The Lutheran Spokesman (August 1997)
"Lord, teach us to pray"
"Let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave
of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that
he shall receive anything of the Lord"
James 1:6,7.
"Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of,
before ye ask Him"
Matthew 6:8
"Let us therefore come boldly unto
the Throne of Grace, that
we may obtain mercy and
find grace to help in time of need"
Hebrews 4:16
In this issue:
Remember The Sabbath Day
TAKE A BREAK!
When Catastropes Occur
Through The Gospel We Have Victory Over The Devil
SMORGASBORD
Excerpt From "What's Good About The Public Ministry?"
Looking Back in the Lutheran Spokesman
What Do The Fossils Say?
Meet: Gene Schreyer
CLC Exploratory Services
Announcements
For Circulation and Subscription Information, click here.
Articles
How would you feel about having one day each week when you had
absolutely no work to do at all? No mowing the lawn or washing the
car, no repair projects or doing the laundry. With each week came a 24
hour reprieve when no labor was demanded of you; in fact, none was
permitted.
Before you think, "That SOUNDS great, but with my schedule it could
never happen," let's go back to a time when there was a day off in
everyone's life. It was a day when all physical labor stopped. Regular
work was prohibited by God. He said: "Observe the Sabbath day to keep
it holy. . . . Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the
seventh is a Sabbath of the Lord your God. . . . Remember that you
were a slave in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God brought
you from there with a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm" (Deut.
5:12ff).
The world of ancient Israel seems a far cry from our age of cellular
phones and ATM machines and it certainly is. Not only have we been
liberated from the ceremonial laws they were under, our lives are
probably a lot busier than theirs ever were. Ironically, despite a
multitude of time-saving devices, Americans find themselves so far
behind in the frantic pace of life that the prospect of a day off each
week sounds absurd. It is for that reason precisely that we need to
pay careful attention to what God is saying in this passage.
In His infinite wisdom God did not simply suggest a day off for rest
and worship. He commanded it. From dusk on Friday to dusk on Saturday
all labor was forbidden. Why? Because God had set His people free from
bondage in Egypt; He did not want them to become enslaved again.
First Things First
There was little danger that the Jews, once settled in Canaan, would
dream of returning to the sweatshops of Pharaoh. But there was every
danger that they would become enslaved right where they lived. Like
us, they were probably tempted to work around the clock, seven days a
week, trying to carve out a better life for themselves and their
children. Like us, they ran the risk of losing their perspective by
overestimating the value of material things. What better way to
correct one's perspective than a day off with God's Word?
Each Sabbath reminded them of their amazing deliverance from Egypt.
Today, the Gospel reminds us of our deliverance from an oppressor more
ruthless than Pharaoh and from a bondage far worse than making bricks.
God sent His own Son to liberate us from death, sin, and the devil's
power. Otherwise held in bondage, God has set us free for all
eternity. Those who are eternally free should not allow themselves to
be enslaved by the temporal things of this life.
What if you can't afford time off with God's Word? Well, the Sabbath
taught them that it wasn't their power or ability that brought them
freedom. It was the mighty hand and outstretched arm of God. Today
God's Word reminds us that it isn't our ingenuity or effort that
brings happiness in life, but God's grace. We like to think that it
all depends on us, but it doesn't. We may worry about losing time or
money by putting God first, but we never do. Our Savior's promise,
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these
things shall be added to you," whether believed or doubted, is still
true.
--Pastor James Albrecht
Have you been to the lake this summer? Did you pack up the car and
visit the ocean or camp at the Grand Canyon? Did you travel to see
far-flung friends or family, and spend time just sitting on the deck
talking? It's all part of the vacation experience that we look forward
to at this time of year.
A vacation can do wonders. Sitting in a gently rocking boat with a
fishing pole in hand can ease away stress. Seeing new sights and
catching up on the news from loved ones can help mend frayed nerves. A
good vacation refreshes both the body and mind and gives us a new
perspective on life.
There are all kinds of vacation destinations from which to choose:
Disneyland, a national park, a special city you have always wanted to
see, and so forth. But the best spot of all unfortunately usually goes
unnoticed and unappreciated. This one has none of the logistical
problems such as getting two weeks off work, saving money, fighting
crowds, and spending endless hours on the road. This place is
accessible to all and yet it is never overcrowded, and nothing is more
refreshing for the whole family regardless of age.
What is this ideal vacation get-away? God says: "Come, all you who are
thirsty, come to the waters. . . . Give ear and come to me; hear me,
that your soul may live" (Is. 55:1, 3). Jesus extends the same open
invitation to all: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest" (Mt. 11:28).
A spiritual "vacation" is as close as the Word of Christ. Listen to
those quiet waters gently lapping as they calm stressed-out hearts
with the unspoiled peace of God. The Word assures you that in spite of
everything that is wrong with work, the neighbors, yourself, and the
world, all is well between you and God, for Jesus took all the wrong
on Himself and paid the penalty for it on the cross.
Unload all your fears, failures, and troubles on Jesus. There is no
better person with whom to spend relaxing quality time. He is never
too busy to listen and care, and He promises His divine strength to
see you through whatever the future might hold.
