Chaos to Clarity: A Discussion Guide on Connecting the Disconnected to Jesus

Book Review of Chaos to Clarity by Marci Hopkins

A Discussion on Connecting the Disconnected to Jesus

by Hank Bitten

When I ordered the book Chaos to Clarity, I expected to write a review for educators to learn about the addictive behaviors that develop early in children as a result of the emphasis teachers place on perfection, parents who put their own needs and interests before their children, and the consequences of social media on our brains. What I found on Page 67 and following is the importance of confession, the need for spiritual development, understanding the forces of divine intervention in our ordinary lives, and the power of love, especially the love of Jesus in our lives in helping us to love others as we love ourselves.

Instead of writing a book review, I would like to share in this article a series of discussion questions based on quotations from the personal words of the author, Marci Hopkins. Marci Hopkins story begins in a suburb of Houston, Texas, extends to college in the area of Austin, Texas, employment in Denver, Colorado, and Los Angeles, California, and her home for the past 20 years in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Marci’s personal story is one of hardship as the divorce of her parents, remarriage of her mother, anger and alcohol, naivety, and intimacy, led her to be a victim of sinful behaviors focusing on her self-centered needs, several resilient attempts to overcome her challenges, and an understanding of faith in herself, others, and a calling of faith in Jesus Christ..

I cannot adequately articulate the spirit or depth of the spiritual importance of this book in this mode of printed communication. The best I can do is provide excerpts from her book with a context for a discussion. I will include the page numbers in the event that you purchase the book which is very affordable.

What does God’s plan mean to you?

The first example of a reference to faith is expressed in the power of the Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” (p.110). This simple prayer is credited to Reinhold Niebuhr in 1932 but may actually have its origins centuries earlier. It is a unique prayer because instead of asking God to intervene as the activist, it places personal responsibility on the individual in need of God’s help.

On page 154, Marci Hopkins expresses the power she receives through meditation as she becomes connected with God. “I feel like God is moving me in life. Daily, I am tapping into that connection to know my next move. I am using this awareness and grace to make a difference in the world and give a voice to other changemakers. I share all of this because you have this invitation, too.”

Questions:

To what extent does the presence of God transcend everything in life that we may associate with religious beliefs or church as we know it?
Does God speak to each of us in the same manner as a ‘calling to faith’ or in different ways at times when we are ‘facing the challenges of life?”
Does God control all of our decisions and activities or only the decisions where we purposely seek His direction?

I found her explanation of how to answer the question of God’s plan in her life to be both something that I was not comfortable with and at the same time I began thinking about her explanation as having validity.

“There are many ways to ‘interpret ‘God’ and while the traditional Christian teachings work for some, this step can be a turn-off for many….One can be an atheist or agnostic and still work through this step. It’s a matter of looking around and recognizing what the ‘greater power’ is for them. Maybe it’s the stars at night or the depths of unexplored oceans. Maybe it’s the way nature recovers once it destroys something like in the case of natural disasters. What if it’s the power of a storm? The way the storm generates energy, organizes into a powerful force, then destroys, and just disappears leaving the birds to sing again. Often labels are used for ease of reference, and in this step, God is an easy word to use. If it doesn’t work, use a different word!” (Page 116)

I rejected this explanation because it minimized the powerful presence of an Almighty God whose love is unlimited and creative power is beyond human understanding. In my reflection of this excerpt, I thought of the metaphor of a boat with 100 people of different faiths praying to the higher power they understood as ‘God,’ If they were all saved, should I accept that their different gods were all responsible for their rescue or should the God who one person prayed to be credited with saving everyone on the boat? I began to think for an explanation and the one that came to me was the account in 1 Kings 18 when Elijah invited King Ahab and his priests to the mountain and they each prayed for fire. It was only the God of Israel, or Elijah’s God, that produced the fire! (1 Kings 18:1–41) What is your understanding of the above quote on Page 116?

How important is the public or private confession of sin?

The debate over sin is nothing new as Christian and secular culture have debated this over the centuries. The attraction of popular preachers in colonial America, such as George Whitfield may have led to the conversion of tens of thousands of colonists while the denominational churches called for the training of clergy by programs approved by the Anglican, Reformed, and Presbyterian churches.

On Page 119, we see the impact of public confession. “This step caused such a pivotal shift in the quality of my life and relationships. This is where I surrendered my anger and opened myself to change my cycles. I opened fully to God (as I understand him) taking over. He took away my desire to drink, and day by day, as the fog lifted, I was able to see more clearly.

When I looked at my relationships, I saw my cycles, The patterns that I have been referring to for the entirety of this book were not clear to me until sobriety. Once I began the work of taking responsibility, I could see my behaviors and relationships. I saw how they began, carried on, and ended in a particular way. I saw the give and take in the relationship; I saw how I responded and pushed away.”

Although this next excerpt is written in the book before the above quote, it captures the joy of forgiveness, the complete removal of all guilt, memory, and the behaviors that separate us from the people we have a relationship with and the God who cares for us. “It is your willingness to be seen and heard that you finally feel seen, heard, and forgiven.”

Questions:

How do you understand the confession of sin?
Do you agree with Marci that confession begins with you or does it begin with God?
Does repentance of one’s pain and behavior lead to confession or does faith in God need to come first and lead one to repentance and confession?
Does the analogy of a teacher erasing a chalkboard provide an understanding of forgiveness or is it the washing to the chalkboard to remove all the chalk dust a more effective analogy?
Does a person come to confession through another person or is it their own awareness of their hurtful behavior that is the catalyst?

