fact hold the Word of God in contempt. I know these are strong words and a harsh judgment a judgment I wish I didn't have to make. I deeply love the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. I have lived on the outside all my life. I'm not proud of that; in fact I'm ashamed. But I know I'm at a time in my life when I not only want to be on the "inside" but also know I have the ability to cooperate on the "inside," but what I see makes that most difficult. It doesn't make it difficult for me but for those who have to contend with what I believe. I believe that the Devil has so blinded us that we do not recognize how greatly we hold Scripture in contempt.

I am going to express my opinions and observations as if I was an outsider. I am in fact, at this moment, indeed an outsider as my family has been asked to abstain from worshipping until further notice. (The notice came the day I finished this paper. It said: "Request to worship denied.") If this leads you to believe my heart is full of cursing and bitterness you are wrongly led. My heart is only full of love, which is concerned for where we are and where we are headed. My spiritual and sincere prayer is for my pastor, church and myself to be at peace.

I view myself as an outsider also because I do not consider myself worthy to be called a follower of Luther. I am only four years old in this faith once for all delivered to the saints. While I may have known something of this mighty faith for many years; while I may have studied shadows of this faith for many years formally; while I may have walked with the God of this mighty faith to the best of my knowledge; I certainly had no idea of my limited knowledge of this faith and its God before I stepped into the Lutheran Church.

A whole new world was opened up for me and my family. My family thought I was taking them to a Catholic Church. I immediately recognized the truth and was given a servant's mindset. I was like a newborn babe desiring the sincere milk of the Word that I might thereby grow. I could not believe I had studied the Bible professionally and personally for 25 years and didn't know hardly the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. I was amazed and in Heaven. I was blessed beyond measure and continue to grow in that blessing.

The grandest day in my life was the day I began reading Walthur's LAW AND GOSPEL. As the truth of his words resonated within my spirit I could hardly believe I had missed this truth all these years! "Was I so dumb that I missed this in the church I attended, in the Christian University and in Seminary?" I was shocked and dumbfounded and possibly a bit resentful. I certainly felt foolish.

The greatest year in my life began when a dear friend of mine gave me a set of Luther's Sermons. I read them voraciously and gleaned from them a number of paragraphs which were favorites and which I began to hand out to anyone who would read them. I taught them to the men's group I lead for several years; I handed them out to my clients; and I gave them to family and friends. it was amazing to me that so many of these people did not see their value. It was a blessing that many did.

The greatest time in my life has been the last year which will continue to be a year until the end of my earthly existence. Less than a year ago I committed to buy and read LUTHER'S WORKS. To this point I have purchased 45 volumes and read 30 of them. It is my intention to review one volume a week every year as long as I am alive. It is also my intention to plead with whoever will listen to me plead so that they will commit themselves to his teachings.

You see, it is my most sure belief that we are so blind and dumb, so smug and asleep, that Luther's writings are the only hope for us to return to the truth of the Gospel. I believe that we are in this mess because good men in the LCMS have not read Luther and have given themselves either to not much or to reading works that minister primarily to the head, such as the Book of Concord, etc. As good as all these works are, it is my opinion that the BEST and possibly ONLY place to find the true heart of the Gospel of faith is in his writings. Without a steady diet of Luther one loses the heart of the Gospel. Again, I say, without a steady diet of Luther you lose, bit by bit, the pure, simple, heart of the message of Christ.

I believe the LCMS is the repository for the pure Word of God. I also believe we are unaware how close we are to losing that distinction. I trust and pray that will not happen. We know the Lord will preserve His Word and will preserve true faith, at least in a few. Before He allows faith to die out completely, He will step in as He did in the Flood when true faith was all but wiped out by the Devil and the False Church. It is my fear and concern that we are quite similar in attitude and action to the False Church.

The pastors I have met in the LCMS are THE finest men I have ever met. I am not worthy to even stand in the same room with them and I couldn't mean that more. I know the Lord will effect all things to His glory and to our best good. I feel for pastors as I sense they sincerely want what is best for God's people. It seems that the Lord has given us this spirit of blindness and smugness, though, for some reason, and I presume that reason is partly that we deserve it for despising the Word and partly to test us by purging us.

I have to ask the question, "Why are these good men who hold to the Truth, withholding this truth in large part from the people?" It seems as if they treat us as if we can only absorb so little. On one hand I praise God for what they do give us, for this surely helps stem the tide of godlessness. On the other hand, I am confused as to why they have become one with the spirit of the world that is dummying everything down more and more.

As I reflect on the four years I have spent in the LCMS, Luther's remarks on Habakkuk 1:3 come to mind: "Why doest Thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble?" Here are the same words, with the meaning: "What is this? Why have You sent me to preach? I do not improve them; they do not come to their senses, and so I am forced to see only miseries and calamities while I preach for nothing so long as they in their blindness persist in their character. I see nothing but grief and disaster." (LW v. 40 p. 108) In a nutshell, this sums up my tenure in at least one particular LCMS church. Though I may have over reacted in my zeal over newfound truth, I was also invited to openly express my opinion and perspective. I was repeatedly rebuffed, and in my opinion, persecuted for being zealous for the truth of Scripture.

It seems to me that the church I labored in for four years is more immature and disobedient than most, I hope; still I believe this church is representative of a general trend in the LCMS. I am a therapist to whom about a dozen LCMS pastors refer their parishioners. In fact, I cater exclusively to the LCMS population. While I love working with the pastors and their people, I cannot help but notice the same general trends. I immediately noticed I was having to teach clients the basics of what the LCMS believed stuff I had just of late become aware of. I struggled with clients explaining to them the importance of suffering and how suffering purifies faith; the depth of our depravity; and the fact that we don't have good intentions. It was as if the people had not heard these concepts before. They are hard pressed to verbalize the relationship between faith and promise, much less an understanding of the purpose of the Law.

My family and myself began attending the Lutheran church in the summer of 1994. It was a difficult adjustment for us, especially for my family. I soon was impressed that the Lutheran church had been blessed by God to preserve the truth of the Gospel, so this helped me overcome any adjustment. My wife found the attitude of the church to be snobbish and aloof, but after a couple of years she was able to "break through" some of that. The young people were so out of control my children didn't even enjoy Sunday School. They told me how chaotic it was but I expected them to attend anyway. I learned later by experience they had been gracious in describing how horrible it was. The whole youth department was a shambles and I had only one child who was comfortable having much to do with the official youth group.

As I became involved in the ministry it was very clear there was much distance between the staff members and the ministry was about as chaotic and out of control as the youth. I finished up a Master's Degree in Counseling about a year after we began attending the church and was gradually grafted in to help in various areas of the church. The staff was particularly interested in working toward building unity amongst themselves. It is common knowledge that I worked extensively with them over several years.

I tried to model and work with them in setting boundaries and having a focus. There was much resistance during this process. Resistance means there is not an alignment of goals. I clearly see now that our goals were different from the start. I allowed myself to be fooled by them that they actually wanted to be a team and establish unity. Maybe if I had had more skill I would have been able to win them over. But the fact remains that we worked closely together for about three years and I have been admired by each of them for my wisdom and gifts.

I saw the play recently about Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller at Spring High School recently. This was not only the best school play I have ever seen, but it reminded me so much of our societal situation and especially my tenure at our first Lutheran church. As Pastor began to take me into his confidence I theorized to him that his church was like a spoiled child and he, their father, was allowing them to run out of control. He subscribed to this theory, especially the first part. As regards the second aspect he didn't see the correlation. Unfortunately, he doesn't see the connection between his style of parenting and his children who are undisciplined and out of control.

