Today is a special anniversary in the Lutheran Church. On June 25, 1530 the Lutheran reformers first presented the Augsburg Confession to the Emperor of the Holy Romans Empire, Charles V. The Augsburg Confession is the first official document presented by the Lutherans to define what they believed.

Along with the nailing of the 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517, the reading of the Augsburg Confession is a significant date in the history of the Lutheran Church. Four hundred ninety-five years later, Lutheran Churches, including Living Hope Lutheran Church, subscribe to the truths presented in the Augsburg Confession as an accurate teaching of God’s Word.

To give you a sense of what the Augsburg Confession states, here are three of the articles:

ARTICLE IV – Justification
Our churches teach that people cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. By His death, Christ made satisfaction for our sins. God counts this faith for righteousness in His sight (Romans 3 and 4).

ARTICLE V – The Ministry
So that we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given. He works faith, when and where it pleases God, in those who hear the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ’s sake. This happens not through our own merits, but for Christ’s sake.
Our churches condemn the Anabaptists and others who think that through their own preparations and works the Holy Spirit comes to them without the external Word.

ARTICLE VI – New Obedience
Our churches teach that this faith is bound to bring forth good fruit. It is necessary to do good works commanded by God, because of God’s will. We should not rely on those works to merit justification before God. The forgiveness of sins and justification is received through faith. The voice of Christ testifies, “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’ ” (Luke 17:10). The Fathers teach the same thing. Ambrose says, “It is ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved, freely receiving forgiveness of sins, without works, through faith alone.”

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

We celebrated Trinity Sunday. The Bible is clear about the teaching that God is three persons in one united God. Problems and false teachings arise, not because the Bible is unclear, but because people don’t understand this doctrine — the math just doesn’t work out according to how we think math should work.

One of the charges that those who deny the Trinity make is that the Old Testament doesn’t teach the Trinity. Actually, that is not true — although it is more clearly taught in the New Testament. Below is a quote from a Lutheran doctrine book that shows that believers who only had the Old Testament were not bothered by the teaching that God had more than one person.

It is interesting to note in this connection that in the New Testament record no one ever objected or expressed surprise when Jesus spoke of the plurality of persons in God and called them by name. Some to be sure violently objected to Jesus’ identification of himself as one of the three, but they did not object to the idea of three in one itself. The disciples on their weakest day never asked, “What in the world are you talking about?” when Jesus taught the truth that God is three and nevertheless one. It was a truth already known to them to a certain extent from the Old Testament. God’s identification of himself as one God in three persons is, of course most clearly spelled out and expressed in the New Testament. . . . Matthew 28:18–20: “Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Daniel Deutschlander
Grace Abounds, p. 98

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling

We celebrated Pentecost which focuses on the work of the Holy Spirit. While the Spirit of God does many things, we rejoice that included in his work is the work of conversion – he brings us to faith in Jesus. He brings us to spiritual life through the gospel that is in the Word and Sacraments. In grace, the Spirit works through the message of Jesus as our Savior (the gospel) to create and strengthen faith. For this wonderful work, each of us must thank and praise the Spirit!

Below is a portion of our Large Catechism that reminds us of this wonderful work that the Spirit carried out in our lives.

Neither you nor I could ever know anything about Christ, or believe on Him, and have Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel. The work of redemption is done and accomplished. Christ has acquired and gained the treasure for us by His suffering, death, resurrection, and so on. But if the work remained concealed so that no one knew about it, then it would be useless and lost. So that this treasure might not stay buried, but be received and enjoyed, God has caused the Word to go forth and be proclaimed. In the Word He has the Holy Spirit bring this treasure home and make it our own. Therefore, sanctifying is just bringing us to Christ so we receive this good, which we could not get ourselves.
Luther’s Large Catechism, Part II, Article III: paragraphs 38-39

1 Corinthians 12:3
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

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Pastor Zarling

We celebrated the Ascension of Jesus. Jesus' Ascension back to heaven took place forty days after his resurrection. Jesus had completed his work as the Savior, winning salvation for everyone. At his Ascension he reclaimed his place as the King of Kings!

To help us understand what it means that Jesus is our King, Lutheran theologians have spoken of three kingdoms that Jesus rules. Recalling the different kingdoms helps us remember the true goal of Jesus' reign has our King.

Jesus rules a Kingdom of Power (also called his Kingdom of Nature or Kingdom of the World). All of nature and creation bows to Jesus' will. Even while on earth, the disciples marveled that "Even the wind and waves obey him" (Mark 4:41). How Jesus uses this power remains hidden in the wisdom of God and is often a mystery to us. Demanding answers to "Why did God let that happen?" is a dangerous question if we conclude that God is unfair or unloving. We may not understand the actions of our Lord. Proof of his love for us is not how life unfolds; proof is found at the cross of Jesus! He has saved us for eternity. Until we are fully set free from sin, "we live by faith, not be sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7) and must submit ourselves to God's perfect will.

Jesus rules a Kingdom of Grace. This kingdom is not a place, but the activity of God in the hearts of all who believe. By grace, he creates faith and unites us to himself. The Kingdom of Grace is the Christian Church. Jesus rules this kingdom through the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments. Through the gospel in these "means of grace" sinners see the fullness of God's grace! This kingdom will endure to the end of time. This kingdom is a kingdom of faith; hardships or persecution do not remove one from this kingdom.

Finally, Jesus rules a Kingdom of Glory. Jesus' Kingdoms of Power and Grace are ultimately leading to the greatest of his Kingdoms. We will live in the glory of heaven! In heaven, God's people will not know sadness or troubles. All will be perfect. In Revelation 7:14-17 we hear a description of heaven: "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. The one seated on the throne will shelter them: They will no longer hunger; they will no longer thirst; the sun will no longer strike them, nor will any scorching heat. For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; he will guide them to springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Jesus rules - in this world and in your life! Give thanks to your Ascended Lord for his power, grace, and the glory that is to come.

Pastor Aufdemberge

Pastor Kneser

Pastor Wempner

Pastor Zarling