So this summer, whether you're off to the lake or just the backyard
Weber, take a break from the wear-and-tear of daily life. Take a real
vacation! Find that special spot and time each day when you can "get
away from it all" by reading a chapter of Scripture.
Take a break and talk to the Lord in prayer. Really talk to Him! Let
the words come from your heart. Share with Him your deepest hurts as
well as your fondest dreams.
Between the end of one hectic week and the start of another, take a
break. Join your spiritual brothers and sisters in the Lord's house to
praise Him for mercies fresh and new every morning. Take a break and
look forward to coming back rested, refreshed, and ready for continued
service in the Lord's kingdom!
--Pastor Michael Eichstadt
We have all watched with amazement and disbelief as the waters of the
Red River have inundated the northwestern part of our state and Grand
Forks, North Dakota. Our hearts go out to those who have lost
everything and whose immediate future is bleak and unknown. Unless one
has suffered it, it is difficult to imagine such destruction and loss.
Yet can we learn anything? Indeed, if we don't the disaster will have
been even more devastating. So then what do we learn? The Lord is in
the wind and the flood. In the 28th chapter of Isaiah we read:
"Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail
and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, Who
will bring them down to the earth with His hand." This is a word of
judgment against Ephraim.
Now shall we suggest that the people of the northwest were sinners
beyond the rest, for which reason God is judging? Be careful of
drawing false conclusions! In the 13th chapter of Luke Jesus said: "Do
you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other
Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but
unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on
whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they
were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem. I tell
you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
Many catastrophes have befallen this nation and areas of our nation,
from earthquakes to floods to drought. What is God doing? Each of
these devastations carries with it not an excuse for pharisaical
finger pointing, but a call to repentance to a nation who has
forgotten the Lord God, a nation that gives lip service to Him, but
denies the substance of Truth. We live in a nation where sin is no
longer sin, where right is wrong and wrong is right. We are people who
carry our love of independence from authority to the extreme of
rejecting the authority of God. God's call to repentance is part of
His loving concern to recall us lest a worse fate befall, eternal
judgment. "The Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance." If we will not respond to a gentle nudge,
the Lord must awaken with a thud.
Another thing we learn is that which is material passes away. It is a
most helpless feeling to see one's material wealth, and hopes tied to
it, washed down a murky river whose tentacles spread across the
landscape, or to see a wind blow a lifetime of work away in a minute.
We know that ultimately all these things will pass away. They will not
accompany us past our death bed. We know that. But yet we live and act
as if we don't in the mad rush to accumulate.
Our Lord encourages us rather to lay up treasures in heaven. In the
Sermon on the Mount, He said: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures
on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and
steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is there will your heart be also" (Mt. 6). If
we will not learn to turn to the Lord in repentance and faith, if we
continue neglectful of Word and Sacrament, we will not have heard the
call of the present devastation. God will have to do it again, not
because He hates, but because He is desirous of our salvation.
The Lord said to Solomon: "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen
this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven
and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or
send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my
name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from
their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin and heal their land" (2 Chr. 7).
When catastrophes occur, we can do a number of things. We can blame
God. To what end, but more judgment? Or we can see the hand of God,
listen to the voice of God (His Word), and believe His promises. Yes,
we can enjoy the blessings we have here -- they too are from God for
our good -- and turn our heart's attention to the cross of Christ
where is the answer to the sin problem, and to the empty tomb through
which life is restored and hope rekindled day by day. The love of
Christ is the seal that "the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us"
(Rom. 8:18). Though the faithful also must suffer, there IS a rest
that remains unto the people of God, eternal in the heavens.
May the Lord awaken us all to His call, and at the same time heal the
wounds and strengthen the hearts of all who after a long winter have
had to suffer yet another devastation. We pray that the Lord's message
will go unheeded by no one.
--From the weekly church bulletin of Grace Lutheran Church, Fridley,
Minn. Daniel Fleischer is pastor.
Through The Gospel We Have Victory Over The Devil
It is not a well-kept secret among Christians that Satan is outmatched
by the Son of God, Jesus the Savior. Though Satan can outmaneuver a
weak child of God, and does so to our constant dismay, he never caught
Jesus off-guard. Every contest between them ends in a repetition of
Satan's ancient experience -- he's the primordial loser.
We have data on this -- some recorded by Matthew and some by Luke
(both in chapter 4). It is commonly referred to as "the Temptation of
Jesus in the Wilderness." A more accurate and better P.R. for Jesus
might report: "Jesus' attitude of self-sacrifice bested Satan in the
wilderness temptations." In these three confrontations Satan was
playing a single tune with the recurring theme: "Why do you persist in
being so self-sacrificing when, after all, as Son of God you are
entitled to some modicum of bodily comforts, some adulation, some
reward. You deserve it." The simple (and horrible) point was to
subvert Jesus' attitude of submissive self-sacrifice.
The Spirit summarizes this for us in Philippians 2:4-12, when Jesus'
humility is pointed out as His forte in all His life-experiences. Thus
Satan's target was the essential center, the nucleus of Jesus'
Saviorhood. If His heart could become infected with self-interest, His
Messiahship would vanish in a puff of hellish smoke, and sinners would
be left with a self-serving impostor.
