Posts with the tag “catechism”
Library Update - Children\'s Resources
by Dana S on September 23rd, 2021
Luther places great importance on the duties of parents in continually teaching their children about the faith at home. In the preface to the Large Catechism, he says “it is the duty of every father of a family to question and examine his children and servants at least once a week and to ascertain what they know of it, or are learning, and, if they do not know it, to keep them faithfully at it.” Read More
Lent 2021 - Holy Communion (Anderson)
by Dana S on April 1st, 2021
There is so much to talk about with this Sacrament of the Lord’s body and blood that I am afraid one little daily devotion is not sufficient. This miracle deserves our constant amazement and attention. The Lord Jesus Christ has joined His body and blood to simple bread and wine by the power of His Word. Even more so, this bread and wine grant us forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation. What an amazing Sacrament. Read More
Lent 2021 - Holy Communion (Belt)
by Dana S on March 29th, 2021
This is it. The climax of the Catechism. Everything has led to here. If there was one reason only to come to Church, it would be because of the Lord’s Supper. Read More
Lent 2021 - Confession (Anderson)
by Dana S on March 25th, 2021
When we go through corporate confession on Sunday mornings, what goes through your mind? Are you thinking about the words that we are saying or just parroting them back like some penitential robot? When we say that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone, are you thinking of specific instances or is your mind considering what you’re having for lunch afterwards? Our minds are prone to wander during confession. Read More
Lent 2021 - Confession (Belt)
by Dana S on March 22nd, 2021
Yes. Lutherans should do confession and absolution. Even private confession and absolution. This is a gift and not a mandate. Christians who are Christian and want to be, will confess their sins. They know that sin kills us, our faith and our love for God and each other, and so to hear a word of absolution is how we kill sin. Read More
Lent 2021 - Holy Baptism (Anderson)
by Dana S on March 18th, 2021
What is your identity? We sinful humans are prone to find our identities in a lot of flimsy, worthless things. Some find identity in their great piles of wealth. Some find identity in their popularity or group of friends. Some find identity in their work. If you meet somebody new, one of the first questions you will ask them is: “So, what do you do?” Work is identity, especially for many in rural Wisconsin. Read More
Lent 2021 - Holy Baptism (Belt)
by Dana S on March 15th, 2021
Having seen our lack, seen God’s giving, asked for what God gives in prayer. The rest of the catechism shows us how we receive what we ask for what God gives in order to fill our lack. Read More
Lent 2021 - Lord\'s Prayer (Anderson)
by Dana S on March 11th, 2021
What is prayer? I’ve been talking about this a lot in the Bible studies I lead recently. Simply put, prayer is having a conversation with God. When Paul urges us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), he is exhorting us to keep a constant conversation with our God. This includes both speaking and listening. Read More
Lent 2021 - Lord\'s Prayer (Belt)
by Dana S on March 8th, 2021
Because we learned in the Creed that God gives and does everything, we need to learn how to ask him to give those things. Prayer is us learning to ask what God has promised to give. Prayer is only done by beggars and children. Well off or satisfied people do not pray, they are just blind to their own need. So prayer is the result of people who know what they need from God. Read More
Lent 2021 - Apostle's Creed (Anderson)
by Dana S on March 4th, 2021
If I were to walk up to you on the street and ask, “What is it that Christians believe?”, how would you answer me? People flounder at this sort of question, but the answer has been simply given in the Apostles’ Creed. Its history is deep, since it dates back to at least 390 AD. Read More
Lent 2021 - Apostle's Creed (Belt)
by Dana S on March 1st, 2021
The commandments of God show us our lack and deficiency. It reveals that we are not right before God. The law reveals that I have not been loving, that I lack God, that I lack his gifts, that I lack being human. Sin makes me less than human. Read More
Lent 2021 - Second Table of the Law (Anderson)
by Dana S on February 25th, 2021
“And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:39–40). The second table of the Law deals with the question of how to love your neighbor as yourself. Read More
Lent 2021 - Second Table of the Law (Belt)
by Dana S on February 22nd, 2021
The Fourth Commandment: Honor your Father and Mother.
There is enough work to do in this commandment that it would take all our lives. The work that is given to children is the most God pleasing work in all the universe. Why honor, love, listen, obey and cherish your parents? Read More
Lent 2021 - First Table of the Law (Anderson)
by Dana S on February 18th, 2021
“‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment’” (Matthew 22:36–38). All of us know that idolatry is explicitly forbidden by God’s Law. Thus, the first three commandments are directed toward our relationship with our Creator. How shall we love the Lord our God? “You shall have no other gods.” “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.” “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” All of these commandments show us how to love the Lord our God rightly. Read More
Lent 2021 - First Table of the Law (Belt)
by Dana S on February 15th, 2021
The First Commandment: You shall have no other gods.
This brings up several thoughts. What is a god? Who has a god? Who is the true God that we should have? Read More
Lent Devotional Introduction
by Dana S on February 11th, 2021
The Small Catechism again? That is the topic that we will focus on for Lent?
You bet. My argument is that none of us know it well enough. I myself read it monthly, I have it read and sung in my car radio about 4 times a week (it takes about an hour to play through), I teach it in confirmation, and run through it cover to cover with about a dozen people every year, and I still don’t know it as well as I would like. So, if I do not know my small catechism as well as I should as a pastor and teacher of it, how much more worried am I about you? Read More
Who Are You?
by Dana S on February 9th, 2020
“My son, do not forget my teaching...” Proverbs 3:1As a Pastor, I get to witness things that speak to the core of our faith in Christ. Many of these moments give sudden clarity to our task as Christians and to the work that Jesus Christ has for us.These moments also go unseen and unrecorded to all except God and those present. However, I wish many of you could witness these moments. They are hu... Read More
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