Pious Lutheran

Dove of the Holy Spirit , Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Saint Peter's Basilica, 1660 The Evangelical Work of the Holy Spirit The need for Evangelism The Holy Spirit guides us into the truth of Jesus The Holy Spirit works through Christians to evangelize The truth convicts and convinces the world concerning: Sin Righteousness Judgment Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Evangelism is, to put it simply, telling another the truth of Jesus as it applies to their life. Evangelism is therefore a central work of the Holy Spirit. “ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ” While it’s simple enough to determine that the Holy Spirit’s work i...

Paul and Silas Singing in Prison , Jim Padgett, 1984 Christian Joy in View of the Eternal Resurrection Christians have sorrows on earth Yet, christians have joy, not in the fleeting things, but in the eternal things Richard Wurmbrand was a Lutheran pastor in Romania in the mid-20th century when his country was under communist control. In one of his books, he describes the suffering which many Christians had to endure in communist prisons. He described living conditions where the prisoners were kept practically naked in cold cells, fed rotten cabbage soup daily and a slice of bread once a week. The communists would torture the christians so severely and in such a vile manner it’s not appropriate to describe in polite company. Nevertheless, in spite of their horrible suffering those christians still had joy. One of pastor’s Wurmbrand’s stories reminds me of the time Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and thrown in prison in Philippi, and in the night they prayed and sang hymns to God....

Good Shepherd ,   Catacomb of Priscilla, Italy, Rome, 3rd Century Jesus is the Great I AM God revealed Himself in the Old Testament as I am who I am, or YHWH. God in the New Testament revealed Himself more fully through Jesus finishing the sentence I am… Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the only human of the I Am statements. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Who does God say that He is? We say that God is Triune, and He is, because that is how He has revealed Himself to us in the scriptures. He is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But in the Old Testament the personal name of God is recorded as four consonants, in our alphabet it’s YHWH, which is usually pronounced like Yahweh. Although from what we’re aware the pious practice was to not even say God’s name, which is still retained in our English Bibles where we have the word LORD in capital letters. Whenever you see the word LORD in capitals in the Bible it’s actually the Divine Name, YHWH....

The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, Caravaggio, 1600 The Ministry of Peace Jesus’ work of death and resurrection give us peace, as seen in the wounds which remain in Jesus’ resurrected and glorified body. Jesus gives this peace through His pastors whom He sent to forgive sins in His place. Pastors come and go throughout life, yet the peace which different pastors give comes from the same Christ Jesus. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Have you ever been gripped with fear? The Apostles were in our reading today. “ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews. ” Though, one day, not long before this, the Apostles had heard that Lazaraus had died, and that Jesus was going to go to him. It was a risky trip, since the Jews were seeking to stone Jesus. But Thomas piped up: “ Let us also go, that we may die with Him ” Then, on the night when Jesus was betrayed, Peter and all the apostles said:...