If we study each temptation-episode in that light, we see that the
first (Mt. 4:3) was an appeal to Jesus to serve Himself physically;
the second (Mt. 4:5-6) a decoy to serve Himself by gaining some
adulation from a temple crowd that would applaud Him as He levitated
above the rocks.
The third (Mt. 4:8-10) is a bit more tricky. (It is puzzling that
Luther thought the Devil here had reached a new low of stupidity when
otherwise he considered the Devil to be the "wily foe.") The Devil was
offering Jesus something the Devil had never owned in the first place,
"all the kingdoms of the world . . . and their glory." To which he
hoped Jesus would selfishly respond, "Yeah; right; it all belongs to
ME, for my Father has not surrendered it to you." What a neat
psychological setup for a knee-jerk selfish reaction! If only Jesus
had been less nobly dedicated to the interest of sinners, He could
have felt miffed over Satan's condescending tone. We are thrilled that
Jesus kept US at the top of His priorities and avoided all desire for
claiming His "rights."
Thus we are led to deduce that He needed the wilderness-temptation
experience to equip Him for His ministry of Saviorhood. It was of
primary importance that He become strengthened in that
self-sacrificing mode with which He had begun lest He crumble when
faced with the crux of Good Friday. And by what method did He
strengthen His resolve to succeed as our Savior? By hearkening back to
His Father's work with those other children of His in similar
circumstances. The marvelous suitability of those Deuteronomy passages
surged up in His holy heart to "bear Him up" on those angel wings.
Deuteronomy chapter 8, starting at v. 1, reveals the parallel between
the biography of the Israelites in the wilderness (forty years) with
Jesus' experience (forty days) ". . . to humble you and to test you,
to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His
commandments or not." Chapter 6 likewise. Jesus used those words of
His Father to strengthen His resolve to serve rather than be served,
so as to be armed and equipped to best Satan in that final onslaught,
to "give his life a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45).
John Milton in Paradise Regained makes the error of treating the
Wilderness-temptation episode as the center of Christology: that is,
that Jesus accomplished His Saviorhood via the temptations resisted.
This overstates the case, of course, for saving sinful humanity
required Jesus' entire output of willing submissiveness and humble
obedience even unto the death of the cross--thus a winning combination
of attitude plus performance--to chase Satan back to hell&gone, where
he belongs.
Beyond the function of the event in Jesus' life's mission, we ask what
purpose is served by the Spirit in recording it for us. First, our
hearts are refreshed in appreciation of our Savior's heart-felt
dedication to the job of redeeming us, who are otherwise lost sinners.
Secondly, we are reminded that the issue of attitude is paramount in
all moral/spiritual activity, for a sinful attitude of heart can
produce no good works -- as Luther also reminds us that we should
revere and love God so that our deeds will be God-pleasing. In concert
with such a God-revering attitude, the Christ-like heart searches
Scripture for sustenance in our times of temptation, and the Spirit
honors our claim on Him by bearing us up on the angel wings of God's
words.
All praise to Jesus for His successes
Against the wily foe's devices;
His love for us has foiled the schemer.
Hallelujah to Jesus, our great Redeemer!
--Paul R. Koch
Editor's note: This concludes the series on the devil. Next we have
asked the writers to tell what Scripture teaches about the good
angels.
* THE CLC AND OTHER CHURCH BODIES
We would like to inform our readers of a helpful resource bearing on
the relationship of the CLC with other Lutheran church bodies. We
refer to a pastoral conference essay entitled "A Critique of the
WELS/CLC Meetings and Other Communications Since 1960." This essay is
the careful work of Pastor Arthur E. Schulz in response to an
assignment given him for the Great Lakes Pastoral Conference meeting
at St. Peter's of Stambaugh, Mich. in April of this year.
The essayist begins his work (13 typed pages) with this comment: "I
have taken the liberty of broadening my assignment to begin with the
year 1958, and to include references to other Lutheran church bodies
in addition to WELS. This paper is basically an Index of the Lutheran
Spokesman and Journal Of Theology on this subject."
It becomes obvious that, for anyone interested in delving into
intersynodical dealings the CLC in its short history has had with
other Lutheran church bodies, this writing will be extremely helpful.
Inasmuch as the Spokesman and Journal are the official organs of the
CLC, the information they pass along should prove historically -- and,
we trust, scripturally -- reliable.
Pastor Schulz, who is serving at Trinity, Millston, Wis., has
voluntarily assumed the happy (?) chore of keeping a running index of
the two official periodicals of our synod. He took up this task when
his now deceased father-in-law, Pastor Clarence Hanson, passed the
torch to him. What Schulz offers in his afore-mentioned essay,
however, is more than would be found in a bare Index. He attaches
brief comment (a line or two) to each reference, explaining the
content and direction of the articles which appear in synod
periodicals from 1958 to 1997.
The full value of the Schulz paper will, of course, be realized only
by those who have access to past issues of the Spokesman and Journal
Of Theology. While most CLC pastors have many back issues, the library
at Immanuel Lutheran College & Seminary in Eau Claire is perhaps the
best place to look. Or one could write to the editors of the
respective magazines for respective issues.