Pastor espoused this "spoiled" theory to the men of the church. We proceeded on this basis. As it turned out our "father" would not allow the teacher to do his work, just like Keller's father stood in the way for a period of time of Helen getting the help she needed from a boundary setting teacher. I will brag, as Luther says, of my gifts from God. I believe I was a teacher sent from God and Pastor would not allow me to finish my work. I was allowed to teach them little more than some table manners, as it were, just as Helen's parents were content and ready to stop after Annie had "civilized" Helen. But Annie wanted Helen to advance to the higher ground of language and was not content with her so called victory.

I, too, desperately wanted to go to the higher ground of a spiritual language with these men I loved. I truly regret my gift wasn't sharp enough and their fear and rebellion was too great. It continues to be my prayer that they will become a disciplined ministry staff. I love them deeply and wish them God's best.

I regret things worked out the way they did. The Lutheran church was probably the hardest problem I have faced all my life. In many ways I grew up there and for that I am thankful that the situation was difficult. It made me stronger in the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ. I became acquainted with the truth of Lutheran doctrine and a bit familiar with its people. I wish things were as they were six months ago. In one month I went from being esteemed and valued, deeply involved in the ministry, and having a professional relationship and contract with the church, to being pushed out over a problem I was content to leave alone and in the Pastor's domain. This problem mushroomed to where my wife resigned her position as Sunday School Superintendent and we decided we had no choice but to leave the church, as it was clear to us the Pastor was dealing with us deceptively and not in good faith.

I submitted myself to a man in the church who told me we should come back. We did come back and were resolved to go forward. After a few weeks I thought the Lord wanted me to start a church, which I began making plans to do. I am an ordained minister and had even been talking to Pastor about going into the ministry later in life. I was shocked when it seemed like now was the time. It was my desire to establish a church based on our doctrines, but not call it Lutheran. I got this idea from Pastor who said there were some in the LCMS who were considering changing the name of their church.

I called each pastor who referred clients to me and told them of my intentions. With the exception of one they wished me Godspeed. Pastor also sat at lunch with me in a Mexican restaurant and gave me his blessing. Through a series of events I was uncomfortable continuing on with plans to begin a new work. I discussed this with the families involved and we decided to all attend the Lutheran church and commit ourselves to their authority.

I wrote a letter to Pastor apologizing for my arrogance in beginning a new work. I made the same apology to the other pastors as I truly felt it was arrogance on my part to do something like this, even with the best of intentions, when God had clearly led me to be a part of the LCMS. We received individual replies first by fax and e mail (I'm glad I wasn't trying to keep this situation private as concerns my children) and later by letter. Their final decision after praying and seriously thinking about it was that my family was not welcome to worship there and another family could return but would not be allowed to take communion for about two months.

No matter how much I wanted to submit to their authority, it was evident from their first response that we were trying to submit to something that was revealing itself as not only spoiled and chaotic, but wicked and hazardous. Each of us men decided, individually, we could not jeopardize the spiritual welfare of our families by placing them' back in this environment.

The letter I received from Pastor is filled with vile and maliciousness. It is filled with lies and deceptions. Our intentions and heart were judged from what I had written and we were never given an audience with him or the leaders of the church. In effect he said I had deceived and manipulated that congregation during my whole tenure there. While I will admit to being forceful at times, anyone who knows me knows I do not set out to deceive and manipulate. The only thing I was trying to manipulate was their disjointed way of doing ministry.

I have given the above description of my relationship with this church primarily to show how involved I have been in at least one LCMS church. This is all by way of introduction to what follows—my concerns about the LCMS. I would like to stress that I know my concerns do not apply to all LCMS pastors. And even if all of them applied to any one pastor, I have respect for the burden under which each pastor is laboring. I do not mean to judge or condemn any pastor, only do my part to remove the blindness imposed by Satan.

I have a history of running from problems. My tenure at this church proved to me I have been taught by the Lord to work through a problem. I didn't run from any problem during my first experience with a Lutheran church, I was driven out because I believed, stood for, and wanted to honor the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ while they only give lip service to a zeal for the Gospel. It is my prayer that their zeal will move from their lips to their legs, and from their head to their heart.

I feel bound in a prison whose walls are men who seem to be afraid to proclaim the true Gospel. I can hardly imagine what it would be like to be in the midst of a group of people who had a fervor for what Law and Gospel truly means, had a zeal to learn from Luther, and a fever to present every man faultless before the throne of grace. I told my wife on our walk this morning I didn't want to run from anything as much as I wanted to run to some place, any place, or any people who honored the Word of God above everything else. I have felt deeply oppressed being in the midst of so many good, blind people who seem to be clueless as to their flagrant disregard and contempt for The Word of Truth. I have a peace knowing the battle is the Lord's.

Lest my reader think I am a hopeless discontent looking for greener grass on the other side of the fence, let me say I know how content I was being and ministering in the church I love, seeing grave problems and inconsistencies, and being patient that they would be resolved in an appropriate time. I had this confidence because I believed the pastoral staff was deeply concerned and willing to express that concern in a change of behavior in their approach to ministry. As it turned out, they have only expressed a commitment to taking the easy way out and laboring primarily to make it appear to their people they are concerned about ministry. Let the programs begin and continue both now and forever. Amen.

Allow me to continue and approach my real message. That message is the Word of Luther. (Without apology, I use this phrase. I do this by the authority of Luther himself and because I deeply believe he is our Moses who must lead God's people out of this desert of blindness and smugness. I cannot imagine anyone being anymore committed to the authority of Scripture than myself. I am trying to deal with the fact that most Christians today are left with only the "kernel." What good does it do to carry a plethora of Bibles around if we do not understand the contents? I clearly make a distinction between Scripture, which is infallible, and Luther's words, which may be infallible and erroneous. I do believe that much of what flowed from his pen was the Word of God, just as a pastor's words may be the Word of God. Clearly, Luther was prepared by God Himself to be fitly prepared to most accurately and more often speak the Word of God. I quote from Luther's Sermons, Vol. 3, page 317: "In addition to the grace by which a man begins to believe and to hold fast to the Word, God also rules in man through his divine power and agency, so that he constantly grows more and more enlightened, becomes richer and stronger in spiritual understanding and wisdom, and better fitted to understand all matters of doctrine and practice. He furthermore makes daily progress in life and good works, becomes eventually a kind, gentle, patient man, ready to serve everyone with doctrine, advice, comfort and gifts; is useful to God and man; through him and because of him men and countries receive benefit; in short he is a man through whom God speaks, in whom He lives and works, and such a man's words, life and doings are God's. His tongue is God's tongue, his hand is God's hand, and his word is no more the word of man, but God's Word." I believe that what Luther stated here is truer of him than any person since the Apostle Paul.) I have gathered quotes from him from a half dozen of his writings. I trust you will read these words prayerfully that the Lord would move you to understand the seriousness of our situation. No matter how bleak the situation appears to us, though, we must always believe He will preserve His Word and His Church. The Lord, in His time and His way, will effect our wretchedness to our good and His glory.

Luther says: Knowledge is awareness. (LW v. 18, p. 33)

Our behavior says: We are afraid of being aware and responsible for the knowledge entrusted to us. Luther is the greatest gift to the church since the Apostle Paul. Many don't seem to read and study him much at all. In fact, it seems that many are ashamed of him. My wife who is by nature quite peace loving, was even disturbed when she learned from a pastor friend that he only had to read Luther for one course in seminary. One pastor told me that he goes to Luther if he thinks the other commentators are wrong.