One of the most profound statements in the book is on Page 121. “No matter where you may find fault, forgiveness is another key to your freedom and peace. Forgiveness is for yourself. Forgiveness does not mean you forget or excuse the harm done to you, but forgiveness brings you a kind of peace that helps you move forward in life.” Do you agree?

3. Is it important to love yourself?

In Mark 12: 30,31, we read, ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’³¹The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[^b^] There is no commandment greater than these.” In Chaos to Clarity, Marci Hopkins dedicates Chapter 23 to “Learning to Love Myself.” She reveals that this was one of the most challenging steps in the process of her recovery but also one that engaged her in constant prayer and communication with God.

“It is truly hard work. It’s the hardest work I’ve ever done, but my life is full of abundance because of it. Once I stopped masking who I was with alcohol, I started to blossom. I found happiness when I began reconnecting with the Marci I lost many years ago. This made was for an entirely new life experience and not spiraling out of control every time I was confronted afforded me a chance to create forward momentum in my life.” (pp. 129-130)

Questions:

How do you understand the meaning of loving your neighbor as yourself?
How do you understand loving your spouse, child, parent, sibling, (or anyone close to you)?
The sentence above prompted me to think of life as one with different chapters. Perhaps understanding life in the perspective of chronological years is less accurate than viewing our lives in the perspective of spiritual and emotional development. How have pivotal or turning point events in life enabled you to grow emotionally and spiritually?

Where do we see Jesus in our daily life?

Have you experienced something unusual in your life? In the days following the Attack on America, there were many examples of reports of someone who missed their train, had a meeting cancelled, or something happened that prevented them from being in the World Trade Center at the time of the attacks. Unfortunately, there were approximately 3,000 lives that were lost and nothing unusual changed their daily routine that day. MY personal experience is that I avoid sharing these supernatural encounters in my life and yet I can likely name more than a dozen times when I felt Jesus (or God, angels, or something I could not explain) happened to me. For example, in February,1968 the plane I was on made an emergency landing at O’Hare Airport because the landing gear was not properly positioned. I was in the last row of the plan and next to me were two experienced pilots who guided me through the landing and emergency exit.

Marci Hopkins explains her supernatural encounter on pp. 142-43: “I was sure I was done one day in June 2017 when I had a bad informercial shoot. Everything seemed to go wrong, and I didn’t have any energy for that anymore. It was a series of mishaps and challenges, and it was a terrible day overall. I felt defeated, and I was ready to call it quits. The old me would have turned to drinking but the new me chalked it up to a bad day at the office. I went home and put my work to work. I thought to myself, ‘Okay, I had a bad day, but how do I want to react to this bad day’?

Instead of drinking, I went to bed. In the middle of the night, I woke up thinking about it and made a pros and cons list of giving up my acting career. After making that list, I decided to call my agent in the morning and let her know I was done.

I rolled over with a sense of relief know that I was done with modeling and acting. As I did that, I felt something sort of sharp and picked it up. Wondering what it was, I sat up quickly and turned the light on to check it out. Oddly, and very out of nowhere, there was my modeling business card, in my bed: the card that I hadn’t used in over a year!

She writes about a dragon fly (p. 134), the sale of her house after a year, the appearance of a ladybug, a tile with the picture of a child, a missing work of art in her home, and a feather. (pp. 169-173).

Questions:

Do we live in a three-dimensional world or are we living in a world with four or five dimensions?
How do you explain the impossible events in your life?

Do you believe in all things visible and invisible?

In the Nicene Creed, Christians have professed for 18 centuries that they believe in all things visible and invisible. Marci Hopkins explains her understanding of this Creed on Page 164: “You are always surrounded by the harmony of the Universe. You are steeped in miracles, and when you open your eyes, ears, and heart to the magic of it all that it becomes obvious.”

“One of the strangest ways the Source tried to reach me was in the winter of 2019. Ray was traveling so I was home alone with the kids that weekend and they were already asleep. Late one evening, I woke up to let our dog, Lucky, out. Practically sleep walking, I made my way back into the house. When we walked back in, our other dog, Cody, needed to go out, so I leashed him up and headed back out.

By then, I was just a bit more awake, but ready to get back to bed. When I came back with Cody, I was started by what I saw. In the hallway, where I had just walked through to take both dogs out, my work bag was sitting on the floor in the middle of the hallway.

Not only was my workbag inexplicably relocated, but my jacket that was previously hung up in the mudroom was placed on top of my work bag and it looked like a feather lying across the top of it. I was jolted fully awake by this and had the very clear thought that everything I was up to in my life and show were going exactly as they were supposed to.

I get goosebumps all over again as I write this because there is no explanation, other than God, that moved that bag and jacket to catch my attention.” (Page 165)

Questions:

How do you understand miracles?
Is your understanding of heaven something that is visible or invisible?
If different chemicals affect the development of our brains and our behaviors does the Word of God also have an affect on our behavior?

Chaos to Clarity is a book about a personal struggle the author experienced over 30 years. It is a self-help book regarding the process of recovery from abuse, neglect, disappointment, and resilience. It is also a personal witness of faith and the importance of spiritual growth through then individual chapters in our journey in this life through childhood, adolescence, college, career, relationships, marriage, parenting, and a foundation for the chapters that still need to be written.

