Each Day in the Word, Tuesday, August 9th, 2022

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Tom and Karen Klumb

1 Corinthians 14:1–40 (NKJV)

1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21 In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord. 22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. 26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

The speaking of God’s Word should always be done for the edification—the building up—of those who hear God’s Word. Speaking in tongues, that is, speaking in another language, only edifies people’s faith and love if there is a translator. Otherwise, the only one who understands the tongue is the Lord who gave that gift to the speaker. It doesn’t edify the believers and it drives away unbelievers, confirming them in their unbelief. Paul doesn’t discourage tongues, but he makes it clear that prophecy—the speaking of God’s Word—excels tongues, because “he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.”

Five intelligible words that speak of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the new obedience of faith are far better than then thousand words no one can understand. This preaching—which is prophesy—speaks clearly of Christ and His salvation for everyone’s benefit. St. John writes in Revelation 19:10 that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” All prophecy has to do with Jesus, His perfect life lived in our stead, His death died with all our sins imputed to Him, His resurrection which make justification available for all who believe and trust His atoning work. St. Paul commands that the message of Christ be proclaimed clearly for the edification of all the church.

Paul also forbids women from speaking in the church. This speaking is the authoritative, public preaching, and does not include the singing of hymns and psalms or responses, nor does it exclude speaking the gospel to others in their vocations. This is not because women are inferior to men, after all, not all men are are qualified to be preachers. Rather, this reflects the order in which God created man and woman. Christians are to do all things decently and in order, especially according to what God has ordered in Scripture.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, we give you thanks for ordering all things to reflect your good creation and the gospel so that we may be edified and built up in your will. Amen.

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Each Day in the Word, Monday, August 8th, 2022

Posted on August 8, 2022 by Tom and Karen Klumb

1 Corinthians 12:12–31 (NKJV)

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Each of us have only one body. But our one body is made up of many different parts. Each part has its own own unique function and operates inseparably with the other parts. If one part of our body suffers the entire body suffers. If one member of our body is is honored, the entire body—we ourselves—are honored.

So it is with Christ. His body, the chur  ch, is one yet consists of as many members as there are believers. The Holy Spirit baptized us into Christ’s body and gives us of Himself to drink for our spiritual nourishment. He does this through God’s Word and sacraments. But this equality does not mean that we are all the same part. Feet cannot be hands. Ears cannot be eyes. Within the church God has appointed some to be apostles, prophets, and teachers. In Corinth God had also appointed miracles, gifts of healing, and a variety of tongues; gifts which He no longer gives to the church.

Within Christ’s body we do not seek those things which God has not appointed for us, nor do we puff ourselves up because of what God has appointed to us, for “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” Every individual is a member of Christ’s body and works best when he or she works for the honor of the body, which is Christ’s, and serves the other members, our brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter what God has appointed for you in Christ’s church, whether pastor or hearer, “the members should have the same care for one another.”

This is why we are to “earnestly desire the best gifts.” What is the best gift? The next chapter answers that. The best gift is love because it has countless opportunities to serve other members of Christ’s body, not matter what member of the body God has appointed you to be.

Lord God, as we drink from the Spirit through your Word and sacraments, teach us true love for the other members of Your Son’s body, so that we selflessly serve them. Amen.

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The command to beware of false prophets

Posted on August 7, 2022 by Rev. Paul Rydecki
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Sermon for Trinity 8

Romans 8:12-17  +  Matthew 7:15-23

You know the Ten Commandments. Hopefully you’re very familiar with them as part of your regular review of the Small Catechism. But the Ten Commandments are not exhaustive; Jesus gave many commands to His disciples, many of which are included in His Sermon on the Mount. The command He gives in today’s Gospel is the final command in that famous sermon. After teaching His disciples what is good and right, Jesus is well aware that there would come along many, many teachers of what is evil and false. And so He gives this command to those who would be His disciples: Beware of false prophets. Now, to us Lutherans, especially traditional and confessional Lutherans, this command is rather well known, and we have judged the confessions of the Lutheran Church to be true and in line with God’s Word, and you have (so far) determined that your pastor is not a false prophet. But to many, I daresay to most Christians, this command to beware of false prophets isn’t even on the radar. And yet, it’s a command like any other, a command from your Lord to whom you owe obedience, and the more urgent, because if you fail to keep this commandment, you put your eternal soul in jeopardy, because the commandment is for your own good. So think carefully on what Jesus commands you today in the Gospel, and don’t neglect it: Beware of false prophets!

