Happy Reformation Day

On October 31, 1517 (495 years ago, this week)
Dr. Martin Luther, a Theology professor at the University of Wittenburg, in Germany posted 95 Theses on the Castle Church door- challenging Christians to discuss and debate what he believed to be errors and corruption in the church of the time.
Especially the sale of "indulgences," documents promising to keep people out of Hell and/or Purgatory. Profits of the sales of these indulgences often went to line the pockets of rich Bishops, cardinals and the Pope and probably helped pay for opulent palaces, chapels and Renaissance decorations in Rome.

Luther's hope was to reform the Church, not to start a new one.
His main teachings were based on Romans 3:22 "...righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe," and Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

Whatever his own faults or those of "Lutherans" who came after him, Luther's legacy is one that focuses Christians on that fact that we are saved by Grace alone (the free gift of what Jesus did on our behalf and in our stead on the cross), Faith alone- not by anything we have to do or try to refrain from doing, but only by trusting in what Jesus did- and we know these truths thanks to Scripture alone, not by philosophers or teachers or some new revelations given only to some magical and infallible representative of God- like the Pope, or like the Mormon's Prophet or any human leader- but only from God's Word itself, the Bible.  2 Timothy 3:16-17
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

You might be a Lutheran if...

• If you hear something really funny in church and smile as loud as you can, you might be a Lutheran.
• If you have an uncontrollable urge to sit in the back of any room, you might be a Lutheran.
• If you tap a church visitor on the shoulder and say, "excuse me, but you're in my seat," you might be a Lutheran.
• If it's 110 degrees outside and you still have coffee at the church function, you might be a Lutheran.
• If you automatically sing 'amen' at the end of every song you sing, you might be a Lutheran.
• If all of your casserole dishes have your name on the bottom, you might be a Lutheran.
• If you believe that Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there will be a free-will offering," you might be a Lutheran.
• If your house is a mess because you're "saved by Grace," not by works, you might be a Lutheran.
• If you sing "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" while sitting down, you might be a Lutheran.
• If you're watching "Star Wars" and when they say, "May the force be with you," you have the urge to answer, "and also with you," you might be a Lutheran.

The Book of Lutheran

My friend Tom sent me the following email in response to my Lutheran Coffee cartoon (scroll down a few posts)-

I always joke with the confirmands about the benefits of reading the Book of Concord. Sometimes we get to talking about church traditions. They ask "why do we do this or that" and I say "'cause it's in the Book of Concord, Silly." Then I start to do my best Dennis Hopper impression. "It's all there, man. Even the rules about pot-lucks."

Book of Concord:

200.The Pot Luck and it's importance of nourishing the saints. What does this mean? It means than when any significant group of Lutherans gather togther, there, in their midst, shalt be coffee and donuts served for breakfast items. Thou shalt also makest an effort to supply at least 1 bucket of KFC upon the table. This is most certainly true.

201. On the Primacy of Jello presentation. What does THIS mean? We should fear and love God enough so that at least SOMEONE must present orange Jello with carrot shavings in it or a layered jello of multi colors (preferably colors representing the colors of the church year) This is most certainly true!

It usually gets a laugh or two while some actually believe me. Ahhh, the joy of middle school.

Later,

Tom

Tom teaches at a Lutheran Junior High School, and his Dennis Hopper is spot on.

From the Book of Lutheran

Just on a Lark

A friend and former classmate of mine at Concordia College was reading my blogs and asked if I'd ever taken any flack from any Missouri Synod pastors. Not yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone in St. Louis stumbles across this one. Like I said in the "About this Blog" entry, I'm not a pastor and don't plan on becoming a pastor, so c'est la vie if they decided not to allow me to. And, readers should know that I don't speak for my denomination and this blog in no way reflects any of their official doctrinal positions. Like Luther's 99 theses on the Castle Church Door, these posts are intended to spark discussion and debate- by no means are they tantamount to Scripture. Lord knows I get a lot of things wrong, but I hope He can use me in spite of that to provoke debate, challenge thinking, and inspire prayer and Bible reading. That's all I want to do.

That said, I thought I was getting a little too heavy, not to mention too political, so here's something to lighten things up a little:

MANSFIELD, Ohio — Anita Johanssen has alienated her women's Bible study partners by bringing innocuous prayer requests, or no prayer requests at all, to their weekly meetings.
"We dump out our life garbage, and she says something like, 'I don't really have anything. Just pray things will keep going well for me,'" one woman says. "After the fourth or fifth time it gets annoying."
During a recent meeting a woman requested prayer for a relative who was in prison. Another admitted that her husband was severely depressed after losing his job. When it was her turn, Johanssen asked them to pray that the Lord "would continue to bless my life."
"They all sat there staring at me," Johanssen says. "I just don't have anything to match their level of prayer requests. I've got a good family and the Lord in my life. What am I supposed to do — invent problems?"
To satisfy her Bible study partners, Johanssen has begun planning out prayer requests. She recently requested prayer for her unsaved neighbor and a co-worker who lost her cat. But the requests don't seem to carry the kind of weight the others want. One Bible study partner responded, "If a missing cat is your most pressing issue, then I want your life."
Johanssen is considering joining a different Bible study in which her prayer requests allow her to "blend in better," she says. •

Read more Christian satire like this at LarkNews.com

Me ka pule,
Pirate Ted

Luther’s coffee cup prayer

Behold, Lord

An empty vessel that needs to be filled.

My Lord, fill it

I am weak in the faith; Strengthen me.

I am cold in love; Warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor…

O Lord, help me.

Strengthen my faith and trust in you…

With me, there is an abundance of sin; in You is the fullness of righteousness.

Therefore I will remain with You,

Whom I can receive, but to whom I may not give.

Mallory's Milieu - LUTHERAN MUSIC

Mallory's Milieu - LUTHERAN MUSIC
Here are a couple of Garrison Keillor routines and "Lost and Found's" Lutheran answer to Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah Song"