For those who understand religion or church as a curriculum of planned activities to follow, the thread to follow in Chaos to Clarity suggests that faith in God is a very personal encounter that is nurtured through relationships, prayer, communication, and studying the Word(s) of God. This personal encounter is nurtured through discussion which is the purpose of this review.

Whether you discuss these suggested questions with one or two friends, with family members including children, or in a small group,

Strategies for Life’s Most Challenging Struggles!

The 500th Anniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Bible in 3-D

Our Victory Lap!
Strategies for Life’s Most Challenging Struggles

Romans 8:31-39: What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Martin Luther on Romans 8:

St. Paul comforts fighters of sinful desires. He tells us that Christ has given us his Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit makes us spiritual and restrains the flesh. The Holy Spirit assures us that we are God’s children no matter how furiously sin may rage within us, so long as we follow the Spirit and struggle against sin in order to kill it. Because nothing is so effective in deadening the flesh as the cross and suffering, Paul comforts us in our suffering. He says that the Spirit, love and all creatures will stand by us; the Spirit in us groans and all creatures long with us that we be freed from the flesh and from sin.
Luther made four points for us to think about.

First, “in this way [God] wants to make us conformed to the image of his dear Son, Christ, so that we may become like him here in suffering and there in that life to come in honor and glory.” So, we suffer in this life, so that we would be like our Lord Jesus who suffered in this life. Being like Him here in this life, we will be like Him in the life to come, with honor and glory.
Second, “even though God does not want to assault and torment us, the devil does, and he cannot abide the Word.” What does Luther mean ? He means that the devil wants us to suffer because of God’s Word, but God uses this suffering so that we may learn that the Word is greater than the devil: “Then our Lord God looks on for a while and puts us in a tight place, so that we may learn from our own experience that the small, weak, miserable Word is stronger than the devil and the gates of hell.”

Third, Luther says, “it is also highly necessary that we suffer not only that God may prove his honor, power, and strength against the devil, but also in order that when we are not in trouble and suffering this excellent treasure which we have may not merely make us sleepy and secure.” God gives suffering so that we wouldn’t get sleepy in this life, but always look to the treasure we have in Jesus and His eternal promises which will be ours forever—as Paul says, “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17).

Lastly, Luther says, “Christian suffering is nobler and precious above all other human suffering because, since Christ himself suffered, he also hallowed the suffering of all his Christians.” When Christians suffer, it is a suffering which Christ Himself has made holy for them.

In fact, Luther says, “when people without faith run into affliction and suffering, they have nothing to comfort them, for they do not have the mighty promises and the confidence in God which Christians have. Therefore, they cannot comfort themselves with the assurance that God will help them to bear the affliction, much less can they count on it that he will turn their affliction and suffering to good.”

There is a special component to sufferings for the Christian. Not only has Christ made their suffering holy, but there is also special hope. There is the hope that points to this work of God, this work which conforms us to the image of Jesus. This work points to God’s own words and promises to overcome the world and the evil one. This work draws us to eternal hope. There is hope in who this God is as the Almighty One who loves us and cares for us. He is the God who proved His love and sent His Son to suffer and die for us. If He has done this, will He not certainly in His love do what is best for us in all things? Yes, yes, it shall be so.

On a personal note, my wife and I selected this Bible verse for our wedding as a reminder that we would always remain connected to God and His love in the face of unknown challenges we might face together in this life.

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org

Leipzig Debate – 500 Year Anniversary One of the world’s most important debates!

June 27 – July 16, 1519

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The Leipzig Debate took place 500 years ago in June and July 1519. It was a public debate between three Wittenberg University professors – Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon and Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt on the affirmative against Johann Eck, who supported the status quo, the pope and Roman Catholic theology. The debate opened on June 27 in Pleissenburg Castle in the presence of George the Bearded, the Duke of Saxony who was critical of Martin Luther. Luther entered the debate on July 4, 1519.

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Although the debate judges from the University of Paris took two years to decide and the judges from the University of Erfurt never reached a decision, the debate was won by Johann Eck. It marks the defining moment for understanding the authority of the Holy Bible, salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, and God’s grace in our lives. Related arguments include the importance of the Nicene Creed, if faith is a matter of our free will or if we are called to faith by God through the Holy Spirit, and the authority of the church or a pope. Although Eck may have won the debate, Luther’s ideas have prevailed for the past 500 years! Years later, Eck admitted that he could have accepted many of Luther’s arguments, but not on the authority of the pope and the church.

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How will we remember this historic event which involves more than theology?

The Leipzig Debate marks one of the top ten most important events in World History and in the Christian Church. It is significant because it was clear to the people of Europe that the Holy Bible was the truth and divine Word of God. The Bible had authority over the Church, church councils, and the pope. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. While the Reformation resulted in the Ninety-five Theses; the public debate at Leipzig presented the truth and evidence behind these arguments.

Whether you consider your Christian faith as a private and personal matter between God and you or as faith that is evangelical and needs to be shared with others, the Leipzig Debate clearly stated that the good news of God’s grace is for all people and the love of Jesus Christ is the enduring legacy that has changed the world. The Leipzig Debate was a victory for the eternal values of redemption, forgiveness and love!