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You know, I think for a lot of people, when they’re going around looking for a church to call their own, it’s not false prophets they’re watching out for, just as it’s not true doctrine they’re desperately searching for. It’s usually other things, earthly things—a preacher’s style, an atmosphere, a kind of music, or a “right fit” that makes them feel either good or bad. But that’s not keeping Jesus’ command at all. It’s actually just another way of living according to the flesh.

But Jesus commands: Beware of false prophets. Why? What makes them so dangerous? It’s that they dress like sheep—like innocent, reliable Christian preachers—but end up tearing people’s souls apart like wolves with their false teaching.

What is false teaching? It’s any teaching that doesn’t agree with the whole Word of God. When preachers tell you things about God that aren’t true, or things about His commandments that aren’t true; when they don’t tell the truth about sin, or about God’s plan of salvation, or about the Sacraments God has instituted, or about the Church and its ministry, or about the Christian life—how Christians are to do as St. Paul said in today’s Epistle, putting to death the deeds of the sinful flesh and living according to the Spirit. The preacher may be very nice. His sermons may be very engaging. And the church itself may be fun and dynamic and welcoming. But Jesus commands His disciples to look past all that and compare the teaching of the teacher with the Word of God. If you’re not willing to do that, to take the time and put in the effort necessary, then you are disobeying the voice of the One whom you call Lord. And that will go very badly for you.

“But it all comes down to a matter of interpretation, doesn’t it? Who’s to say who is right or wrong in all those denominations out there? We can’t actually know who’s a false prophet and who isn’t, can we?” Oh, but Jesus says that you can. By their fruits you will know them. You will know them, He says. You don’t think He’s lying to you, do you? Sure, it will take effort. It will take actually examining the preacher’s fruit. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, with earnest prayer and study of God’s Word, you can do it. And when you do, Jesus says, you will know the false prophet. Do people gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree bears good fruit; but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

What are the fruits a prophet bears? First of all, it’s his doctrine (his teaching). A prophet is someone who claims to speak for God, who claims to be teaching you the truth, the right way, God’s way, the way of salvation. You have to look at his teaching as a whole, not just this or that thing he says. Every preacher who claims to be Christian will teach you that Jesus is Lord. That’s certainly true. But what does he mean by it, and what else does he teach? Does he teach in line with the ancient Christian Creeds or has he gone off on his own? Does he teach a six-day creation according to Scripture or does he teach millions-of-years-molecules-to-man evolution? Does he teach that all people are sinners and are justified solely by faith in Christ crucified (as he should), or does he minimize sin or tolerate sin or teach justification by works or by faith plus works or not by faith at all? Does he teach Baptism as the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit or as the sign of a person’s own decision to follow Christ? Does he teach the real presence of the Lord’s body and blood in the Sacrament or does he teach that Christ’s body and blood are not truly received by communicants? Etc., etc., etc. The list goes on. And the only way to fulfill Christ’s command is to know His Word well and to evaluate the teachings of a pastor and of the church that he shepherds and of the church body to which he willingly belongs.

But a preacher’s doctrine isn’t the only fruit he bears. His life, his behavior is also part of his fruit, and that you have to evaluate, too. Not expecting him to be sinless—as St. John writes, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” But you should expect him to be “blameless,” as Paul writes to Timothy concerning bishops (that is, pastors). Blameless means that he can’t be accused of grave public sin or vice. He can’t justly be accused of having a shady or dishonest character. A pastor who regularly sets a bad example for believers is showing you that his fruit is rotten. A pastor who preaches the truth but then backs away from it when challenged or who won’t stand up for it is showing you that his fruit is bad. Now, personality flaws can be overlooked in love, or corrected with love, if necessary. That’s not necessarily “bad fruit.” Actual sins against God’s commandments must be addressed, though, and where there is no repentance, again, he’s showing you his fruit, that it’s rotten and bad.

Now, there is such a thing as being too critical, overly critical of every word a pastor says, every decision, every action, every interaction, and we Lutherans may be especially susceptible to that extreme. “Beware” isn’t the only thing Jesus said to do. He also said to love, honor, and submit to our spiritual overseers, and all the more once we’ve determined that they are good trees bearing good fruit. But along with that is this constant command to beware. It’s the Christian’s duty to evaluate the preacher’s fruit, his doctrine and life, and to beware of the one whose fruit is bad, because that preacher is not leading you closer to Christ, but farther away from Him. That preacher whose fruit is bad is a bad tree that will be cut down in the end and cast into the first, and you don’t want to be cut down with him.

