2018 Summer - Higher Things Magazine (with Bible Studies)

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• My Hiding Place: Christ Is For Me • Theology: Gotta Love It! • Sing a Hymn at Satan • What If We Started Talking?

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How Baptized Are You?

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H I G H E R

Contents T A B L E O F

Volume 18/Number 2 • Summer 2018

HigherThings

®

Volume 18/Number 2/Summer 2018 Bible Studies for these articles can be found at: higherthings.org/ magazine/biblestudies.html Executive Editor

Katie Hill Art Director

Steve Blakey Editorial Associates

Rev. Greg Alms Rev. Paul Beisel Rev. Gaven Mize Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard Copy Editors

Kay Maiwald Dana Niemi Bible Study Authors

Rev. Jacob Ehrhard Rev. Sam Schuldheisz Joshua Ulm Subscriptions Manager

Elizabeth Carlson ___________ Board of Directors President

Rev. George F. Borghardt Vice-President

Rev. Duane Bamsch Treasurer

Mr. Eric Maiwald Secretary

Rev. Joel Fritsche

Special Features 4 My Hiding Place: Christ Is for Me

By Rev. George F. Borghardt It’s been one of those days and you feel lower than whale spit.

You might even wonder if God is on your side. Rev. Borghardt passionately declares that, for the sake of Jesus, the Father always has your back, your front, your sides, your everything!

6 How Baptized Are You?

By Rev. Harrison Goodman What an odd question! Either you’re baptized or you’re not, right? As Rev. Goodman points out, we live in an era where the world tries to measure everything on an emotional scale, even our spiritual status. Thanks be to God we have our Baptisms to help us remember Whose we are!

8 Theology: Gotta Love It!

By Rev. René Castillero Theology is not reserved for your pastor, a seminary student or that real smart kid in your youth group who’s just nerdy that way. Rev. Castillero explains theology is for YOU—a baptized child of God—because Christ is at the center of it all!

10 Sing a Hymn at Satan

By Rev. Joshua Ulm I’d like to dedicate this song to…Satan! Well, not exactly, but believe it or not, there are a few hymns in our liturgical arsenal that specifically address the devil himself. Rev. Ulm reminds us that if God is for us, who can be against us, which is why singing a hymn at Satan can be a beneficial thing.

12 Anxiety and the Sacraments

By Emilyann Pool Whether you are plagued by anxiety or only occasionally grapple with it, Emilyann shares some of her own struggles with anxiety and how she has realized that there’s no doubt the Sacraments serve to remind us of what is true and where real peace can be found.

14 I’m Yours, Lord!

By Katie Hill The sign of the cross is one of the most ancient, yet simple traditions in the Christian Church. Katie makes the case that it just might be something you want to practice as a visible reminder of Christ’s love for you.

20 What If We Started Talking?

By Emma Leistico Social media has created a lot of opportunities to talk… some positive and some not so much. Emma demonstrates that some of the best exchanges come when we talk with people right around us, face-to-face, making the most of opportunities to share the Good News.

Regular Features 28 Catechism: Liturgical Catechesis: Preparation

By Rev. William M. Cwirla Rev. Cwirla continues to demonstrate that there is not a single wasted moment in the historic liturgy. Everything has a purpose, and that includes the Introit, which helps to set the scene for rich, meaningful worship.

30 Bible Study: Sing a Hymn at Satan

Be sure to check out this sample of one of our student Bible studies which links up with Rev. Joshua Ulm’s article on P. 10.

Deaconess Ellie Corrow Rev. D. Carl Fickenscher Mr. Bob Myers Rev. Chris Rosebrough Mr. Kurt Winrich ___________

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S U M M E R 2 0 1 8 _ 3

My Hiding Place: Christ Is for Me

By Rev. George F. Borghardt

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© Can Stock Photo / curaphotography

“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.”