Map-Leipzig

Top Ten Events in World History (My Suggestions – you can create your own order)

Industrial Revolution

Renaissance

Life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ

Life of Mohammad

Reformation

9/11 Attack on America

World War 1 and II

Medical Science

French Revolution

Discovery of America

Top Ten Events in Christian Church (My suggestions – you can create your own order)

Conversion of Constantine/Edict of Milan

Nicene Creed

Conversion of St. Augustine

Jerome’s translation of the Bible to Latin

Erasmus’ publication of the New Testament to Greek

Gutenberg’s Printing Press

Reformation and Leipzig Debate

Dead Sea Scrolls

Split between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches

Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org

In the year 1519

LETTER FROM LUTHER TO SPALATIN CONCERNING THE LEIPZIG DEBATE

Wittenberg, July 20, 1519

To the Illustrious Georg Spalatin, Court Chaplain and Librarian of His Highness the Elector of Saxony, His Friend in Christ.

Greetings! That our highness the prince and you all have returned safely pleases me, my dear Spalatin. May Christ claim the soul of Pfeffinger, Amen. I should have written you long ago about our famous debate, but I did not know where or about what. Certain people of Leipzig, neither sincere nor upright, are celebrating victory with Eck. It is from this nonsense that rumor has spread, but the truth of the matter will not bring everything to light.

Almost at the very moment of our arrival, even before we had gotten out of our wagon, the Inhibition of the bishop of Merseburg was affixed to the doors of the churches to the effect that the debate should not be held, together with that newly published explanation concerning this matter of indulgences. This Inhibition was disregarded and the person who had posted it was thrown into jail by the city council because he had acted without its knowledge.

Since our enemies got nowhere with this trick, they tried another. Having called Andreas Karlstadt to meet alone with them, they tried hard to get him to agree to hold the debate orally, according to Eck’s wishes, without stenographers taking down the proceedings in writing. Eck hoped that he might carry off the victory by his loud shouting and impressive delivery, means which he had long used to his advantage. Karlstadt, however, opposed this and insisted that they proceed according to a previous agreement, that is, that the statements of the disputants be written down by stenographers. Finally, to attain this, he was compelled to agree that the account of the debate made by the stenographers should not be published prior to a hearing by a court of judged.

At this point a new dispute arose over the choice of the judges. At length they compelled him also to consent to postpone coming to an agreement concerning the judges until after the debate had be concluded. Otherwise they did not wish to permit the debate. Thus they attacked us with the syllogistic horns of a dilemma, so that we should be confounded by both alternatives, whether we gave up the debate or placed the outcome into the hands of unfair judges. So you see how barbarous was their cunning, by means of which they robbed us of the freedom which had been agreed upon. For it is certain that the universities and the people will never make a pronouncement, or they would make one against us, and this is what they want.

The next day they called me to appear before them and proposed the same thing. Suspecting, however, the pope as the instigator of this procedure, I refused to accept these conditions, having been persuaded to do so by my colleagues. Then they proposed other universities as judges, without the pope. I requested that the freedom upon which we had agreed be respected. When they were unwilling to do this, I became reluctant and repudiated the debate. Then the rumor spread that I did not want to risk participating in the debate and, what is particularly unfair, that I wished to have no judges. All these accusations were hatefully and malignantly hurled at me and were interpreted in such a way that now they were turning even our best friends against us; and already permanent disgrace to our university was in prospect. After this, upon the advice of friends, I went to them and indignantly accepted their conditions. I did this in such a way and with the exclusion of the Roman Curia so that my power of appeal would be safeguarded and my case would be not prejudged.

Eck and Karlstadt at first debated for seven days over the freedom of the will. With God’s help Karlstadt advanced his arguments and explanations excellently and in great abundance from books which he had brought with him. Then when Karlstadt had also been given the opportunity of rebuttal, Eck refused to debate unless the books were left at home. Andreas [Karlstadt] had used the books to demonstrate to Eck’s face that he had correctly quoted the words of Scripture and the church fathers that he had not done violence to them as Eck was now shown to have done. This marked the beginning of another uproar until at length it was decided to Eck’s advantage that the books should be left at home. But who was not aware of the fact that if the debate were concerned with the cause of truth, it would be advisable to have all possible books at hand? Never did hatred and ambition show themselves more impudently than here.

Finally this deceitful man conceded everything that Karlstadt had asserted, although he had vehemently attacked it, and agreed with him in everything, boasting that he had led Karlstadt to his own way of thinking. He accordingly rejected Scotus and the Scotuistis and Capreolus and the Thomists, as saying that all other scholastic had thought and taught the same as he. So Scotus and Capreolus toppled to the ground, together with their respective schools, the two celebrated divisions of scholasticism.

The next week Eck debated with me, at first very acrimoniously, concerning the primacy of the pope. His proof rested on the words “You are Peter…” [Matt. 16:18] and “Feed my sheep…follow me” [John 21:17, 22], and “strengthen your brethren” [Luke 22:32], adding to these passages many quotations from the church fathers. What I answered you will soon see. Then, coming to the last point, he rested his case entirely on the Council of Constance which had condemned Huss’s article alleging that papal authority derived from the emperor instead of from God. Then Eck stamped about with much ado as though he were in an arena, holding up the Bohemians before me and publically accusing me of the heresy and support of the Bohemian heretics, for he is a sophist, no less impudent than rash. These accusations tickled the Leipzig audience more than the debate itself.

