Grace on Tap

In 1530-1532 Dr. Martin Luther preached a sermon series on St. Matthew’s gospel on Wednesday evenings. This episode reviews his comments on the first four beatitudes. Volume 21 of Luther’s Works (American Edition) holds these sermons, and this volume also has Mike Yagley’s favorite…Luther’s comments on the Magnificat.

Upper Hand Brewery – UPA Upper Peninsula American Ale

The flagship and firstborn, UPA® is their go-anywhere, do-anything, back-to-basics pale ale. Timeless and traditional, some things are classics for a reason. Mike and I both enjoyed this simple beer with easy flavors.

In the summer of 1532, Martin Luther gave a series of lectures on Psalm 51. Six years later, in 1538, Luther’s followers released a small book on Psalm 51, based on Luther’s lectures. Luther uses his time of study in this psalm to discuss repentance, sin, grace, justification, and proper worship.

In 1955, the first volume of the American Edition of Luther’s Works was published through a cooperative agreement between Concordia Publishing House and Muhlenberg Press (later called Augsburg Fortress). This ambitious project was initially announced to have 55 volumes, and later has been expanded to include more material from Luther. The first volume published was Volume 12, which included Luther’s commentary on Psalms 2, 8, 19, 23, 26, 45, and 51.

This edition of Grace on Tap looks at Luther’s commentary on Psalm 51.

Cheybogan Brewing Company proudly produces a blueberry cream ale. Mike and Evan positively comment more on the smell than the taste.

Martin Luther published the Treatise on Good Works in June of 1520. Martin Luther had upended the medieval theological view of good works by encouraging people to trust in the good work of Christ and not in their own good works. With the focus of trust shifted away from our good works, what role do good works have in the life of a Christian? Luther defines the role of good works in this treatise through an examination of the Ten Commandments.

Project Gutenberg has a open source copy of the Treatise on Good Works. Volume 44 of Luther’s Work the American Edition contains this Treatise. Timothy Wengert has published with Augsburg Fortress an annotated edition that can be purchased for the Kindle at Amazon.

70+ by Old Nation Brewing Company is featured during our Beer Break in this episode. It is a West Coast Style India Pale Ale. 6.8% ABV and 72 IBU. The beer has a tangerine flavor with pine-like contribution from classic Columbus and Simcoe hops. The Idaho 7 hops support the new-school tropical twist.

Mike Yagley and Evan Gaertner review the Reformation events of 1521. Included in this episode:

• Dr. Martin Luther’s excommunication through the papal bull, Decet Romanian Pontificem.
• Diet of Worms and Luther declares, “Here I stand!”
• Luther “kidnapped” to the Wartburg
• Luther writes his Commentary on the Magnificat as a gift for John Frederick
• While Hiding at the Wartburg, Luther translates Erasmus’ Greek New Testament to German
• Luther continues his thoughts from Babylonian Captivity in November 1521 Treatise on The Misuse of the Mass
• Growing Controversy with Andreas Karlstadt

The Beer Break features a beer from Unplugged Brewing Company. The beer is Dudley’s Golden Ale which is exclusively available at the Huggy’s Social House in Vermillion. This special beer is a charity beer sold to support a golden retriever rescue society.

1520 is a year of suspense. The pope renews his calls for Luther to be silenced. Luther publishes some of his most significant books in his lifetime. Emperor Charles V is crowned at Aachen. This episode reviews Luther’s major literary works. We also follow the activities of Rome that lead up Luther’s excommunication.

Ore Dock Brewing Co. – Porter

ore-dock.com

114 Spring Street

Marquette, Michigan

Porter

Hints of coffee and bittersweet chocolate maneuver themselves through the full flavored roastiness of this jet-black ale.  Though altogether complex, the medium body and subtle carbonation of this porter delivers year-round enjoyment dark beer lovers.

Style: American Robust Porter

Yeast: British Ale

Hops:  Fuggles

Water Source: Lake Superior

Grains: Optic, Munich, Carmel, Amber, Black, Chocolate, Pale Chocolate

IBU: 27                ABV: 5.6%                Original Gravity: 1.058

Dates Available: Year Round

Available Packages:  6-pack bottles, draft

*2013 Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championships Silver Medal 88pts

This episode concludes the conversation on the Augsburg Confession that had been presented at the Diet of Augsburg on June 25, 1530. We focus on the disputed articles, 22-28, and the events that take place between June 25, 1530 and April 15, 1531.

Sound quality is a little mixed in this episode because Evan Gaertner set the wrong setting on the microphone. His wife reminded him that sound checks are a good idea.

Copper Harbor by Midland Brewing Company. A sweet, toasty malt lager. It is named for the shipping port near the northern-most point of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Part One of the Augsburg Confession is Philip Melanchthon’s attempt to show that the Lutheran church is in continuity with the historic Christian faith and more importantly in alignment with the teaching of the Scriptures. This document is meant not to cause division but to show the basis for unity in the church.

This episode discusses Articles 1-21, which are the common articles of the Christian faith in which there should be no disagreement.

Beer Break

Great Lakes Brewing Company – Dortmunder Gold Lager

In this episode Mike Yagley and Evan Gaertner introduce the Augsburg Confession. The beginning of the episode is a timeline leading up to June 25, 1530.

This date is a major turning point in the identity of Reformation as something other than a schismatic movement that is breaking apart the holy Christian church.

You can follow read the Augsburg Confession online at BookofConcord.org.

Short’s Brewing Company is again featured during our Beer Break. This beer is a dry hopped double brown ale. Good Humans was originally created to showcase one of Briess Malting Company’s new malt varieties. Good Humans is a Double Brown Ale made with Carabrown Malt and dry-hopped with Simcoe and Golding hops. The brew has sweet malty esters that are met by huge toasted caramel and toffee flavors. The finish is dry with a bouquet of hops

1527 Martin Luther writes to Breslau after they requested guidance on the responsibilities people have to stay in a city that experiences a deadly plague. Luther’s open letter “Whether one may flee from a deadly plague” provides a theological response to the common tension we will face between self-preservation and care for another person that is need. The letter is found in volume 43 of the American Edition of Luther’s Works.

Some other resources include:

Gene Veith at Patheos has written an article placing Luther’s letter in the context of the covid-19 virus that is causing concern around the world.

Rev. William Cwirla at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, California also does an excellent job providing some connections between Luther’s time and our own time.

Luther answers from the perspective of vocation. Those who have a vocation to care for a neighbor in need should not abandon those have need. But when others are sufficiently able to provide care then it is acceptable and commendable to care for oneself.

Beer Break is Nutter your Business from Grand Armory Brewing Company in Grand Haven, Michigan.

In this episode we conclude our discussion of the Ten Commandments and Luther’s exposition in the Large Catechism. The audio is not as good because we recorded in a different room than usual.