Luther says: He rather intends this and says in sum: "Wake up, you people who are accustomed to luxurious and splendid living, you who are accustomed to having an abundance of all things so that you are drunk from that abundance, wake up now! Weep, mourn, repent! Look at God's work and be terrified. Consider what is going to happen to you!" (LW v. 18, p. 82) and… Persist! Don't stop! Persevere!… He will cause you to be silent so that you may have in the secret places of your heart a very quiet peace and a peaceful silence. There will be no sound of rumbling and shouting such as is in the hearts of the wicked when evils oppress them and they lack that security of heart. (LW v. 5, p. 361)

Our behavior says: We are smug, snug as a bug in a rug. Our behavior seems to indicate that we are like a man who sleeps and dreams—our wretchedness doesn't quite seem real. If we BELIEVED how wretched we were, how smug we were, how we despised the Word we would wake up and repent. In the meantime the Lord keeps knocking at the door as we continue to run around in the House of the Lord cleaning it in a manner that makes sense to us. But our Lord is knocking at the door. Put the next video series in the VCR. Maybe peace and security will flow forth.

Luther says: It is as if He were saying: "You think that I ought to spare you because you are My people. I will, however, punish you the more, that you may learn to know Me and to have faith in Me." Thus He also disciplines His saints whom He loves. This is what Ezek. 9:6 says: "Begin at My sanctuary"; and I Peter 4:17: "For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not believe the Gospel of God?" This is the way the puppy gets flogged so the wolfhound may live in fear. God chastises His own children so that He may afflict even more severely the wicked who do not come to their senses, so that He may rage against them even more harshly. (LW v. 18, p. 145)

Our behavior says: We seem to be so secure in cheap grace that we cannot imagine our Lord chastising us as severely as he needs to chastise us so as to drive our smugness from us. We seem to despise judgment. In fact, it is my impression we think judgment and success are going to begin next door at the Baptist Church. That certainly seems to be where we are looking for substance. This may not be clear to the average Lutheran, but it is clear to me who was raised a Baptist. I have been moving away from their nonsense for twenty years only to come into the Repository of the Truth and find them sniffing the Baptist's rearends.

Luther says: Amos says: "Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time." To this, all of Ps. 11 pertains: "For lo, the wicked bend the bow, they have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Let him perish who does not want to be saved. Let him who is filthy continue to be filthy. (LW v. 18, p. 162)

Our behavior says: We are using the might, power, and Providence of God as an excuse to do nothing. It is one thing to be still and know that God is God, to wait on the Lord and rejoice in the victory only He can give. But these are promises given to those engaged in the battle. In the midst of the battle we come to learn that the battle is truly the Lord's and not ours. I perceive we are not seriously in the battle and are using truths to keep ourselves from being enjoined in the battle. This hits at the whole issue of faith and works. We teach people it is faith alone. The people then respond, "I don't have to work." The Word responds, "True, you don't have to work to gain anything, but if you have faith you will work." The people respond, "Then I'll be preoccupied with what I do." And so the pendulum swings.

In like manner, it is inappropriate and dishonest for us to rest in the Lord and wait for Him when we have not actually given ourselves to the battle. (Those among us who esteem the battle to be numerical may think they are properly engaged, but have only reacted to those who have also improperly determined the battle is traditionalism, or whatever. In this situation the mean is to be found between the two extremes.) I suspect many will not agree with me that we have not enjoined the battle. I can only say that as an "outsider" it is clear to me much of the LCMS is clearly on the sidelines. Even my wife picked this up shortly after we began attending the Lutheran Church. She sensed a lack of zeal and caring and she attributed it to this false sense of trust in God's Providence,—"God's in control; what's going to happen is going to happen anyway." I can appreciate that maybe we have become this way because we don't want to fall into the experience of putting too much trust in works.

Besides all this, it is my experience that we are quite hesitant to set a boundary. We are not willing to say, "If you want to perish, then perish." Instead, we water our message down in order to please every faction, sect, and opinion. I experienced this in an especially strong way in watching the adults work with the youth. It was as if they thought if they could only baby the young people and cater to them so as to get and keep them within the four walls of the church, something magical would happen and they would be spiritually transformed. In the meantime their souls were ruined more and more.

Luther says: This is the last blow. It is the worst, the most wretched of all. All the rest of the blows would be bearable, but this is absolutely horrible. He is threatening to take away the genuine prophets and the true Word of God, so that there is no one to preach, even if men were most eager to wish to hear the Word and would run here and there to hear it. We must watch and pray lest that same famine be sent on us, too. Now we are by the grace of God overwhelmed with a manifold abundance of God's Word. But we must watch and pray that it may not be taken away again and that palpable darkness and the foulest errors may not be sent upon us, so that even if we wanted to hear the Word, there would be no one to preach it, as happened to the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, who once abounded in the Word of God. For when the Word has been taken away, what else remains but the most terrible darkness of human reason which wants to be our mistress and which can teach nothing else than the doctrines of the demons? After all, what else would darkness teach except darkness and errors? There is no light except through faith in the Word. (LW v. 18, p. 183)

Our behavior says: We are unconcerned about losing the Word. I sense virtually no genuine concern for losing the Word. We seem to think we are incapable of losing It. We are oblivious to the fact that the "foulest errors" have come among us. This is easily proven by the lack of unity and cooperation among us. I am most unimpressed and distressed with the lack of unity among us. It is as if every man has permission to do that which is right in his own eyes and according to his own understanding. I am afraid for us because it is clear to me that if we persist in our present course, in a generation, if God does not intervene, we will not have the Word of God. We are that close to losing It. Seeing what I have seen the last four years makes me understand our Lord's statement, "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Luther says: If you don't want to learn from the promises, you will learn from blows. (LW v. 18, p. 3 85)

Our behavior says: We are bound and determined to learn from blows.

Luther says: The church indeed is weak because of its sins. But its fault is not in the Word. It sins indeed, but it does not deny or ignore the Word. We may not, therefore, reject those who accept and confess the Word, even though they do not shine in any splendid sanctity, as long as they do not persist in manifest sins. (LW v.40, p. 42)

Our behavior says: Because we adhere to the truth on paper via the Book of Concord, etc., we fail to acknowledge that our behavior opposes what we say we believe. We therefore do not believe what we say we believe. I must confess, the first part of this quote tempts me to be content with the status quo. But the last ten words keep me on track. The fact is we are persisting in manifest sins, as I will prove as we go along. All I need to know to prove this is the fact that I haven't heard of a Lutheran church individually examining a communicant. This clearly states we are unconcerned about the spiritual condition of our people and the purity of God's House. I would like to know how a practice that Luther believed in so strongly has fallen by the wayside? This is nothing less than the work of the Devil in the hearts of stupid men.

All I need to know is that it is a regular practice for people living in open sin to be given communion. I know of people who are living in open sin who are allowed to teach our children. I have just recently heard that a woman met a man on the Internet and left her husband and came to our city and moved in with this man she met on the net. The church's response seems to be to hurry up and get them married. What has happened to repentance, contrition, and restitution?!

Luther says: In fact a spiritual minister is more readily removable than any civil administrator, since if he is unfaithful he should be less tolerable than a civil officer. The latter can be harmful only in matters of this life, whereas the former can be destructive of eternal possessions. (LW v. 40, p. 3 5)

Our behavior says: As long as our ministers preach peace to us and don't rock the boat too much, we will tolerate their negligence. 'Maybe another seminar will cure their gross negligence."