In rebuttal I brought up the Greek Christians during the past thousand years, and also the ancient church fathers, who had not been under the authority of the Roman pontiff, although I did not deny the primacy of honor due the pope. Finally we also debated the authority of a council. I publically acknowledged that some articles had been wrongly condemned [by the Council of Constance], articles which had been taught in plain and clear words by Paul, Augustine, and even Christ himself. At this point the adder swelled up, exaggerated my crime, and nearly went insane in his adulation of the Leipzig audience. Then I proved by words of the council itself that not all the articles which it condemned were actually heretical and erroneous. So Eck’s proofs had accomplished nothing. There the matter rested.

The third week Eck and I debated penance, purgatory, indulgences, and the power of a priest to grant absolution, for Eck did not like to debate with Karlstadt and asked me to debate alone with him. The debate over indulgences fell completely flat, for Eck agreed with me in nearly all respects and his former defense of indulgences came to appear like mockery and derision, whereas I had hoped that this would be the main topic of the debate. He finally acknowledged his position in public sermons so that even the common people could see that he was not concerned with indulgences. He also is supposed to have said that if I had not questioned the power of the pope, he would readily have agreed with me in all matters. Then he said to Karlstadt, “If I could agree with Martin in as many points as I do with you, I could be his friend.” He is such a fickle and deceitful person that he is ready to do anything. Whereas he conceded to Karlstadt that all the scholastics agreed in their teaching, in debating with me he rejected Gregory of Rimini as one who alone supported my opinion against all other scholastics. Thus he does not seem to consider it wrong to affirm and deny the same thing at different times. The people of Leipzig do not see this, so great is their stupidity. Much more fantastic was the following: He conceded one thing in the disputation hall but taught the people the opposite in church. When confronted by Karlstadt with the reason for his changeableness, the man answered without blinking an eye that it was not necessary to teach the people that which was debatable.

When I had concluded my part of the disputation, Eck debated once more with Karlstadt on new topics during the last three days, again making concessions in all points, agreeing that it is sin to do that which is in one, that free will without grace can do nothing but sin, that there is sin in every good work, and that it is grace itself which enables man to do what is in him in preparing for the reception of grace. All these things the scholastics deny. Therefore virtually nothing was treated in the manner which it deserved except my thirteenth thesis. Meanwhile Eck is pleased with himself, celebrates his victory, and rules the roost; but he will do so only until we have published our side of the debate. Because the debate turned out badly, I shall republish my Explanations Concerning the Value of Indulgences.

The citizens of Leipzig neither greeted nor called on us but treated us as though we were their bitterest enemies. Eck, however, they followed around town, clung to, banqueted, entertained, and finally presented with a robe and added a chamois-hair grown. They also rode horseback with him. In short, they did whatever they could to insult us. Furthermore they persuaded Caesar Pflug [the official host] and the prince [Duke George] that this pleased all concerned. One thing they did for us; they honored us, according to custom, with a drink of wine, which it would not have been safe for them to overlook. Those who were well disposed towards us, on the other hand, came to us in secret. Yet Dr. Auerbach, a very fair and just man, and Pistorious the younger, professor in ordinary, invited us. Even Duke George invited the three of us together on one occasion.

The most illustrious prince also called me to visit him alone and talked with me at length about my writings, especially my exposition of the Lord’s Prayer. He stated that the Bohemians were greatly encouraged by me and also that with my Lord’s Prayer I had caused confusion among many conscientious people who complained that they would not be able to pray one Lord’s Prayer in four days if they were compelled to listen to me, and much of a similar nature. But I was not so dull that I could not distinguish between the pipe and the piper. I was grieved that such a wise and pious prince as open to the influence of others and followed their opinions, especially when I saw and experienced how like a prince he spoke when he spoke his own thoughts.

The most recent exhibition of hatred was this: When on the day of Peter and Paul [June 29] I was summoned by our lord rector, the duke of Pomerania, to preach a sermon before his grace in the chapel of the castle, the report of this quickly filled the city, and men and women gathered in such numbers that I was compelled to preach in the debating hall, where all our professors and hostile observers had been stationed by invitation. The Gospel for this day [Matt. 16:13-19] clearly embraces both subjects of the debate. I got little thanks from the people of Leipzig.

Then Eck, stirred up against me, preached four sermons in different churches, publicly twisting and cutting into pieces what I had said. The would-be theologians had urged him to do this. No further opportunity was given me to preach, however, no matter how many people requested it. I could be accused and incriminated but not cleared. This is the way my enemies also acted in the debate, so that Eck, even though he represented the negative, always had the last word, which I did not have an opportunity to refute.

Finally, when Caesar Pflug heard that I had preached (he had not been present), he said, “I wish that Dr. Martin had saved his sermon for Wittenberg.” In short, I have experienced hatred before, but never more shameless or more impudent.

So here you have the whole tragedy. Dr. Hohannes Plawnitzer will tell you the rest, for he himself was also present and helped not a little in preventing the debate from being a complete fiasco. Since Eck and the people of Leipzig sought their own glory and not the truth at the debate, it is no wonder that it began badly and ended worse. Whereas we had hoped for harmony between the people of Wittenberg and Leipzig, they acted so hatefully that I fear that it will seem that discord and dislike were actually born here. This is the fruit of human glory. I, who really restrain my impetuosity, am still not able to dispel all dislike of them, for I am flesh and their hatred was very shameless and their injustice was very malicious in a matter so sacred and divine.