The April 1997 Great Lakes Pastoral Conference agenda was not
submitted to the Spokesman and did not appear in our Announcements
section. For that reason, and those suggested above, we make mention
here of the Schulz paper. Those desirous of a copy may write to the
author at P. O. Box 538, Millston, WI 54643.
* 'WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THE PUBLIC MINISTRY?'
During the 1984-85 school year at Immanuel Lutheran College, Eau
Claire, Wis. Prof. Clifford Kuehne used his turn as speaker at chapel
exercises to address the students on the subject of the public
ministry. In a series of 14 messages the professor talked about the
teaching and preaching ministry and, in particular, what is "good"
about such a ministry.
According to the pamphlet's "Foreward" page, written by Prof. John Lau
(recently retired as ILC President), these soundly scriptural
addresses "have been collected and presented in printed form by
grateful seminary students to commemorate Prof. Kuehne's 25 years of
service to our Lord at ILC." In commending the booklet Prof. Lau calls
attention to the author's "reliance upon and knowledge of the
Scriptures, from which alone comes eternal truth"; he concludes: "May
the collection be of great benefit to all who read it."
Prof. Kuehne remarks that the idea for the booklet and its production
did not involve him in any way. With his assent, however, we are
giving you a flavor of the devotions with a reprint in this issue.
Copies of the complete 48-page booklet -- excellent as family
devotions and youth group discussion material -- are available for a
modest $1.00 each, plus postage and handling, from the ILC bookstore.
* A TRUE THEOLOGIAN
Last month, and again this, the perceptive articles about
'theologians' in our 'Looking Back . . .' feature were authored by
sainted Prof. Edmund Reim. We have reprinted them because, as the
careful reader will discover, they are as timely for our day as they
were in 1967, the year they were written and first appeared.
The reprint in this issue is especially timely, we think, because as
the world comes closer to the year 2000 we will be and are already
hearing what Prof. Reim would call "fanciful interpretations" of what
the end of the second and beginning of the third New Testament
millennium will bring. Let the author's sober and solid scripturalism
shed light on how Christians ought to view the events of these days in
general, and the endtime in particular.
This writer was one who was privileged to sit at Reim's feet for three
years of seminary training, as well as at a few pastoral conferences
and conventions. From experience I can say that with these reprinted
articles the reader is given an excellent taste of what this man of
God regularly offered in his writings which appeared in various
periodicals of the Wisconsin Synod and later the CLC, and in his
teachings on the conference floor or in the classrooms of the
seminaries of the two synods mentioned.
The reprints run the last two months appeared in 1967. The professor
died August 22, 1969 in Eau Claire with funeral services at Immanuel,
Mankato, Minnesota. Here, in part, is how W. Schaller, the Spokesman
editor at the time, wrote of his passing: "In Professor Reim, the Lord
gave much to the CLC, and much has now been taken away. Professor Reim
was our theologian, and thanks be to the Spirit of God, he was a
biblical theologian of the first rank. Before he spoke, he always
listened with a carefully trained ear to what His Lord was saying in
the Scripture. . . ."
More could be said, and perhaps we will on the occasion of the
thirtieth anniversary of his passing. Our highly respected
teacher/theologian would not want us to do so. But the Lord does when
He says: "Remember those who . . . have spoken the word of God to you,
whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried
about with various and strange doctrines. . . ." (Heb. 13:7-9).
Lord, in these latter days and in your grace and mercy, grant your
Church more true theologians like Prof. Edmund Reim.
Fellow redeemed in Christ,
What's good about the public ministry? In our continuing study of that
question, we today will consider how the Lord leads a person to
prepare himself (or herself) for the pastoral or teaching ministry.
There are some people in our day who think that whenever the Lord
wants individuals to enter the work of the Church, He will call them
to this work in some direct, mystical way. Perhaps you've heard
someone say: "I feel that the Lord has called me to prepare myself for
the ministry," and by this he does not mean a call extended by a
Christian congregation or church body, but rather some inner
communication which he thinks has come to him directly from God.
From Scripture, however, we learn that also in this matter of deciding
to prepare for the public ministry God prefers to work through means
rather than directly. A Christian should not expect that God will
reach down from heaven, tap him on the shoulder, and whisper in his
ear: "I want you to be a pastor," or "I want you to be a teacher." He
should expect God to work rather through those means or agencies which
He Himself has established.
With this in mind, let us consider our text. It consists of these
portions of 1 Timothy 3:1-2: "This is a true saying, If a man desire
the office of a bishop [a spiritual overseer], he desireth a good
work. A bishop then must be . . . apt to teach." We learn here that
there are two factors which a Christian rightly considers when he is
seeking an answer to the question: Might the Lord want me to prepare
for full-time work in His Church? These two factors are desire and
ability.
