I’m downsizing my library of printed books and…here you go! I’m selling all these on eBay, for the sheer convenience factor. If you are interested, or nobody somebody who might be, here is a list of what’s up for sale right now on eBay.

Works of Martin Chemnitz: Rare Book

First Latin/German Edition of the Book of Concord: Rare Book

Kittel Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

Lutheran Commentary on the New Testament, edited by Henry Eyster Jacobs

The Sunday Sermons of the Great Church Fathers

Greek-English Lexicon – BAGD – New Edition

A Reader’s Greek and Hebrew Bible

Lenski’s Commentary on the New Testament (owned by Dr. A.L. Barry, President of The LCMS)

The Ante-Nicene Fathers

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: First Series

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Second Series

Analytical Key to the Old Testament (Four Large Volumes)

Our Great Heritage and Essays on Church Fellowship (Northwestern)

Complete Works of Josephus

What would you tell a person who is dying, about Jesus?

What would they need to hear?

Pastor Klemet Preus has published the letters he wrote to his father-in-law, Lloyd, when his father-in-law agreed to read the letters Klemet promised to write him, two a week, until his death. Turns out Lloyd lived eighteen more months and as a result, he received 92 letters from his son-in-law, Pastor Preus.

This new book titled, “WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR: Sharing Christ with Family and Friends” is, quite honestly, the finest collection of letters, written heart from heart, helping Lloyd sort through a lot of questions he had about God and about Christ and all matters of faith and life.

I know the phrase, “must read” is overused, but….if there was ever an appropriate time to say this is a “must read book” this is it.

Read more about “WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR” and pick up an excerpt from the book by visiting Concordia Publishing House’s web page for the book. It is now available both in print and in Kindle format.

Dear friend, thank you for your long and encouraging support for me and this blog site. I have enjoyed bringing you the notes, news, messages and other bits of information and inspiration that I have shared here over the years. But I have decided to take a hiatus from blogging. For how long? I don’t know, but it is going to be for a good long while.

I have several significant writing projects I am going to be pursuing for the foreseeable future and I’d like to devote myself to those without further demands on my time, in addition to my regular work load at CPH. Thanks for understanding.

I know many of you have “tuned in” here for news and information about new resources from Concordia Publishing House. I am still going to continue to share that  information, but from now on, my primary means of doing so is going to be from Concordia Publishing House’s Facebook page. You’ll find my posts there from now on.

I strongly encourage you, if you are not already, to add our Facebook page to your own and follow us there. When there is some new resource or something having to do with Concordia Publishing House that I know you will find interesting, I will post it there. So, again, be sure to like our page.

Click here to like the CPH Facebook page and follow us there.

Another great way to follow Concordia Publishing House and keep up with our latest publications is to sign up to receive our e-mail updates. We have hundreds of thousands of people on our lists and would love to add you.

Click here to sign up to receive regular e-mail updates from Concordia Publishing House.

Another way to keep up with what is new at Concordia Publishing House is to receive our press releases.

Click here to receive the latest press releases from CPH.

Why and How to Use the Treasury of Daily Prayer

by Pastor Mark Surburg,

from his blog site

Another great communion hymn from Matthew Carver.

Once again, let’s notice how profound the theology of Holy Communion is in this hymn. Would that all Lutherans today would cherish and adore the Sacrament in this manner!

Here is my translation of “Mein Herze, schicke dich” (Zach. Herrmann, †1716), a Communion hymn, as found in Burg’s Hymnal, where it has the title “Ermunterung zum heiligen Abendmahle” [Exhortation to the Holy Supper]. Burg appoints a “proper” melody. In lieu of which, no melody being found so named, and with indebted gratitude to the kindness of Dr. Joseph Herl, I provide some versions of the melody for “Mein Jesu, der du dich” (Anon., Greifswald, 1694), as it appeared originally (with repetitions) in triple meter, and later, with embellishments but without repetitions, in Freylinghausen’s hymnal, and finally, simplified again, in J. B. König’s chorale-book with duple meter (my preferred being this last). These melodies, I think, should be transposed down a step or two for modern usage. Finally, I add another tune, “Du wahres Gottes Lamm,” the merits of which are perhaps restricted to its having the right meter and its bearing a title a little similar to the first line of stanza 4.

MY HEART, cast off thy fears!
For Jesus now appears
With many  ͜a treasure,
Here in this holy place
To feed Thee with His grace
At His good pleasure.

2. His body and His blood,
The soul’s surpassing good,
To thee are given,
That in the strength they give
Thou mightest ever live
With Christ in heaven.

3. Oh, what a precious pledge
For thy great privilege
God doth provide thee!
Here is thy breach made whole,
Here comfort fills thy soul
And theirs beside thee.

4. The priceless Lamb of God
That poured His holy blood
That fatal morrow
Here under bread and wine
Is made our Meal divine
To still our sorrow.

5. O sweet, celestial Cure,
O living Wine and pure,
Repast of spirits:
How eagerly in grief
I taste of Thy relief,
Thy quick’ning merits!