Farewell and commend me to the most illustrious prince

Your Martin Luther

Wednesday, July 20, 1519.

I met the honorable Vicar Staupitz in Grimma

Jesus Heals the Blind Man

The 500^th Anniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Bible in 3-D

Jesus Heals the Blind Man

What do you see?

Luke 18:35-43 Jesus Heals the Blind Man

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

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The Miracle of Christ Healing the Blind Man by El Greco (1560)

Although Bartimaeus was born blind, blindness was a metaphor showing people had no faith. Isaiah and Paul speak of the unbelief of the people in Israel and Asia Minor as not seeing or understanding the revelation of the Messiah or Jesus Christ.

The life of a blind person was awful as the blind were forced to beg and frequently taken advantage of. Blindness, other than a natural condition associated with age, was mostly likely the result of infection from unsanitary conditions or trichinosis from pork.

Therefore, in this picture, El Greco demonstrated the great mercy of Christ in curing his blindness and filling him with the Holy Spirit. It is interesting that El Greco illustrates several people in his painting who appear to be oblivious to the miracle that is happening.

Martin Luther wrote that the book of the Acts of the Apostles is to emphasize the importance of how both Gentiles and Jews must be justified by faith without doing any merits or good works. The big picture of all the stories and events in Acts is how the Gospel or good news of the resurrection and salvation of Jesus Christ makes everything right for us. It is not about the faith of the apostles but it is about faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. We do not need to do anything else – just trust God!

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org

On the Road: Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

The 500^th Anniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Bible in 3-D

On the Road with Philip and the Ethiopian

Do you have a spiritual appetite?

Acts 8:26-40 Philip and the Ethiopian

²⁶Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.

²⁹The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” ³⁰Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

³¹“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
³³In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”

³⁴The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”

³⁵Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

³⁶As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” ³⁷Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” ³⁸And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. ³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

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Philip Baptizes the Ethiopian by Maerten Jacobz van Heemskerck (16^th Century)

Rembrandt,_The_Baptism_of_the_Eunuch,_1626,_Museum_Catharijneconvent,_Utrecht The Baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch by Rembrandt (1626)

The Ethiopian eunuch might be considered as the personal assistant to the Queen of Ethiopia. Philip is one of the twelve apostles and was brought to faith by Jesus Christ (John 1:43). We do not know much about Philip but from the account of the miracle of feeding the 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and even less fish. Philip is described as reserved and practical and I find that I can identify with him. But God uses Philip in important ways by introducing people to him.

I recently went to a dinner party and when a couple learned my name, they asked me if I was the author of a blog on the Bible. I write but do not often talk to others about this blog. This is my understanding that God uses people like me to introduce faith to others.

The Book of Acts includes the story of many people came to faith in Jesus Christ as a result of talking with a Christian. The ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus was viral in the first century and talked about everywhere in the Roman Empire and with this account we see that it had spread as far south as Ethiopia. We know that Paul and Cornelius accepted Jesus Christ through an encounter with a believer.

We do not know if the Ethiopian was traveling to Jerusalem on business (likely) or if he came to worship in the temple. We know that he is familiar with the Book of Isaiah and searching for answers about life or God or both. He does not hesitate to be baptized. The story is one Martin Luther never preached on even though the baptism of the Ethiopian marks the beginning of the Christian Church in Ethiopia.

Life on this planet comes down to one thing – it is only through faith in Jesus Christ, without law and works, that we experience grace and are justified.

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

The 500^thAnniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Bible in 3-D

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

Why is it easy to lose trust or faith in God quickly?

Luke 2: 41-52: ⁴¹Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

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The Finding of the Savior in the Temple by William Holman Hunt (1854-60)

I learned there are few paintings of this important story in the Bible and that the few painted are from the 16^th century, with the one by Albrecht Durer being one that is most viewed. This is one of the last paintings made and William Hunt traveled to the Holy Land to research the geography and culture.

In his Epiphany sermon in 1523, Luther took the opportunity to remind his congregation of the anguish and distress of a mother who does not know where her child is. It is easy to lose our trust and confidence in God when our fears control they way we think.

He paints the rabbis or doctors of the law in traditional clothing symbolizing the Establishment and those who resisted the new teachings of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the one man standing, who appears most engaged in the Socratic discussion is open to what the young Jesus is saying.

Hunt also shows Jesus as a human being without any suggestion with symbols or halos that He is “Christ, the Savior.” Jesus is pictured as obedient and his family appears dressed in ordinary clothing.

Luther’s words: “When God vouchsafes to us a strong faith and a firm trust in him, so that we are assured he is our gracious God and we can depend upon him, then we are in paradise. But when God permits our hearts to be discouraged and we believe that He takes from us Christ our Lord; when our conscience feels that we have lost Him and amidst trembling and despair our confidence is gone, then we are truly in misery and distress. For even if we are not conscious of any special sin, yet in such a condition we tremble and doubt whether God still cares for us; just as Mary here doubts and knows not whether God still deems her worthy to be the mother of his Son.