Surely the Lord makes use of means when He creates in the mind and
heart of an individual a desire for the public ministry. Through His
Word He convinces that person that the greatest problem of mankind
is--not poverty, not racial discrimination, not the threat of nuclear
war--but rather sin against God by which all men have brought upon
themselves the wrath and eternal punishment of God. Through His Word
He opens the eyes of that person to see that the greatest need of
mankind is--not a cure for cancer, not three square meals a day, not a
high standard of living--but rather the grace and forgiveness of God
in Christ Jesus. Through His Word He instills in that person a
recognition of the importance of the Gospel ministry for time and
eternity, and a willingness to devote his life to that ministry. So
the desire to be a pastor or teacher is one that God creates through
the means of grace, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But what about the matter of aptness to each, the ability to shepherd
and instruct other sin the teachings of Holy Scripture? Here too God
works through agencies which He has established. He works through His
representatives here on earth, through Christian parents and pastors,
through Christian teachers and counselors. These representatives have
the God-given responsibility to give advice and counsel to those whom
He has placed under them.
Do not pass if off lightly, then, if a parent or a pastor or a prof
here at ILC encourages you to give some thought to entering the
pastoral or teaching ministry. A seemingly small thing like a note
from a teacher at the bottom of a religion essay, "You have presented
these truths in a clear, Scriptural manner," can help you evaluate
your God-given ability. A comment from a guidance counselor or a
department head, "you show potential for the public ministry," should
be weighed carefully as an indication of a God-given aptness to teach.
Sometimes all of this happens in a very quiet way. The door of
educational opportunity at a school like ILC keeps opening from year
to year, the Lord continues to bless your scholarship, and
finally--almost before you know it--you find a call in your hand from
a Christian congregation to be its pastor or teacher.
Of course, not all Christians can become pastors and teachers, even as
the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians: "Not all are
apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are
teachers, are they?" (1 Cor. 12:29, literal translation). But your
choice of a career--whatever it is--by which you will be glorifying
God and serving your neighbor, is something so important that you will
surely want to bring it before your God in fervent prayer. Ask Him to
use those means which He has established, His Word and His
representatives here on earth, to guide you in making decisions for a
career.
You are a child of God, and you therefore have surely made your own
that prayer which we have sung:
Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be.
Lead me by Thine own hand;
Choose Thou the path for me.
Not mine, not mine, the choice
In things or great or small;
Be Thou my Guide, my Strength,
My Wisdom, and my All.
Amen.
From August 1967 --
* THEOLOGIANS -- ANOTHER KIND. It was to be expected. The turmoil of
the six-day Arab-Israeli War had hardly ceased and its echoes were
still being heard in the halls of the United Nations when prominent
churchmen began to refer to this youngest war as ARMAGEDDON. Nor did
all of these voices come from such writers and scholars as we spoke of
in a previous issue, theologians who bear the name but are barren of
its import because they either question the authority of the Word of
God or empty its terms of their simple meaning. At least some of these
we have in mind at this time are men of an entirely different stripe,
men for whom the Bible is indeed God's inspired and inerrant Word.
But these are writers, teachers, and preachers who nevertheless have
in one form or another embraced the teachings of Millennialism. They
accept without question what the Bible says about Christ's coming to
judge all the world at the Last Day. But at the same time they inject
the idea of a previous return of the Lord, prior to the Day of
Judgment, a special coming which would have the purpose of
establishing His visible Kingdom over all the earth, to endure for a
thousand years, or which would at least usher in a period of great
prosperity for the Church. ARMAGEDDON would then be the field of
battle between the forces of good and evil, the victory which would
usher in the period of perfect peace and plenty. The reference is to
the only passage in Scripture where this particular word is found,
Revelation 16:16. "He gathered them together in a placed called in the
Hebrew tongue ARMAGEDDON."
Considering the dramatic nature of this recent war and adding the fact
that it was fought at least in part in a land that Christians call
Holy because it was the scene of the Savior's work, it is not
surprising that men who are given to millennialistic views like to
interpret these events as a fulfillment of the prophecy from
Revelation. On the basis of this verse and in connection with other
similar passages they make what seems to be a strong case for their
teaching -- until one considers a few hard facts.
It is simply a fact that both parties in this conflict, Arabs and
Israelites, agree in their rejection of the Savior-ship of Christ.
Both refer to Him as a great prophet. But neither will grant what
Scripture so clearly attributes to Him, namely that He is the One in
whom all Messianic prophecy is fulfilled, whose sacrificial death on
the Cross constitutes the great atoning sacrifice for the sins of the
world, that He is in truth the very Son of God. It seems strange,
therefore, that Christian teachers should hail this particular
conflict between non-Christian nations as ARMAGEDDON, the final battle
between the forces of good and evil, the event which is to usher in
the Millennium. They had a better case when in World War I the British
under Lord Allenby drove the Turks out of Palestine, yet that hope
also failed.
But history has a more striking example than either of these. Toward
the end of the Eleventh Century the Christian nations of Europe were
stirred with a mighty ambition, to rescue the Holy Land from the hands
of its Mohammedan rulers. When after untold hardships Jerusalem was
finally taken in the last year of that century, it must have seemed as
though ARMAGEDDON had indeed taken place, that the Kingdom of Christ
had now been established on earth, to stand until His final return.
Yet, as one disillusionment followed another until Western power
failed utterly in maintaining itself in that far Eastern land, one
thing had been made abundantly clear by God Himself, namely that while
the Kingdom of Christ will be built and will stand, it will not be
built and will not stand by way of military action, by force of arms
and armies. That is the lesson that modern Millennialists have failed
to learn.