Luther says: Bare in mind that the devil is eager to spruce up such minor matters, thereby drawing the attention of the people so that the truly important matters are neglected, as long as they gape in his direction. (LW v. 40, p. 84)

Our behavior says: We don't care about the important matters of proving our faith and growing therein. We do not care about living in the promises by faith. We care about growth, felt needs, and containment. Again I say there are very few appropriate boundaries. A philosophy of "free style" reigns. How can this not be obvious to any reasonable observer that our energy is being spent on unimportant matters? The Devil can be the only source of this. We should therefore fall on our faces before God to deliver us from the power and blindness of Satan!

I led a men's group in this church for three years. I was constantly fighting with the "spiritual pillars" over the very basics of the Christian faith. The Lord blessed that ministry and great things happened in the hearts of many. But there was always a battle with those who thought they had arrived and esteemed the Christian life to me little more than fighting pornography. When I spent time in Walthur, the Book of Concord, or quotes from Luther, you would have thought I had killed their sacred cow. What a squeal came forth from their vicious throats. They were far more zealous to hear from the latest scum endorsed by Promise Keepers.

I know I struggled with the staff for years to help them develop a Scriptural focus for their ministry. It was a constant battle. It was an enjoyable battle because I thought they wanted to be taught. As I look back it is quite humorous to see the many ways they gave into their fears of ministering to people in a truly meaningful, Scriptural way, and instead opted for the spirit of the age approach to ministry.

Luther says: But no doctrine or vocation has remained sound or pure. On the contrary, a host of frightful sects and mobs, like the chapters and monasteries, have cropped up, whereby the Christian church has been altogether suppressed, faith has died out, love turned into wrangling and war, the gospel put in the shadow, and purely human inventions, teachings, and dreams have ruled in place of the Gospel. (LW v. 40, p. 270)

Our behavior says: What more could I add to these words other than to affirm the unfortunate truth that these words describe our situation as I have experienced Lutheranism. My wife and I didn't have to believe the truth about Baptism and Communion in order to become members. We both eventually came to the acknowledgment of the truth, but not because we sensed its importance from the leaders. A good friend of mine who became president of the congregation didn't even believe in the Scriptural view of Baptism. I had even given him "proof texts" in order to support his view.

One elder was concerned about me because I was reading too much of Luther and basing my teaching on Luther's writings. He told me I needed to go to a seminar entitled, "Knowing God." With all due respect, I can't imagine a better avenue to becoming acquainted with God than Luther's writings, many of which are in fact God's Word. Rather than eating our fill we seem content to sniff you know where.

Luther says: For many who hear that they should believe, so that all their sins will be forgiven, fashion their own faith and think they are pure. Thus they become secure and arrogant. Such carnal security is worse than all the errors hitherto prevailing. Therefore in preaching the gospel it is necessary in every way to instruct the people where faith may be found and how one attains it. For true faith cannot exist where there is not true contrition and true fear and terror before God… Ezek. 3:18 Such a verdict God pronounced upon that kind of preacher who comforts the people and says much about faith and the forgiveness of sins but nothing about penitence or the fear and judgment of God. We need to fear that God will severely punish these preachers and pupils because of such security. For that is the sin which is decried in Jer. 6:15, "They did not know how to blush. (LW v. 40, p. 294)

Our behavior says: We do not care where faith may be found and how to attain unto it. I sense very little genuine contrition and even less of a sense of terror before our Lord. We have most certainly become secure and highly arrogant beyond our imagination. But still the pulpits remain calm and virtually lifeless. I urge you to ask the common man whether there is a sense of fear and terror which drives us to our knees before God begging Him for grace and mercy. Our people will barely praise Him for His wonderful works among us.

Fortunately, God is going to discipline our ministers and His people. He will renew their hearts in His time and in His way. In the meantime we must pray that we all receive His discipline as quickly and meekly as possible. The time is short and our pastors especially need to be zealous in leading us out of our smugness.

Luther says: That there is nothing in us without sin is too lofty a truth for laymen to grasp who are just beginning to understand. For we do not easily reach the point where a person fears for all his good works and understands that he sins even in good works. (LW v. 40, p. 295)

Our behavior says: A laymen never can grasp this concept. We have gone right along with the spirit of the age in expecting very little from people. While we need to be careful not to overwhelm those who are beginning on the Road, it is inexcusable that we have allowed and almost encouraged them to remain in close proximity of the entranceway. We seem to be afraid to expect much at all from our people. They certainly don't know much. It has been my blessing to teach our people the very basics of our doctrine in the counseling session. This has also been a curse in that it is dismaying to see what our people don't know. And what they don't know is killing them spiritually.

I have been compiling quotes from Luther on various subjects and putting them on our web page (www.askluther.com). I believe if any member of our churches were to read any listing, he or she would be shocked at what they had not been taught. I was most blessed as I put together his teachings on Communion. I believe a pastor could take his most advanced pupil, have him read what I have compiled from Luther, and the pupil would be quite surprised at how little he actually knew about His Supper. And the pastor would be ashamed of how little he had taught his pupil.

Luther says: "The Lord will roar," that is the Gospel will be preached with a great, lion like roaring and with a loud voice. (LW v. 18, p. 610)

Our behavior says: We believe the Gospel is mousy. I do not believe many people would attest that their pulpit is roaring. We have nice little sermonettes, but I haven't heard of any roaring in the four years I've been around. I see niceness and politeness. I do not see a roaring boldness. I certainly see little indication the Gospel is being roared if for no other reason than that I know that few have any idea of the difference between Law and Gospel. I do not believe the average person could begin to explain the connection between the Gospel and their faith in concrete terms.

Luther says: Where there is no confession, there is no healing. (LW v. 18, p. 71)

Our behavior says: We do not need healing. In my opinion, our confession has become rote, the absolution virtually meaningless because it is too general and lacking in emotional conviction. While I do not want to play up emotions, any person with a love and zeal for his subject matter is going to come across "emotionally." I begged my pastor for years to occasionally make the absolution more personal and emphatic. I would be the last one to want to give the impression to our people that Christ's forgiveness is based on our intensity. But faith does come by hearing and hearing does come by foolish preaching. We must not underestimate the power of the human voice as a means which the Lord uses in connection with His word to convince and convict sinners!

Luther says: : In fact, there is a danger that after we have been justified we become lukewarm, that we become proud, that our gifts of the Spirit tickle us because in them we surpass others, that we please ourselves. It is as if he were saying: "When you have done what I say, when you have developed a concern for your neighbor, see to it that you do not become smug, that you do not have an eye for mischief, that you do not please yourself and go around looking for praise and glory that is owed to God alone." (LW v. 18, p. 262)

Our behavior says: We don't believe it is possible for us to become lukewarm. The Lord has greatly used the Lutheran Church over the years. But it seems that we are too content to keep what territory we have. To me, it actually seems like we have an inferiority complex. We seem to be afraid to act like we have the truth and act like we have something that everyone needs. I believe we would do well to proclaim our message from every billboard and radio antenna we can find. Instead, we put up messages in the same philosophical vein as the sects. We certainly act like we are ashamed of what we have and who we are. How can we sleep at night knowing we are giving ground to every sect around us instead of taking their ground?

I was quite surprised and disappointed to come into the LCMS, realize the truth within, and then find out how pharisaical and legalistic people were. It was as if I was back being a Baptist or back at Bob Jones University where I spent over six years. It was not a very pleasant feeling. Again, this is only the response of a fearful people who have grown smug and self assured rather than whole heartily following the Lord through every trial and battle. If we have the Gospel and It is supposed to make us courageous, why are we so afraid and ingrown?