Our heart thinks in the time of trial thus: God has indeed given me a strong faith, but perhaps He will take it from me and will no longer want me as His child. Only strong minds can endure such temptations and there are not many people whom God tests to this degree. Yet we must be prepared, so that we may not despair if such trials should come upon us.”

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org

Jesus Talks with the Woman at the Well

The 500^th Anniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Bible in 3-D (Text, Image, Perspective)

Jesus Talks with the Woman at the Well in Samaria

Does God really know everything about us?

John 4:1-26 and 39-42: Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— ²although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. ³So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

⁴Now he had to go through Samaria. ⁵So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ⁶Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

⁷When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” ⁸(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

⁹The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

¹⁰Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

¹¹“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹²Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

¹³Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

¹⁵The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

¹⁶He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” ¹⁷“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

¹⁹“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. ²⁰Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

²¹“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²²You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

²⁵The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” ²⁶Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

³⁹Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” ⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹And because of his words many more became believers.

⁴²They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

Guercino_-_Jesus_and_the_Samaritan_Woman_at_the_Well

Christ and the Woman of Samaria by Guercino (1640, Madrid)

The conversation between Christ and the woman of Samaria at the well is only recorded in the Gospel of Saint John. Christ, travelling to Galilee, reached the Samarian city of Sychar. While the disciples went ahead into the city to buy food, Christ sat down to rest by a fountain. A woman approached the well to draw water and Christ requested water to drink. Surprised, the woman questioned why a Jew was asking her for water, given that Samaritans and Jews had no dealings with each other. The woman, who had had five husbands and lived with a man (as Christ knew), began a conversation with Jesus about “living water.” Guercino’s (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) painting depicts a moment in the conversation between Christ and the Samaritan woman. The story of Jesus and the woman from Samaria is one of the most popular paintings made for individuals in their homes in the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

Martin Luther makes reference to this story in his Commentary on Galatians.

“So then, have we nothing to do to obtain righteousness? No, nothing at all! For this righteousness comes by doing nothing, hearing nothing, knowing nothing, but rather in knowing and believing this only – that Christ has gone to the right hand of the Father, not to become our judge, but to become for us our wisdom, our righteousness, our holiness, our salvation!

Now God sees no sin in us. For in this heavenly righteousness, sin has no place. So now we may certainly think. “Although I still sin, I don’t despair, because Christ lives – who is both my righteousness and my eternal life.” In that righteousness I have no sin, no fear, no guilty conscience, no fear of death. I am indeed a sinner in this life of mine, and in my own righteousness, but I have another life, another righteousness above this life, which is in Christ, the Son of God, who knows no sin or death, but is eternal righteousness and eternal life. For if the truth of being justified by Christ alone (not by works) is lost, then all Christian truths are lost. On this truth the church is built and has its being.”

Many theologians use this story to explain baptism, inclusion, cultural assimilation, and the conversion of Gentiles to faith in Jesus Christ. My observation for your reflection is that Jesus knew everything about this woman’s personal life. For me, it is a comfort and even a blessing to know that Jesus Christ is a personal Savior who knows, understands, accepts, and forgives all of my imperfections, mistakes, and failures. He also knows my heart and silent thoughts, my greatest fears, and my aches and pain. As Martin Luther explicitly proclaimed above, “but I have another life, another righteousness above this life, which is in Christ, the Son of God, who knows no sin or death, but is eternal righteousness and eternal life.”

Please continue this conversation with another person.

hbitten@reverendluther.org

Jesus Teaches the Children

The 500^th Anniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Bible in 3-D

Jesus Teaches the Children

How do we educate our soul?

Matthew 19:14: Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Luke 18:15-16: ¹⁵People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. ¹⁶But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.:

George Hinke painted this in 1953, a few weeks before he died. He was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1883 and schooled in a classic style of painting. Mr. Hinke came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1923, where he worked at a printing shop. People are very familiar with his Norman Rockwell styled paintings of the images of Santa Claus.

Hincke-Jesus Teaches Children

Martin Luther explained his views of children and their relationship to Jesus and parents in his Table Talks as recorded by the young pastors he taught in his home. The home and church are places we gather for the education of our soul.

“From this truth there are two important principles of child-rearing that parents must bear in mind when setting themselves to the task of training their children.

First, parents must remember that their children are depraved from birth. Children from birth have derived corruption from their original parent by the propagation of a vicious nature. Passed on to them according to their first birth is blindness of mind, horrible darkness, vanity and perverseness of judgment, wickedness, rebellion, stubbornness and impurity. That tiny infant who lies asleep in mother’s arms a picture of contentment and peace, that infant who so often fills mother’s and father’s heart with overwhelming love and emotion, that infant is a depraved sinner. It may be hard to believe. We may not want to believe it. But we as parents have passed along to our children our corruption. We must recognize and deal with the sin that is found in our children from infancy on.

The second truth Christian parents must keep in mind in training their children is their need for the cross of Jesus Christ. This does not mean, of course, that as parents we must attempt to convert our children. It does not mean that our children are without Christ until later in life. We certainly baptize our infant children with this assurance in mind, “… for as they (our children) are without their knowledge partakers of the condemnation in Adam, so are they again received unto grace in Christ.”

Parents, however, are called to instruct their children concerning their daily need for sorrow over sin and forgiveness in the cross of Christ. Children must be trained to bow in humility before God and confess their sins. They must be reminded constantly to seek for their righteousness not in themselves but in the cross of Christ alone. Likewise, children must be taught to walk in daily conversion before God, mortifying the old man of sin and putting on the new man in Christ. From infancy on, a child must be trained to hate sin and to live a life of thankfulness before God.”