One asks how this can happen to men who are so sincere in their
loyalty to the Word of God, who acknowledge its absolute authority
without question. The answer lies in their failure to observe two
important principles in the interpretation of Scripture. One is the
fact that much prophecy, particularly in the Book of Revelation, is in
the form of figurative speech. Take that verse which speaks of
ARMAGEDDON in its context, beginning at verse twelve. This is the
passage that describes the work of the sixth angel of that chapter,
pouring out his vial of wrath upon the great river Euphrates. In this
part of the apocalyptic vision John saw three unclean spirits like
frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False
Prophet. The picture language is obvious. Even the Lord's own words in
verse 15, "Behold, I come as a thief," use what is clearly
recognizable as a figure of speech. Should one then not consider at
least the possibility that the ARMAGEDDON verse refers to spiritual
rather than military warfare? Certainly there is no lack of evidence
to support this legitimate interpretation.
The other principle that has been ignored is this. When interpretation
becomes difficult because figurative speech is involved, should not
one then turn to those passages of Scripture which treat the same
subject, but do so in clear and simple terms, particularly when it is
Jesus Himself who is doing the teaching? The entire question of
Millennialism with its romantic notion of a double return of Christ
would never have come up if men had given proper attention to what our
Lord Himself has said so clearly and so comprehensively on this
particular subject. Take Matthew 24 and 25, those two great chapters
that speak in such detail concerning the last things. Jesus had just
foretold the destruction of Jerusalem when His disciples asked Him,
"Tell us, when shall these things be," and had added the second
question, "and what shall be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of
the world?" Jesus answers both questions, speaking sometimes of
Jerusalem and the Temple, sometimes of the end of the world, sometimes
using the former as background for the latter. But nowhere is there a
word about a double return. There is only one coming, and that is for
judgment. Nowhere is there room for a Millennium. Note that after
describing the great tribulation which foreshadows the end, chapter
24:29-36 tells what shall follow immediately thereafter -- the
Judgment! The various parables, particularly the one of the Ten
Virgins in the opening verses of chapter 25, call for constant
readiness. There will be warfare indeed, but it will be of a spiritual
kind. There will be persecution (ch. 24:9), false prophets will come
(v. 11), even false Christs will arise (v. 24). Yet in spite of all
these obstacles "This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all
the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come"
(v. 14).
This is the sober prospect presented by our Lord to His disciples,
indeed to all His followers for all time. It is a prospect of a Church
that will be faced with persecution, trials, controversy, and dangers
of all kinds, increasingly so as the end draws ever nearer. The
picture leaves no room for the extravagant dreams and expectations of
Millennialism. But it does offer a wonderful comfort. "When these
things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads;
for your redemption draweth nigh" (Lk. 21:28). And this picture is
signed with a promise that is clear and emphatic: "But he that shall
endure to the end, the same shall be saved" (Mt. 24:13).
Is this not enough? Should men want to add anything further to this?
The teachings of Millennialism may be wishful thinking, but theology
they are not!
(Prof. E. Reim)
Most evolutionists insist that the occurrence of evolution is an
indisputable fact, even if its exact mechanism must remain
speculative. Since evolution is believed to occur far too slowly to be
discernible in the time frame of human observers, we must examine
prehistoric evidence in the fossil record if we are to observe the
"fact" of evolution. In his book Historical Geology, evolutionist C.
O. Dunbar said: "Fossils provide the only historical documentary
evidence that life has evolved from simpler to more and more complex
forms." But what does the fossil evidence say, and does it really
support the evolutionary view of origins -- or is it perhaps more
consistent with Creation?
Fossilization typically occurs when organisms (either living or dead)
are deposited from water into sediment. In some instances, the
sediment solidifies making a cast of the entombed organism; in others,
the organic material of the organism itself is replaced by mineral to
form a stony replica. Conditions must be perfect for fossilization to
occur, which perhaps explains why there is so little evidence of
fossils being formed today. Both the burial of the organism and the
hardening of the sediment must occur very quickly or the inevitable
decay process will destroy the organism before it can become
fossilized.
Evolutionists believe that fossilized organisms were gradually
deposited in layers of sediment over hundreds of millions of years,
giving us a visual record of at least some of the stages of evolution
from the first simple organisms to the most complex. Most
creationists, on the other hand, believe that nearly all fossils were
formed over a relatively short period of time during and after a
world-wide Flood. Thus creationists believe the fossil record reveals
organisms that were mostly contemporary -- not an evolutionary
sequence extending over millions of years. As these beliefs are
sufficiently different, it should be quite easy to determine which is
more consistent with the fossil record as it actually exists today.
To be consistent with evolution, the fossil record should show how
organisms slowly transformed one into another through countless
intermediate or transitional stages. Evolutionists, for example, claim
that over one hundred million years were required for the gradual
transformation of invertebrates into vertebrates; thus we would expect
that the fossil record should show at least some of the progressive
stages of this large-scale transformation. To be consistent with
creation, on the other hand, the fossil record should show no obvious
transitional stages between distinctly different kinds of organisms,
but rather each kind of organism should appear all at once and fully
formed.
