We take a brief look at the similarities in the liturgy between the Roman Catholic Missal and the Lutheran hymnals. Why are there so many similarities? What is the biggest difference in our focus on the liturgy?

Responsive Prayer 2 (LSB p. 285)

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ Drawn from the Four Gospels

Original Broadcast: February 2011

Monthly Theme: Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy 1-2)

By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,

Here are some of Paul's hardest words to handle. He handed people who were supposed to be Christians over to Satan. What kind of psychopath does that! That's giving up completely on them, isn't it? These two men were great antagonists of Paul. They taught that the general resurrection of the dead had already happened (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2). That everything was over and there was no more need for the Christian Church. They refused to see the resurrection of the body that the Creed confesses. They went about sowing seed of despair among all who called upon Jesus' name.

Paul handed them over to Satan, in the same way that Judas handed Jesus over to the Jewish leaders. But even for Paul it wasn't a complete rejection and condemnation of these two men. He handed them over to Satan "that they may learn not to blaspheme." He wanted them back in the orthodox faith. He wanted to see them in Heaven on the Last Day. He wanted them to believe properly.

Some times it's best to let people alone in their sins and errors so they can find the way out for themselves. It's not a horrible burden we're putting upon them. It's church discipline in action. They aren't behaving and believing as they should as Christians. Therefore we should not treat them as Christians. They are endangering their own salvation and the salvation of any who fall under their influence. Paul delivered them over to Satan so they would see their sin and repent of them. That's the drive of all discipline, that people may repent. Amen.

Responsive Prayer 2 (LSB p. 285)

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ Drawn from the Four Gospels

Original Broadcast: February 2011

Monthly Theme: Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy 1-2)

By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith

Paul knew about shipwrecks. He had been in three of them (2 Corinthians 11:25). He knew what it was like to float on top of the boat's debris throughout the night until you either washed up on shore or another boat found you.

Every time I read this passage, it reminds me of the Titanic. The unsinkable ship found an iceberg that didn't believe the hype. The ship was never able to be used again after the shipwreck. So too, Paul says, of people who shipwreck their faith.

How do you shipwreck your faith? You embrace ideas and beliefs that can't be found in the Bible because they're not there. You shipwreck your faith by believing that what God calls abominations are acceptable. After a while, like the Titanic, your faith is no longer useful to you. It won't be able to help you stand on the Last Day.

Jesus doesn't want you to shipwreck your faith. He wants to carry you in the ark of His Church. He wants you to base your life on the Baptism He gave to you. There you were clothed in His righteousness and given the gift of life everlasting. Amen.

Hear what the LDS Church believes and teaches about the Holy Ghost from Articles of Faith 7 and 2 Nephi 31-33.

Responsive Prayer 2 (LSB p. 285)

The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ Drawn from the Four Gospels

Original Broadcast: February 2011

Monthly Theme: Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy 1-2)

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

To all life Thou givest--to both great and small--

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

Text: "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"

Original Broadcast: February 2011

Monthly Theme: Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy 1-2)

However, for this reason I obtained mercy,

Longsuffering is exactly what it sounds like. It's suffering long, enduring the pains of whatever is going on in our lives. Many times that means putting up with people that irritate us. We get irritated so easily. Have you ever wondered how irritated God gets with you? Your constant sinning. Your constant "I promise I'll never do it again." Your constant doing it again.

How irritating are you? Irritating enough that Jesus came to suffer the death you deserve. Irritating enough that even after your Baptism Jesus still forgives your constant sinning. But your level of irritation is overpowered by Jesus' longsuffering.

Jesus became flesh and died to show that there is nothing we sinners can do that will remove us from His graces, as long as we repent. And He'll wait, but don't push the waiting. He has placed a time limit of your life or the end of the world. There will be no more waiting and longsuffering then. The judgment will come and you will receive your reward. Your reward is with Jesus. Will it be the mercy He obtained for you on the Cross? Only if you repent and ask for His forgiveness. Then you will have His everlasting life. Amen.

Original Broadcast: February 2011

Monthly Theme: Pastoral Epistles (1 timothy 1-2)

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance,

Before his conversion on the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus was definitely the foremost sinner. He approved of Stephen's stoning (Acts 8:1). He went throughout Palestine, arresting Christians for their faith. It was on one of these trips, to the city of Damascus in Syria, that Jesus called Saul to be the foremost missionary of the first century of the Church Age.

From the foremost sinner to the foremost missionary and theologian. It's a dramatic change, but God is a dramatic God. His drama unfolds as we open the pages of the Bible. We start with a perfect world. Then man sins. For four thousand years, God continued to send promises to man that the sin would be atoned for. Then, "when the fullness of time had come" (Galatians 4:4), God sent His Son to die for the sins of the world. Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

You were once lost, but now you are found in Christ Jesus, who came to save sinners like you. Amen.