6. O Jesus, Son of God,
Free Off’ring shed abroad,
Fair Seat of mercy:
In Thee the needful thing
I find, release to bring
From sins that curse me.

7. Thou art Salvation whole,
Best Portion for my soul,
Life-giving Supper
To keep me morn and eve
Till lower worlds I leave
And gain the upper.

8. My Jesus, dwell in me,
That I may dwell in Thee
And be united,
And, from sin’s bondage loosed,
Be in Thy body fused
A limb delighted.

9. When stung by sin and qualm,
I pray Thee grant this Balm
Before life’s closure
To flood my heart, that I
May close mine eyes and die
With calm composure.

Translation © 2013 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

1. Mein Herze, schicke dich,
denn Jesus zeiget sich
mit seinen Schätzen
im schönen Kirchensaal,
mit seinem Abendmahl
dich zu ergötzen.

2. Des Herren Leib und Blut,
der Seelen höchstes Gut
wird dir gegeben,
daß du durch deren Kraft
in Christi Eigenschaft
sollst ewig leben.

3. O, welch ein teures Pfand
Reicht dir des Höchsten Hand
zu deinem Besten!
Hier wird der Seele wohl,
hier hast du Trostes voll
mit andern Gästen.

4. Das werte Gottes-Lamm,
das an dem Kreuzesstamm
sein Blut vergossen,
wird unter Brot und Wein,
zur Stillung unsrer Pein,
von uns genossen.

5. O süße Himmelskost,
O reiner Lebensmost,
O Seelenweide,
wie gerne schmeck ich dich,
O wie erquickst du mich,
in meinem Leide

6. O Jesu, Gottes Sohn,
du schöner Gnadentron,
du Himmelsgabe,
in dir ist mir bereit,
was ich zur Seligkeit
vonnöten habe.

7. Du bist mir lauter Heil,
mein allerliebstes Teil,
die Lebenspeise,
die meine Seel erhält,
wenn ich aus dieser Welt
gen Himmel reise.

8.  Mein Jesu, bleib in mir,
damit auch ich mit dir
vereinigt bleibe,
daß ich von Sünden frei
ein wahres Gliedmaß sei
an deinem Leibe.

9. Laß in Gewissensqual
aus deinem Abendmahl
mir Trost zufließen;
so werd ich, hocherfreut,
bei Endung meiner Zeit
die Augen schließen.

This is really beautiful to watch. From “Galley Cat” blog site.

One artist will recreate a lost style of gorgeous handwriting, using web video to share his ancient practice.

Type designer, illustrator and artist Seb Lester will revive the BlackLetter script that has been out of use for more than three hundred years. He will document his efforts on video, a gorgeous tribute to handwritten letters (embedded above). Check it out:

BlackLetter was used throughout Europe from about 1150 until the end of the 17th century. One of my current preoccupations is developing a set of modern BlackLetter capitals that are highly legible, in BlackLetter terms, and yet retain the richness and beauty inherent in this ancient category of letterform.

The name of this classical font has become synonymous with old books. According to Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, it has this secondary meaning: “Given to the study of books in black letter; that is, of old books.”

BlackLetter was used throughout Europe from about 1150 until the end of the 17th century. One of my current preoccupations is developing a set of modern BlackLetter capitals that are highly legible, in BlackLetter terms, and yet

retain the richness and beauty inherent in this ancient category of letterform. From time to time I will film clips like this to record my progress. Prints and originals available from www.seblester.co.uk. Music by Carlos Márquez, https://soundcloud.com/cmdigital

— Design by Den Fajardo/RSJ, GMA News

“Between the Scylla of legalism and Charybis of antinomianism leads a narrow and dangerous path which the church must follow in her ethical thought.  Whether she finds the way depends on the purity of her proclamation and on this depends her existence.  It is my wish that the World Conference of Churches meeting at Oxford [1937] would be so endowed that churches of Christendom would serve in some way as a light house on this way.  Each of the churches must find its own way.  They can only find their ways by turning away from the world’s tempting siren calls and in this benighted century to listen to the voice of him who speaks to Christendom the same message which he spoke to the apostles and the reformers and which they believed: “I am the way.” [John 14:6]”

A paper by Rev. Daniel Preus, Fourth Vice-President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Part 1

For Christians it goes without saying that we are going to talk about Jesus to those who do not yet know Him, and for that matter, also to those who do. Jesus says that He is the way, the truth and the life and nobody comes to the Father except through Him. (Jn. 14:6) Peter says that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.(Acts 4:12) Again St. Peter says, “Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, in meekness and in fear.” (I Peter 3:15) Why? Because the hope that is in us is the only hope for sinful people, the only hope of salvation, the only hope of deliverance from sin, the only hope of everlasting life. There is no question that Christians are to proclaim the Gospel, that they are to announce the good news about forgiveness, salvation and life in the Savior Jesus. And the proclamation of Christians should not be limited to the sanctuary. “Go and make disciples of all people,” Jesus says in Matthew. “Preach the Gospel to every creature,” He says in Mark. Every one of us should be like Andrew who found his brother Peter and brought him to Jesus (John 1). Every one of us should be like Philip who found Nathanael and told him he had found the Messiah and when Nathanael resisted, Philip said, “Come and you will see.” There simply is no question that Christians who are the light of the world, according to Jesus, are to be a light in the world through their actions and their speech.