It is now a generally recognized fact that the fossil record shows few
if any unambiguous intermediate stages in the evolution of an organism
into a distinctly different kind of organism. David B. Kitts, an
evolutionist and paleontologist, says: "Despite the bright promise
that paleontology provides a means of 'seeing' evolution, it has
presented some nasty difficulties for evolutionists, the most
notorious of which is the presence of 'gaps' in the fossil record.
Evolution requires intermediate forms between species and paleontology
does not provide them." {Evolution 28:467}
Evolutionists have been aware of these missing intermediate or
transitional forms since the time of Darwin, and have tried to dismiss
the whole problem by appealing to the "incompleteness" of the fossil
record. Evolutionists cling to the hope that the "missing links" which
they believe formed a continuous chain of evolution may yet be found.
But this seems unlikely, since more paleontologists believe that the
majority of all existing fossilized species of plants and animals have
already been found and identified. Even most currently living kinds of
plants and animals have been found in essentially their present form
in the fossil record! David Raup, a paleontologist at the Field Museum
of Natural History, reported that the growth in our knowledge of the
fossil record since Darwin's time provides even less support for
evolutionary transformations. Raup writes: "We are now about 120 years
after Darwin and the knowledge of the fossil record has been greatly
expanded. We now have a quarter of a million fossil species but the
situation hasn't changed much -- ironically, we have even fewer
examples of evolutionary transition than we had in Darwin's time. By
this I mean that some of the classic cases of Darwinian change in the
fossil record such as the evolution of the horse in North America,
have had to be discarded or modified as a result of more detailed
information." {Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin 50:22-29}
Some evolutionists have argued that the absence of transitional forms
is simply an "artifact" of classification. Others insist that the gaps
occur only among the higher taxonomic groups, while still others
insist that the gaps occur only among the lower taxonomic groups. The
evolutionist George Gaylord Simpson conceded, however, that the gaps
are a universal phenomenon: "Every paleontologist knows that most new
species, genera, and families, and that nearly all categories above
the level of families appear in the record suddenly and are not led up
to by known, gradual, completely continuous transitional sequences."
{Major Features of Evolution, 1953, p. 360} Speaking of the highest
level of animal classification, evolutionist Philip Handler claimed
that: "Some 25 major phyla are recognized for all the animals, and in
virtually not a single case is there fossil evidence to demonstrate
what the common ancestry of any two phyla looked like." {Biology and
the Future of Man, 1970, p. 506} As for the lowest level of taxonomic
classification, the popular evolutionist Stephen J. Gould said: "In
any local area, a species does not arise gradually by the steady
transformation of its ancestors; it appears all at once and fully
formed." {Natural History 86:12-16} This, of course, is exactly what
creationists would expect to find.
While most evolutionists still insist that there are at least a few
examples of transitional forms in the fossil record, a growing number
question whether the fossil record provides any real evidence of the
transformation of one organism into another. Evolutionist Steven M.
Stanley concluded that: "The known fossil record fails to document a
single example of phyletic evolution accomplishing a major morphologic
transition." {Macroevolution: Pattern and Process, 1979 p. 39} Stephen
J. Gould tells us that "the extreme rarity of transitional forms in
the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology."
{Natural History 86:12-16} It would go a long way toward correcting
the evolutionary bias in our public schools if even this one "trade
secret" were revealed to students.
Despite the "missing links" in the fossil record, few evolutionists
have abandoned their faith in the so-called "fact" of evolution. In an
article defiantly titled "Who Doubts Evolution," Oxford zoologist Mark
Ridley declared: "If the creationists want to impress the Darwinian
establishment, it will be no use prating on about what the fossils
say. No good Darwinians belief in evolution stands on the fossil
evidence for gradual evolution, so nor will his belief fall by it."
{New Scientist 90:830-832} We may conclude that the beliefs of "good
Darwinians" are not supported by the fossil record while the beliefs
of "good creationists" are.
--Dr. David N. Menton
Meet: Gene Schreyer
Gene Schreyer is a teacher at Immanuel Lutheran High School in
Mankato, Minn. He began his teaching career there in 1963.
Mr. Schreyer attended Bethany Lutheran High School in Mankato and
received an AA degree from Bethany Lutheran Junior College. He went on
to earn both his elementary education degree and his theological
degree from Immanuel Lutheran College and Seminary in Mankato. He also
received a B.S. degree in ecucation from Mankato State University. He
chose to pursue the teaching ministry because he enjoyed the education
field and working with young people.
In 1976 he had the privilege of participating in the CLC Lutheran
Heritage Tour of Europe and the Middle East, visiting seven countries
in 21 days. He was able to use this trip to enhance his teaching of
German and various history classes. His favorite classroom saying is,
"Those who will not learn from history may be doomed to repeat it."
Outside the classroom Gene enjoys spending time with his wife Grace
(nee Meyer) and their three children Juliana, Brent, and Christiana.
Favorite Family activities include traveling, camping, and hiking.
One of the most rewarding aspects of his teaching is seeing students
grow in their faith and having the opportunity to teach the children
of former students.