Luther says: That is enthusiasm. He is endowed with a certain strength of mind to endure adverse situations bravely. This God the Spirit stirs up in us when God breathes upon us with His Spirit, when He causes in us through the Spirit the courage or confidence to finish something we have begun and to which we otherwise could scarcely aspire in our timidity. To be sure, the Holy Spirit is like that because we tremble in God's business. The flesh cannot by itself believe in God. It cannot but fear the world and its enemies. We have, therefore, a need for the Spirit as our Strengthener and Encourager. When He comes, He so encourages us that we shun nothing for the sake of the glory of God, we dare all things. We even draw near to God. (LW v. 18, p. 378)

Our behavior says: We have lost our enthusiasm. Again, I don't believe most of our people would say we have a holy enthusiasm and a daring spirit. If we had these we would be drawing near to God. As it stands, anyone can see we are falling away from God more and more. We institute more and more programs, define more and more objectives, run our churches more and more like a business, and yet statistics bear out the fact that there is barely a hairsbreadth of difference between our behavior and that of the world's. That our leaders are like the leaders of the world is almost proverbial among us. These good men who love the Lord and His Word have become like their business counterparts. The are adept at building consensus and increasing the bottom line, but they are failing us on the faith line. It seems to me we should be embarrassed if it is true that our leaders are fearful of their people. And all the nonsense I have heard about the history of distrust between the pulpit and the pew is nothing but a silly excuse and alibi for not cooperating and being primarily consumed with our own lusts.

The divorce rate is virtually the same among us and the world and even other denominations. (I asked a gifted teacher in our church once to explain how our correct understanding of Scripture was helping us, because we certainly looked like Baptists.) Women have the same hateful attitude toward men. I suspect that just as many men are overly absorbed in their work; that just as many parents are indulging their children; and that just as many children despise religion they certainly don't go to church to learn as they sit there talking and disturbing everyone around them. My family used to joke when it was noisy in the theater that it was like being in church. The real shame is that we continue to tolerate this behavior. At least at the theater they will refund your money.

Luther says: : In it the Spirit in the prophet exhorts them not only as people who are afraid but also as the weary. The first temptation to be afraid commonly occurs when we are enthusiastic about divine matters and the things which the Word of God command, because Satan does not cease besetting us with various adversities. Then, when he sees that that hope is failing him and that he can establish nothing at the left hand, he turns to the right hand to call us away from the works of God with an ignoble laziness and lack of concern. You see, it is with a sort of smugness that he attacks us when we are not careful and cautious enough. Surely this is not a minimal temptation. In fact, it demands a greater warning than when we are openly evil ... God wants us to press on with what we have begun that our work may come to a boil. If this does not happen, if we do not energetically perform our job in a matter which God has commanded us, this displeases God, no matter how good the work may otherwise be. (LW v. 18, p. 384)

Our behavior says: We are much better than those who are openly evil. We are not careful and cautious about the right things, We have much activity and motion, but little sincere fervor and emotion. We do not have a heart prepared for the ministry of the Word. In fact, we are lazy and unfit for ministry. This is proved to my satisfaction by how little time our ministers spend preaching the Word. It is inconceivable to my mind how a person who has a zeal and love for the Word would spend only 15 minutes preaching it. I truly do not understand this phenomenon. It is as if finger food has been substituted for a seven course meal. We should be outraged!

We have not brought the ministry to a "boil." We seem to work hard to approach a boil but only for the purpose of creating some steam so the people can be made to think we want to boil. I do not believe our pastors and leaders are consciously trying to deceive us. We have all been blindsided by the spirit of the age. We must fall on our faces and beg God for grace and mercy to deliver us. We must believe we are so miserable that He might not want to deliver us.

Luther says: Where the Word of God grows sparsely, there the hunger for it and the earnestness with which it is sought are strong; but where it flourishes abundantly, there a satiety and a disdain for it are found. (LW v. 19, P. 90)

Our behavior says: We do not hunger for God's Word. I believe the Devil either runs our Christian presses and bookstores or is most happy with all they are filling us with. We are truly physically filled with God's Word. But the physical has not turned into the spiritual as of yet. I believe there are two MAJOR problems today which have greatly contributed to our contempt of the Word. One, the pastors have gotten away from Luther's writings. I am not versed in all Lutheran writings. I am versed in Christian writings generally. And I am versed in Luther. I can state emphatically, unequivocally, that if a person is not reading Luther, that person is not getting a healthy dose of the Gospel of Christ. No one, at least since Paul, has ever expounded the Gospel as well, as broadly, and as clearly, as Luther.

I know that our only hope is to turn to him for deliverance. I believe our pastors would be wise to throw out all reference materials, all Sunday School materials, all discipleship programs, all the stupid little Bible Study booklets, and turn to Luther only for a least one year. I'm sure if we did this for more than a year the Devil would find some way to pervert it. But what a glorious year that would be. The harvest would be unimaginable.

The other problem is that with so many so called helps to Scripture, Christians think they are instant authorities on Scripture. I could be sarcastic and say I suppose they have to turn somewhere if pastors are not going to properly feed them. Sunday School is a joke, in my opinion. It is filled with "instant authorities" spouting forth their ignorance. I have known one layman Sunday School teacher who truly knew the truth of Scripture but it was a far cry from making its way to his heart.

Luther says: No one concerns himself with faith and a good conscience before God, but only with what glitters and shines before reason and the world. (LW v. 40, p. 80)

Our behavior says: We barely care about faith and a good conscience. We care about a lot of things. We care about making sure people have an emotional experience when they come to worship. We care about buildings and programs. But I do not believe our actions prove we care about faith. I would know virtually nothing about faith if I had to depend on my pastor. I find it ironic and appropriate that in my church an arrogant layman was far more zealous in teaching the truth of the Gospel than was the pastor. For me, it serves as an object lesson that should humble all of us that a layman is looked to as the source of truth much more than the pastor.

Luther says: The first (article of the Christian faith) is the law of God, which is to be preached so that one thereby reveals and teaches how to recognize sin. (LW v. 40, p.82)

Our behavior says: We are unconcerned about sin. We do not know what real sin is. We may be focused on the outside of the vessel, but are completely unaware of how filthy the inside of the cup is. While we are focused on the fruit of unbelief, the great sin of unbelief continues to go unchecked. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe if we can just get more of our men to go to Promise Keepers things will eventually work out and we will become a spiritual people again. Or maybe the problem is enough people aren't wearing WWJD bracelets. As if anyone really knows what Jesus would do in spite of the fact we barely know the first thing about Scripture.

Again, I appeal to the common man in the pew. Ask him if he believes and feels the Law is being preached. Ask him if he believes his pastor conforms to the next quotes by Luther.

Luther says: So we have admonished them to exhort the people diligently and frequently to repent and grieve over their sins and to fear the judgment of God. Nor are they to neglect the greatest and most important element of repentance, for both John and Christ condemned the Pharisees more severely for their hypocritical holiness than for ordinary sins. The preachers are to condemn the gross sins of the common man, but more rigorously demand repentance where there is false holiness.