That this was Martin Luther’s view of the training of children comes to light in the advice he gives parents concerning the method of training their children. Though Luther spends time on many different aspects of Christian pedagogy, we concentrate on only three of them.

In the first place, Luther presents instruction to parents, which we, who live in an age of prosperity and affluence, do well to heed. Parents must not spoil their children. Parents can do this in various ways. They can, when their children are young, ignore their wrongs (sins) and, instead of reprimanding or disciplining them, pass off what they do as minor or even cute. Luther spoke these appropriate words in a sermon on the fourth commandment.

The first destroyers of their own children are those who neglect them and knowingly permit them to grow up without the training and admonition of the Lord. Even if they do not harm them by a bad example, they still destroy them by yielding to them. They love them too much according to the flesh and pamper them saying: They are children, they do not understand what they are doing. And they are speaking the truth. But neither does a dog or a horse or a mule understand what it is doing. However, see how they learn to go, to come, to obey, to do and leave undone what they do not understand. … These parents will, therefore, bear the sins of their children because they make these sins their own.

A parent must never allow his children, no matter what their age, to do wrong and view it as mere ignorance of what is right.”

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org

Hincke-Santaclaus

George Hinke. Selection from his series on Santa Claus.

The Widow’s Offering

The 500^th Anniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Bible in 3-D (Text, Image, Perspective)

The Widow’s Offering

How has God invested in each of us?

Mark 12:41-44 The Widow’s Offering

⁴¹Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴²But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Widow's Mite

The Widow’s Mite (Le denier de la veuve), by James Tissot, 1886-1894

Martin Luther did not preach on this parable but the perspective of Rev. David Lose, past president of the Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia offers a contemporary perspective on stewardship and using all of the gifts God gives to each of us.

“Stewardship is not, ultimately, about what we give to the church. Rather, stewardship reflects a conviction that everything we have has been entrusted to us by God. Therefore, stewardship is concerned with helping us use all that we have wisely – that is, as God would have us use it.

Read this way, Jesus words about the widow push us to expect more of ourselves and our congregations and take seriously that everything we have – gifts, abilities, challenges, wealth, assets, time, opportunities – all of this comes from God with an expectation to use it in accord with the ethics and patterns of the “anti-kingdom” Jesus has been proclaiming.” http://www.davidlose.net/2012/10/mark-12-41-44-2/

Think about what our world would be like if the Words of Jesus and the Bible were never written, lost, destroyed, or never translated into the languages we understand. The Bible is the source of truth in a time when Truth is challenged and questioned. The Bible reveals to us God’s love and grace, His promises, and His daily involvement in our lives.

The 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s translation of the New Testament into German and the printing of the Bible is perhaps the most important event in World History regarding the importance of God’s Words in art, literature, music, and the impact on individual lives.

How can we best prepare to celebrate this historic event in 1522?

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org

Step Eight – Teaching the Truth

The 500^th Anniversary of the New Testament in the Language of the People 1522 – 2022

The Digital Disciples Series

TEACHING – Step 8

Which is more important: Instructing or Teaching?

Teaching by Example

Titus 2:3 “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.”

Making disciples involves more than a 10-step program in a blog post. In this verse Paul is telling Titus to teach the older women in the church because their example will be observed by others. Children learn by observing the behavior of siblings and parents. This is why examples and modeling are important.

Teaching God's Word

There is a difference between giving instructions and teaching. You do not need a degree in education to give instructions, make presentations or give directions. Teaching involves motivating, asking essential questions, nurturing passion for a subject, helping students to understand abstract concepts, providing applications, developing skills, creating decision-making activities, evaluating information, analyzing perspectives, discerning what is learned.

Teaching discipleship requires enthusiasm, personal experiences, and expressions of love. We teach discipleship by greeting others, inviting, praying, sharing personal stories, helping, serving, and in countless other ways. After all, God’s Word is designed for ALL creatures – and is not limited by culture, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, educational level, or anything else!

Martin Luther preached the following on Christmas Eve in 1522: “The first consideration in this lesson is, Paul teaches what should be the one theme of Titus and of every other preacher, namely, Christ. The people are to be taught who Christ is, why He came and what blessings His coming brought us. “The grace of God hath appeared,” the apostle says, meaning God’s grace is clearly manifest. How was it manifested? By the preaching of the apostles it was proclaimed worldwide. Previous to Christ’s resurrection, the grace of God was unrevealed. Christ dwelt only among the Jews and was not yet glorified. But after His ascension He gave to men the Holy Spirit. Concerning the Spirit, He testified (John 16:14) that the Spirit of truth, whom He should send, would glorify Him.

After His ascension He caused them to be proclaimed in public preaching throughout the world–to all men. Nor did He permit the revelation to be made as a mere proclamation of a fact, as a rumor or a report; it was appointed to bring forth fruit in us. It is a revelation and proclamation that teaches us to deny–to reject–ungodly things, all earthly lusts, all worldly desires, and thenceforward lead a sober, righteous and godly life….According to the text, this grace has appeared, is proclaimed, to all men. Christ commanded in Mark 16:15 that the Gospel be preached to all creatures throughout the whole world.”

Comments: hbitten@reverendluther.org