We thank Gene for his 34 years of faithful service in God's Kingdom
work. may the Lord continue to bless his teaching ministry.
Paul Fleischer, Pastor/Editor 1 Cor. 1:30-31 "Let him that glories,
glory in the Lord"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION PASTOR IN CHARGE LAY
PERSON TO CONTACT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona, Gold Canyon Michael Eichstadt Gerald Gehling
602-983-9052 602-866-2341
California, Stockton Michael Sprengeler
510-886-3252
Colorado, Colorado Springs Delwyn Maas Chuck Seelye
303-278-7216 or 719-685-5848
800-777-4316
(statewide, Peter Reim)
Colorado, Southeast Denver Delwyn Maas Edwin Trapp
303-278-7216 or 303-805-0300
800-777-4316
(statewide, Peter Reim)
Florida, North Port Wayne Eichstadt Bob Peters
941-423-1822 941-474-4385
Florida, Orlando John Schierenbeck Paul Kuehne
941-299-4084 407-277-2183
Florida, Coral Springs Wayne Eichstadt Bob Doriot
(North Ft. Lauderdale) 941-423-1822 305-429-0063
Georgia, Atlanta area Warren Fanning
803-796-0005 (home)
803-791-0770 (office)
Michigan, Cadillac, Reed Walter Schaller Bob Remus
City, Traverse Miss. At Large 616-832-2687
Michigan, Grand Rapids Walter Schaller Harald Schillinger
Miss. At Large 616-453-6609
Minnesota, Kimball Daniel Fleischer Reuben Streich
(St. Cloud area) 612-784-8784 320-453-7562
New Mexico, Albuquerque Norbert Reim Robin Vogsland
602-974-8911 505-892-6934
North Dakota, Fargo Theodore Barthels Gary Pansch
218-847-2080 701-277-1727
Texas, Amarillo James Naumann Local Contact
719-336-5773 806-358-3717
Texas, Killeen Thomas Schuetze Richard Ehret
972-733-4535 817-526-7697
Virginia, Fairfax Timothy Holland David Loop
(Washington DC area) 704-692-7731 703-250-2020
Washington, Withrow Terrel Kesterson
509-327-4203
Wisconsin, Fairchild Gordon Radtke
715-834-6280
Canada, Calgary, Alberta Horst Gutsche
403-569-9239
Canada, Vernon, David Reim
British Columbia 250-549-5250
Change Of Address
David Reim 1503 Pottery Rd. Vernon, BC. V1T 3W6 Canada
50th Anniversary
Our Savior's Christian Day School in Jamestown, North Dakota is
celebrating its 50th anniversary on August 31, 1997. We are inviting
alumni and former pastors and teachers to join us for this special
observance. We would appreciate an RSVP by August 15th to: Lee Murch,
1001 5th Ave. SW, Jamestown, ND 58401; Phone (701) 251-2455.
Installations
In accord with our usage and order, ILC Seminary graduate James J.
Naumann, who was called by Mt. Olive Lutheran congregation of Lamar,
Colo. to be its pastor, was ordained and installed by his father, the
undersigned, on June 29, 1997. Assisting where Pastors Vance Fossum,
Norman Greve, Peter Reim, and Delwyn Maas, who preached the sermon.
--Pastor Bertram J. Naumann
In accord with our usage and order, Timothy B. Wheaton was installed
(ordained) as the called pastor of St. Luke's congregation, Lemmon,
S. Dak. The Rigt of Installation was conducted by the undersigned
on July 6, 1997. Pastors Michael Roehl, Michael Schierenbeck, and
Michael Wilke were present to lay their hand of fraternal blessing
upon Pastor Wheaton. --Pastor Gordon Radtke
In accord with our usage and order, Jay Hartmann, who was called by
Grace Lutheran congregation of Live Oak, Fla. to be its pastor was
installed on June 29, 1997. --Karl Stewart
Upcoming Installation Of Missionary At Large
The following information has been submitted by Harald Schillinger,
Chairman of Rock of Ages Ev. Lutheran congregation.
Pastor Walter V. Schaller, who recently accepted the call as
Missionary At Large for Western Michigan, is to be installed at Rock
of Ages Ev. Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, Mich. on August 17th at
4:00 p.m. The location is Cooks Fellowship Hall at 1905 Baldwin St.,
Jenison, Mich. There will be a meal served after the installation and
everyone is invited.
Beginning on August 24th Pastor Schaller will also be serving Our
Savior's Ev. Lutheran Church in Cadillac, Mich. Worship services are
scheduled for Jenison at 9:00 a.m. and Bible Class for 10:10 a.m.,
after which Pastor Schaller will be traveling to hold worship services
at 1:30 p.m. in Cadillac for all of our Northern and Western Lower
Michigan members. Pastor Schaller, his wife and son, will be residing
in the greater Grand Rapids area during his commission here.
To Our Readers: The third sentence in the article "The Transition Of
Power" (p. 3, July 1997 issue) was unintentionally shortened when the
printer inserted the "compass directions" artwork in the article. The
sentence should read: ". . . The mainland continues to cast its eyes
at the so-called "break away province" of Taiwan. -- Editor