The last part of today’s Gospel makes the necessity of this “bewaring” all the more urgent. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in your name did we not prophesy? And in your name did we not cast out demons? And in your name did we not perform many miracles?’ And then I will confess to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness! Calling oneself a Christian preacher—calling oneself a Christian!—is not a guarantee of being allowed into Christ’s kingdom in the end. Even prophesying, even casting out demons, even performing miracles is no guarantee that a person was a genuine preacher sent by Christ, or that a person was a genuine Christian at all.

What is the guarantee, then, that one will not hear those terrible words from the Lord Jesus on the Last Day, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness! It’s as Paul said in today’s Epistle: If you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if, through the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. Being led by the Spirit of God begins with repentance and faith in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, not because you’ve earned it, but because Christ earned it for you by His righteous life lived in your place and by His innocent death suffered in your place. But being led by the Spirit continues with daily contrition and repentance, putting to death the deeds of the body, being determined not to live in sin any longer but to live for God, to live a life of love. That’s where the Spirit always leads. The Spirit leads you to prayer, too. And, of course, the Spirit leads you always to God’s Word, which He Himself inspired and by which He continues to guide the people of God through all the murkiness and darkness of all the false prophets and false teachers of this world to see the light of Christ, our Redeemer. The Word of God is not called the “sword of the Spirit” for nothing. Know it! Treasure it! And use it to carry out Christ’s warning and command to beware of false prophets, and to recognize those who are true. Amen.

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Each Day in the Word, Sunday, August 7th, 2022

Posted on August 7, 2022 by Tom and Karen Klumb

1 Timothy 4:1–10 (NKJV)

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

The demonic doctrine which deceives many teaches that outward discipline by itself pleases God and increases one’s holiness. Some will abstain from marrying or from marital relations within marriage, thinking this abstention is a holier state. Others fast from certain foods, imagining that living according to the Old Testament dietary restrictions pleases God and increases holiness. But the Gospel teaches that everything “is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” Sexual relations within marriage are good and God-pleasing because they are an expression of the one flesh union. Husband and wife may abstain for a time for prayer, but this disciple does not make them holy. Fasting is a way to discipline one’s flesh and tame its wicked desires. But fasting does not make one holy.

St. Paul writes, “Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” Bodily exercises—the abstaining from certain good gifts of God—are to be used in our exercise toward godliness, but of themselves they are not godliness. Godliness, which can also be translated ‘piety,’ means reverence for God in one’s heart and life. The exercise of godliness is the daily training ourselves in contrition, faith, and serving our neighbor in love. Reverence in the heart toward God is daily confessing our sins and believing God’s promises in the gospel. Reverence for God in one’s life means living holy lives according to His holy Word. We train ourselves in godliness with the Holy Spirit’s aid because it is God’s will and it is good for us. “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6). It profits in this life by keeping us focused on the things of God rather than the temptations of the world and flesh. Godliness profits in the life to come because it keeps us in the faith in the midst of life’s dangers and prepares us for the life of the world to come.

Heavenly Father, give us Your Holy Spirit so that we exercise ourselves toward godliness everyday. Amen.

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Each Day in the Word, Saturday, August 6th, 2022

Posted on August 6, 2022 by Tom and Karen Klumb

1 Corinthians 11:1–22 (NKJV)

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God. 13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. 17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

“The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” This principle lies behind the ancient Christian custom of women wearing head coverings.

The custom was a sign that they were under a man’s authority, which properly understood means self-sacrificing service to the higher power, not blind obedience to an autocratic power. It recalled the order of creation, that “Adam was formed first, then Eve” (1 Tim. 2:13) and original sin, namely that “Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression” (1 Tim. 2:14). The woman’s head covering also was a sign of the Lord’s atonement for original sin, since atonement literally means “a covering.”

A Christian man did not cover his head because “he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.” God created man first and set him as His representative on the earth. God created woman second, from man’s side to be man’s helper. Yet this does not mean that man doesn’t have a Head. “The head of every man is Christ.” Under the Old Testament, the man had a sign of authority on him just as the woman wore a sign of authority. Circumcision was a sign of original sin and its covering. The foreskin—a sign of the sinful flesh—was removed so that the spiritual covering of Christ’s righteousness covered the original sin. Circumcision served as a sign of Christ’s authority over them, which is self-sacrificing service, not autocratic power (Lk. 22:24-27).

There are different roles for man and woman. Men are designed to be fathers and some of them are ordained to be pastors. Women are designed to be mothers. In this God shows the equality of the sexes and their interdependence “in the Lord.” Head coverings, like circumcision, is optional for Christians. But the principle that we all have a Head who sacrifices Himself for us is not an indifferent thing.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, we give You thanks for Your authority over us which you exercised by sacrificing Yourself to make full atonement and cover all our sins. Amen.

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