Does this mean then that Christians have the right and the duty to speak the Word of God and proclaim the Gospel, not only in the church, but also in the public square? Of course! And when these opportunities come our way, we should be grateful and take advantage of them.

At the same time, the Scriptures warn us again and again to avoid certain relationships and activities with false teachers, with unbelievers and especially with the teachers, preachers and prophets of false religions. And so St. Paul says, “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” (Ro. 1:17-18) So Jesus Himself warns us against false teaching and false prophets and says, “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.” (Mark 13:21-23) And in the book of Revelation Jesus commends the Ephesians for their intolerance over against false teaching. He says, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.” (Rev. 2:3) Finally, the entire Old Testament, from which I shall quote extensively in the second part of my presentation, makes it clear that believers, children of God, are absolutely forbidden to worship false gods or to combine their worship in any way with the worship of false gods. In fact, the major sin of the Israelites, condemned over and over again by God’s prophets was that of syncretism according to which they wished both to worship the God of Israel and give honor to the gods of the nations surrounding them.

Read more…

With just a few minor tweeks, this article speaks brilliantly to the tactics being pursued in any church body that has members pushing for the ordination of women. The way this kind of things works is that groups agitating for change in doctrine say that they are”just asking for more conversation” or “asking questions” or declaring that there never has been any sufficient discussion, blah, blah, blah. I added just a few words and phrases, in brackets, to make my point. The little group in my church body most openly pushing for the ordination of women has also published articles pushing for an acceptance of homosexuality.

2+2=4.

The truth – it’s just that simple.

Thomas Oden, writing in his book Requiem way back in 1995, explains how it happens. What follows from here is all a quote from an article I picked up from The Gospel Coalition. It begins in 3, 2, 1 …

The first step is always a study committee.

In response to claims for moral legitimization of behaviors widely thought displeasing to God, each of the mainline denominations has dutifully appointed elaborate study commissions to report back to the general legislative body on how the church might respond to [the ordination of women, and then, using the same exegetical methods by which clear texts forbidding women's ordination, the church then studied how to accept] homosexuality [determining it to be just another] form of sexual orientation, practice, and advocacy. (152)

If the first study committee comes back with a traditional reading of the text, or if the legislative body dismisses the committee’s progressive interpretation, you can always assign another study committee amidst outcries that the recalcitrant conservatives suffer from “[anti-women attitudes] and then homophobia and reactionary stupidity” (153).

And if the traditional view cannot be overturned right away, try dismissing the whole controversy by telling people (with no small amount of chronological snobbery) that saner Christians understand this is nothing worth fighting over.

The fact that [the ordination of women] and homosexual practice is not a weighty moral matter was asserted by the United Methodist Sexuality Report as a “consensus among Christian ethicists,” yet without any evidence to support this curious assertion. All the conspicuous Christian teachers who have resisted [the ordination of women] and same-sex intercourse (John Chrysostom, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other consensual ecumenical teachers) are weighed in the debate less heavily than selected modern proponents of moral relativism and utilitarian permissivism. (153)

The next step is admonish “the people of God to wait for a firm [theological] and ‘scientific consensus’” on the matter (154).

Then some leading lights in the denomination can offer new exegetical avenues for avoiding the traditional understanding of familiar texts. Three evasions in particular are quite popular.

The first evasion is that the normative moral force of all biblical texts on [the ordination of women] and same-sex intercourse may be explained away by their cultural context. This leads to the conclusion that any statement in the Bible can be reduced to culturally equivocal ambiguity and indeterminacy on the premise of cultural relativism…

The second evasion hinges upon a strung out interpretation on Romans 1:26-27…

The third evasion argues that when Genesis 1:27 declares that God created male and female, the text has no normative significance for how [the orders of creation have anything to say about the ordination of women] and then how sexual behavior is to be understood, since it is merely a distinction with no further moral meaning. (154-55)

If all else fails, the final step is to announce triumphantly and with a terrific celebration of grace that “Christ is, in an amoral fashion, the end of the law” and charge others with legalism if they don’t share in your antinomianism (156).

Sadly, Oden’s warning has been prescient.

With a lesbian minister installed in an RCA classis in New Jersey, more than twenty open and affirming congregations, a prominent professor at our more conservative seminary publishing a new revisionist book on homosexuality, and a number of overtures heading to Synod asking for new study committees, we in the RCA find ourselves in the middle of so much that Oden lamented.

Look no further….

Just click on this image and use your computer box gizmos to save it and then use it for your Facebook Cover Image. Be sure you click on it a couple times to get the full 800+ pixel version you’ll need to use it as your Facebook cover image.

I stole it from Miss Dorr, who in turn informed me she evangelically borrowed it from somebody else. Share and share alike.