The preachers are to proclaim and explain the Ten Commandments often and earnestly, yet not only the commandments but also how God will punish those who do not keep them and how he often has inflicted temporal punishment… The people are thus to be urged and exhorted to fear God, to repent and show contrition, lest their ease and life of false security be punished. True repentance is nothing but an acknowledgment of sin… Without repentance there is an imagined faith. (LW v. 40, pp. 275 276)

Luther says: Many now talk only about the forgiveness of sins and say little or nothing about repentance… It follows that if we preach the forgiveness of sins without repentance that the people imagine that they have already obtained the forgiveness of sins, becoming thereby secure and without compunction of conscience. This would be a greater error and sin than all the errors hitherto prevailing. Surely we need to be concerned lest, as Christ says in Matt. 12:45 the last state becomes worse than the first. (LW v. 40, p. 274)

Our behavior says: We are only general sinners.

Luther says: It is well to remind the people of examples of God's punishment of the rebellious… 1 Cor. 10: 17 "It is one loaf and it is one body, for we all partake of the same loaf." We are not to harbor envy and hatred, but each is to care for the other, to help the other with alms and every kind of service which God has commanded us… The many different forms of the Mass should not greatly agitate or disturb us, until we can (as far as possible mass) achieve uniformity. (LW v. 40, p.281, 293, 309)

Our behavior says: We esteem the rebellious, love hatred of the brethren, and exalt the devil of contention. I have been amazed at how there is no expectation for us to dwell together in unity, to work together side by side. Instead, secret and open jealousies prevail. Problems are not resolved, but rather swept under the rug to multiply in secret like lice. And the grand fruit of this wickedness is the different church services we have. The desire to please people was so perverted when I began attending our LCMS church that they had three services when they only needed one. Others have articulated the concerns about Worship far better than I ever could.

Luther says: I have learned how the Anabaptists are seeking to infiltrate also in your vicinity and to infect our people with their poison. I know you have been well informed and advised by the book of Justus Menus. You have discharged your office in a proper and praiseworthy manner against these emissaries of the devil. But the devil does not gladly refrain from his activities, and the majority only read a book hastily and then throw it in a comer, forgetting what they were told, so that they need a daily and incessant reminder. (LW v. 18, p. 3 83)

Our behavior says: We only care about what is new and gives hope for immediate success.

Luther says: Pastors also are to read what the Fathers have written, so that they may the better instruct themselves and others. (LW v. 40, p. 289)

Our behavior says: We do not believe in instruction. Lutheran pastors are obviously not reading Luther. If they were they wouldn't be so taken by the spirit of this age. Luther is the only church Father we need and he lies dusty on shelves in offices everywhere. I even had a deacon from one of our churches argue with me in disbelief that pastors read very little of Luther. He was incensed that I would accuse pastors of something so horrendous.

My own pastor virtually bragged from the pulpit that he was going to camp with his family. While he was there he was going to help with the program and prepare a dozen sermons. He came back the next week and announced he not only had prepared the sermons, but had read four Clancey novels besides. What has it come to when a pastor is unashamed to announce to his people he is going to prepare their meals for the next three months in three days. The lazy fool should have been fired on the spot. He should have not been allowed even to finish his sermon. A teen in confirmation would have been more qualified to minister to us, even considering how little they learn in confirmation—another joke in our midst.

Luther says: We have the same expression in Gen 49:4: "As unstable as water," Paul has rendered it properly when he said (Eph. 4:14) "that you not be carried about by every wind of doctrine." They are turned by every whim of the mind, as water flows in no order when one spills it ... That is, they do not think. They have no deep insights and take nothing seriously. In the assembly they blabber out everything that comes to mind. "They do not determine the intrinsic value and weight which lies in God's words. Whatever they think is human… They were treating sacred matters without dignity. (LW v. 18, p. 3 5 1)

Our behavior says: We are having a love affair with Reason, the Mother of Satan, as to how to "do" ministry. The thing that single handedly converted me to the truth of the Lutheran position was Luther's insistence on putting reason in its place—contrary to what Calvin did. The Word states, "This is My Body." We therefore believe the clear teaching of the Word without subjecting It to our powers of reason. The irony is that we are exalting reason as much as any pope or Calvinist ever did. Our exaltation of reason is just a bit more subtle, but just as deadly.

How can it not be obvious that we are not "turned by every whim?" As soon as we hear that some idea worked well in one church, be it Baptist or Lutheran, we sign on the dotted line. We get so excited about whatever is new.

Luther says: After all, if the leaders err, how much will those who are to be led err? Priests are called shepherds and watchmen, because Satan is always in the midst of the children of God. He is always stiffing up the greedy and those who corrupt the Word, Therefore we too must always watch in the Word. (LW v. 18, p. 399)

Our behavior says: Our people want to remain asleep and pastors are afraid to wake them up. People do not like to be awakened out of a deep sleep. They tend to be irritable and angry. They tend to be confused and resentful. But we must be awakened. Satan is in our midst devouring us more than we think possible. I am well aware that Christ will build His church and the gates of Hell will not prevail. But the Lord uses human instrumentality, as we all know. I know the Lord will wake us up when He determines it is time. When He does I suspect the "Sleeping Giant" (as I was told Billy Graham labeled us) will shake the world again.

Luther says: For such obstinate ones are not only imperfect in the practice of the doctrine, but want also to pervert and condemn the doctrine. This we should not suffer not tolerate. For the doctrine must run straight and clear, even if the deed and practice creep or crawl, run or leap, after it. (LW v. 40, p. 292)

Our behavior says: We are fools for thinking we can allow our people to go unchecked in what they believe without it not having an impact on our doctrine. I am in shock as to how many obstinate people I encounter in the Lutheran church. Hardly anyone is humble and quick to forgive. The obviously obstinate ones are just the tip of the iceberg. If we were to begin individual examinations as a prerequisite to communion, we would soon find out what people really believe—as long as we were asked more than do we believe without putting a little squeeze to our belief. Things have been made so very easy and convenient.

I spent four years in a most imperfect LCMS church. On one hand I strove to bring our practice in line with our doctrine, while on the other I was deeply blessed to be associated with a group of people I thought sincerely wanted to move in the proper direction. While I believe the Lord will use my work among them, it is clear to me, humanly speaking, the staff of this church was doing nothing more than playing an elaborate game. They finally tired of the game because they couldn't stand for me to challenge them anymore. My point is we must not set ourselves to strive for perfection, only improvement. The Christian life is a "progressive order," as Luther calls it. But we must not be willing to substitute form for substance.

(I find it interesting that when the Aerospace industry finds a problem with one plane, they are often expected to investigate all other similar planes. It seems we should take a lesson from this. It seems we would be wise to see the (potential) seriousness of the situation when even one of our "vehicles" malfunctions. Is it true that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link? If a pastor had a perfect church he must admit his failure in contributing in some way to the weakness of another. No man is an island. If all churches were spiritually mature and only one church among them was walking disorderly, they could not claim innocence. Absolution could only be proclaimed when that church was no longer "among them," if it came to that.)

Luther says: The third article, and the most fundamental, is that one teach the reason for the use of the sacrament and how one shall be properly prepare. Nor shall such be admitted to the sacrament as are caught in the web of open sin, adultery, gluttony, and the like, and show no contrition… No one should be allowed to go to communion who has not been individually examined by his pastor to see if he is prepared to go to holy sacrament. (LW v. 40, pp. 292 &296)

Our behavior says: We abuse and desecrate the sacrament as much as the sects do who do not even believe the Words of Christ. Again, I appeal to the common man. Have him read my compilation of Luther's remarks on Communion and how to prepare and let the common man look you in the eyes with blushed face as to whether he has been being properly prepared to receive the Meal.

Luther says: Also, the priests were teaching that whatever was offered was clean, no matter what its quality was. He says, "You are saying that the table of the Lord is despised." Now this is not what the priests were actually saying, but they did give that impression. After all, to teach and believe that whatever is sacrificed is clean is certainly as if they were saying: "The table of the Lord is worthless and despicable. " You see, they would say for the sake of their own gain: "It does not matter what sort of things you offer. After all, the Lord has given His command: 'None shall appear before Me empty-handed, Ex. 23:15." (LW v. 18, p. 395)

Our behavior says: The Table is worthless and despicable. All we need to do is give the impression that this is so and it is so. Our words to the contrary are irrelevant. What we say we believe in a thousand books is irrelevant. Our behavior speaks very clearly as to what we in fact believe and hold to.

Luther says: If on Sundays we preach on the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Creed, one after the other, we should also diligently preach about marriage and the sacraments of baptism and of the altar. (LW v. 40, p. 308)

Our behavior says: We are hypocrites. If our churches were to preach soundly on the subject of marriage and back the preaching up with sound boundaries, our divorce rate would NOT be the same as that of the unchurched.

Luther says: A feeble and fearful conscience is like a severe illness so that faith in the judgment of the key must be stressed forcefully by preachers, pastors, and other Christians. Of such a faith nothing has ever been heard under the papal regime. (LW v. 40, p. 373)

Our behavior says: We have no use for the office of the keys. I'm well aware we use the keys generally. It is my contention that we would be better off without this general use of the keys. A contempt is created in the heart of our people because of this general use, this abomination we call a general absolution. How would my children respond to me if I only loved them in a general way and never in a specific way? They would soon find my general love to be contemptuous.

Luther says: "I should be the God who should lead them back and on whom they should call, but they flee in another direction. You do wail well to Me, but you do not cry out, namely, in your heart. There is no faith. You cry out through your works and interests which is pure howling tumult, when the Holy Word of God is chanted without involving the heart."… It would be preferable to abstain from prayer than to pray in an evil manner. It is a bad thing merely to take on the appearance of worshipping. In the presence of divine majesty everything should be done seriously. (LW v. 18, pp. 39 & 396)

Our behavior says: Our liturgy has the ability to magically make us spiritual. Make no mistake; I love the liturgy and it ministers to my heart, mind, and soul. But it has become little more than a "howl." Luther said that liturgy was for babes. How can it possibly make sense for us to spend as much or more time in the liturgy than in the preached Word of God? I know it is all the Word of God. The liturgy, though, seems to have been treated like the beast of burden by our pastors. Too much emphasis has been placed on the liturgy.

I visited a LCMS church recently and was oppressed in my spirit as we rushed coldly through the liturgy. I wanted to run away and scream. I can hardly even move my lips fast enough to keep up. In fact, in some places I actually cannot keep up. I am glad to report that I was cheered in my spirit as the pastor began his sermon. Even though he spoke for only 15 minutes (Is this a prerequisite for becoming a Lutheran minister?) he had much to say that was sound and bold. It was much more than the proverbial three points and a poem. I shudder to think what a man like this could accomplish if he were to give his people a steady diet of 30 40 minutes. But I do not believe preaching longer is a panacea. Fifteen minutes might be appropriate if our meetings the days following were geared to "working his truth in" to our hearts and souls and minds. This takes more courage than one might casually think.

For the first three years I was in the Lutheran Church, I didn't even understand the liturgy. I kept begging my pastor to explain it to us. He finally made some half hearted attempts. I learned when I read a good sized book about it. I grew to love it even more.

Luther says: He is describing the pleasant feeling they have from that worship, but that will quickly pass and be changed. Therefore I think that the prophet is speaking here also about the aristocrats or nobles of the king, who imitated foreign customs and attire as well as the rituals of these foreign nations who lived all around them. They abandoned the rituals, attire, and customs of their own country. So also today, the Germans are the "monkeys see, monkeys do" of almost all other nations, so that they dress in the fashion of all nations, now French, now Spanish, etc. This is an indication of great levity and of inconsistent minds, such as we find in the French and in us Germans who follow the French in this. The poet Ennius says very accurately, "The Roman State stands by virtue of its ancient morals and men." (LW v. 18, pp. 70 & 327)

Our behavior says: We are monkeys. We only imitate what we see. Our worship is no longer flowing out of our faith. We are occupied with "felt needs." What a mockery we are making of worship.

Luther says: If you are troubled and anxious as to whether or not you are truly a church of God, I would say to you, that a church is not known by customs but by the Word. (LW v. 40, p. 41)

Our behavior says: We want to be known by customs and not the Word.

Luther says: Because we are flesh and blood, because we have very harmful foes against whom we battle zealously, and because Satan in the meantime does not cease his work, we need extensive instruction and a wealth of the Word of God, lest, misled by the flesh and surrounded by Satan, we extinguish the Spirit which can happen very easily. The apostle therefore gives us careful admonition that the Word of God dwell in us richly and in all wisdom, Col. 3:16 (LW v. 18, p. 127)

Our behavior says: We despise knowledge and instruction. A primary casualty of our error is our youth, which Luther addresses in the next passage:

Luther says: After all, before the Gospel again was spread, what else did we eat but the filth of the pope and this at the expense of both money and soul? But we are ungrateful. The princes go on to play the role of Midas. Their responsibility ought to be to stir up and nourish the studies of learned men. Here they ought to be using their great resources that the Word and correct studies thereof be widely taught ... That is, that fine young manhood will perish. Had it been taught and brought up in the Word of God, it could have been placed in leadership roles for the state, it could have taught others, it could have administered the state correctly through God. But because the Word of God has been taken away, the young people are misled by errors, their peers, they are useful to no one. (LW v. 18, p. 184)

Our behavior says: We hate our youth and wish to curse them.

Luther says: To summarize this passage: "You no longer have any courage, confidence, or hope of a victory yet to come. So the entire situation is most desperate on your side. Indeed, the soldiers, whose nature it was to be courageous, whose service and power you should be using to hold off the foe, are now as timid as women are. Divine judgment has taken the heart out of them." (LW v. 18, p. 3 10)

Our behavior says: We don't believe our Lord will punish and severely discipline us. If we believed in and were fearful of His judgment, we would not continue in our present path. The Lord is already disciplining us by letting us continue to live far more for pleasure than to please Him. Our greed, wantonness, and love of pleasure and security is taking us away from Him.

We, along with our whole nation, are experiencing God's judgment in that there is a leadership void. From the time I spent in my first LCMS church it was clear to me that the women and the weakest men held the real power. The ministers were quite afraid of going against them. They truly lacked a spiritual courage and confidence. Unless God has mercy on them they will never experience success in His ministry. Again, I believe my church was "worse" than many, but is representative of general trend. Certainly our whole culture is being dominated more and more by women. This is nothing less than a judgment from our Lord.

Luther says: The Word is the channel through which the Holy Spirit is given. This is a passage against those who hold the spoken Word in contempt. The lips are the public reservoirs of the church. In them alone is kept the Word of God. You see, unless the Word is preached publicly, it slips away. The more it is preached, the more firmly it is retained. Reading it is not as profitable as hearing it, for the live voice teaches, exhorts, defends, and resists the spirit of error. (LW v. 18, p. 40 1)

Our behavior says: We do not want to retain much of the Word. If we wanted to retain more we would preach more. If we were to preach more, as regards time and content, we would find out how much our people hold the Word in contempt. I believe we would have a difficult time dealing with the truth of what we really believe. This could be easily proven. Begin quoting Luther extensively, even preach one of his sermons, and see how the people respond. I believe most everybody would be shocked, many would honestly grapple with what they heard and benefit spiritually, and many would be deeply offended.

Luther says: : You have been working for your own convenience. You have been sacrificing to yourselves, not to me. You pretend that you labor under poverty. It is your fault, not Mine, for you are not seeking first My glory but your own gain. (LW v. 18, p. 398)

Our behavior says: : "We have few men who earnestly care for our spiritual estate, for all seek their own." I don't know what they are seeking. It eludes me. It is confusing to me that such fine men with such a great store of knowledge of the Scriptures can act as if they were as ignorant as Pentecostals. If I had to make a determination based on my experience, I would say many of our preachers have found a safe place to hide from the real responsibilities of life. If this is true, then our churches for them are nothing more than monasteries. I call to mind Luther's statement: Despair makes monks.

Our pastor's general trend to avoid problems and leave them unresolved was brought home to me in a very real way. A man in the church had been sorely mistreated by a female staff member. He was going to leave the church but I talked him into trying to resolve the situation. I talked to the pastor who said he would take care of it. He had no intention of doing anything with it except keeping the staff member from getting upset and making this tender reed take the fall for the problem. Finally my wife and myself went into his office and all but got down on our hands and knees and begged him not to treat this person in this manner. He did take some additional steps that satisfied this person. But nothing was really resolved. The staff member should have been sorely rebuked.

Luther says: A servant of God should be a "wise and faithful servant" (Matt. 24:45). If he does not pay attention to the former qualification (wisdom), he will become a mere specter and slothful and unworthy of such honor. Thus in those people who in foolish humility try to get along with everybody everywhere and to be popular with their charges the influence of authority is necessarily lost, and familiarity breeds contempt. How gravely do they sin! They allow the things that belong to "God and that have been entrusted to them to be trampled underfoot. They should have seen to it that these things were honored. On the other hand, if he does not pay attention to the latter qualification (faithfulness), he will become a tyrant who always frightens people with his power. He wants to be considered grim. Instead of striving to make their authority as fruitful as possible for others, such people try to make it as frightful as possible, even though according to the apostle that power was given not to destroy but to edify. But let us call these two faults by name: softness and harshness ... These are the two main faults from which all the mistakes of pastors come. No wonder! For softness is rooted in evil desires, and harshness in uncontrolled wrath. These two faults are responsible for everything that is evil, as everybody knows. Therefore, it is difficult to accept an office unless these two beasts are first slain. They would do even more harm, should the power to cause harm be available to them. (LW v. 25, p. 139) Luther states: "Some things we must just believe."

Our behavior says: We are full of evil desires. I easily recognize my tendency toward harshness and the logical end of my natural behavior. My pastor told me that even when I preach grace it sounds like law. I have no problem confessing this tendency as sin and repenting of it. What I don't think he understands is that he is so "soft" any firmness is going to seem like harshness.

I have a more difficult time seeing the truth of Luther's statement about softness, probably because I do not have that tendency and because I admire and aspire to the gentleness of our pastors. But they have gone beyond gentleness to softness. Therefore, their desires are evil, according to Luther. Our pastor's tendency, as I have said before, to get along with everyone is proverbial. They therefore do not love, but they hate their people. Look at it this way: Does an eagle care for her young if she doesn't teach them to fly? And what kind of parental love is it really that is overly helpful toward their children. It isn't love, it is abject selfishness using the title "parent" as an excuse to control and live through another.

I trust pastors will memorize this paragraph about softness and harshness. Actually Lutherans need to memorize the "soft" part and Baptists the "hard" part. I remind you that some things we must just BELIEVE. If we spend most our energy fighting what could be the truth, how will we ever learn? If I am misapplying Luther, or if Luther is mistaken, it will fall by the wayside and will come to naught. But if both are correct in their assessment, take heed. Try it on!

In conclusion, I will string together a number of Luther's comments which represent my heart's desire and attitude. We must always believe that God only wants what is best for us and that every thing which touches our life is a good gift from Him. Even this present wretched state is His gift which He will use to purify His people and prove His steadfast love for us.

Luther says: After all, it is wonderful to see here the plan of the Holy Spirit, who up to now has been heaping up and enlarging the threat in order to send them back to the goodness and mercy of God, indicating by this that the wrath and anger of God work toward salvation, so that sinners who have thus been terrified by the threats and judgment of God come to their senses and accept and recognize God as their merciful Father. In this way, you see, He terrifies sinners in such a way that they lift up their hearts in hope and in the mercy of God… Here we see what sort of thing the conscience is. It tenaciously guards the hope it has about God so that even in the greatest desperation, in the greatest tribulation and anguish, it grasps for the goodness of God, it still hopes for good things from God. Especially does it perceive the wrath of God upon all creatures. Yet it does not despair. It still believes that there is a bit of mercy and reconciliation left for it. (LW v. 18, p. 97 ... 99)

The sense here, then, is: "Don't be afraid, O kingdom of Judah. Imagine that your foes are very strong. Imagine that they are very well armed, that they are most resourceful and wise, so that they lack nothing that belongs to a well equipped army. Then imagine this also, that they have many armies, all of which threaten you with destruction. Let none of these bother you at all. Let them cause you no fear, no matter how well equipped and numerous they may be." (LW v. 18, p. 293)

"Seek the Lord, all you gentle of the land." That is, "See to it that you do not come together in vain. See to it that this assembly of yours is not useless. Rather, by prayer and preaching summon each other back to come to your senses, all you gentle of the land." I translate the Hebrew word "gentle" as humble, oppressed, those cast down before the world, whom few respect. (LW v. 18, p. 339)

( I sincerely believe I was persecuted and oppressed and finally asked to refrain from worshipping in the church I love because I did love the truth. I didn't have the protection of political clout or an office or staff position. In a LCMS church I was treated just like the "gentle" were treated by the Jews.)

Habakkuk's song sings: "He remembers mercy when tribulation is present." This agrees with the saying: "The rope breaks when it holds you most tightly." We, too, must sustain Christians for the Last Day with the Word of God. Even though it seems that Christ is tarrying very long and will not come, He will come, as He Himself says, when this is least expected, when people engage in building, in planting, in buying, selling, eating, drinking, in marrying and in being given in marriage, etc. If not all, at least a few can thus be preserved in faith. For as we perceive so clearly every day, this calls for faith and for preaching. (LW v. 19, p. 15 5)

All nations will want to have such a land as you have, fertile and protected from worms. (LW v. 18, p. 415)

It is my prayer that peace and unity will prevail and that all denominations will want and crave the truth as it is recorded in our books. Amen.

But… "Consider your ways and your inclinations, or works. Place the success of your affairs before your eyes. Consider how things are going for you." It is as if he were saying: "From the punishment itself you can determine that you have sinned; when everything turns out so badly for you, when no success is connected with any effort, when the land gives back without interest only the seed it has taken, when the vines produce poor grapes. You have eaten, and you were left unfilled. You had few things with which to nourish yourselves. You had nothing else to put your wages into except a torn bag, full of holes." (LW v. 18, p. 373)

Amen and Amen.

I will take my stand to watch and station myself on the tower." Habakkuk 2: 1 He strengthens himself and encourages his heart and mind in trust against a people who were in a state of agitation and distrusted the promises of God, since they were terrified by the captivity. In effect he was saying: "Although you are doubting and accuse me of a lie, you will not deter me from remaining completely unafraid and in full trust in the promises that God has made to us." (LW. 18, p. 120)

Sincerely in His Grace,

Timothy Vance