(Psalm 119:114)

W

hat happens when you look around your life and you feel like the chewing gum that’s on the bottom of God’s shoe and He’s tracking you around? It’s like I’m the insect and God has put the windshield in front of me!

Splat! I’m done! You know this feeling, don’t you?

Too many people tug on me and there’s not enough of me to go around!

A little here, a little there—they each take a part of me that gets left behind.

A little bit of me only goes so far and then I look down and I feel like there is nothing left. I’m not enough. I’m stretched too thinly—about to break.

My feelings show on my face. How could they not? People see me and they say, “You don’t look like yourself. Is it me?

Am I bothering you? Should I leave you alone? Why aren’t you any fun anymore?

Where is that twinkle in your eyes? Do you have too much on your plate?”

It’s not their fault anyway. They love me. I try not to let their concern add to my stress. So I press it down. I stretch myself out further. I can’t let anyone down; they’re depending on me.

Now, not only do I have to get myself together for me, I need to do it for those around me.

But who am I fooling? I can’t do it all and I know better than to try.

I probably couldn’t tell you what’s wrong anyway. I can’t figure it out myself! It’s just everything at once.

It has sapped all my strength and stripped me of my cape. And without my Superman symbol on my chest, I’m just done. I’m going to crash and burn and everyone is going to see me go out in a blaze of glory or collapse in a miserable heap. I just know it!

And then on cue, all my lifelong enemies surround me. I see them smiling because they finally have me where they want me. They’ve always whispered behind my back, “He can’t do it—he’s too young and stupid. He’s too old. He’s just not enough.” Now, they are going to watch my colossal-epic fail.

Just watch! Even my best friends will abandon me when it all hits the fan! No one will understand. All they will see is what kind of failure I am.

I’m alone. I’m by myself. They all raise their weapons armed with the

very bullets that I have given them by my sins and failures. My arrogance, my pride, my self-righteousness, my stupidity, my vanity, my secrets, are all loaded up and about to be fired at me.

Stripped of all my defenses, all that is left for me to close my eyes and spread my arms and let it hit me.

They fire but I feel nothing.

Another wave of artillery is launched at me. Nothing again! Did they miss?

Maybe I got it hit and this is what death is like. Shouldn’t the whole thing have hurt more?

I open one eye to see what’s up and there is only Jesus. It all hit Him first! Again, again, and again. It all hits Him—not me. They could pick up the kitchen sink (I have no doubt that some day they will!) and fling it at me and it will hit Him first. He’s a giant shield that blocks everything!

Jesus. When there is nothing else, no other protection, no cape, no armor, no friends, no other sanctuary, there is only Him. Only Jesus saves me. Christ before me. Christ before you, too. He was despised. They surrounded Him. His friends abandoned Him. They betrayed Him. He was mocked as He was beaten.

They finished Him off. Then He who knew no sin was done in by the sin of the world, having becoming sin in our place. Him for me and Him in my place!

When stripped of my “S,” I have only Christ. When the twinkle in my eyes is gone and I am tracked around like gum on the bottom of a shoe, there is only Jesus. When there is no illumination in my world and I suffer in my own personal darkness, He alone is My Light.

For in my weakness, in my sickness, in my failure, in my sin, and especially in my death, Christ’s strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians12:9).

Jesus is right there: in front of me.

Right there: protecting me. Right there: shielding me—even from me, for all my failures have been placed on Christ. All

my weaknesses, all my sicknesses, even my death, He has taken upon Himself and has redeemed me. He has bought it all back and has declared it holy.

Pure. Baptismal. Forgiven. That’s me!

Bodied and Blooded. That’s me, too.

Absolved by the Word. Amen. That was me before my enemies and I imploded, I just didn’t believe it. That’s me now, too, even when everything looks dark.

Christ is for me even when I’m not for me. Christ is for me when I’m not for Him. Christ is for me when everyone is for me. Christ is for me when no one else is for me. And if they do me in because I stepped around Him, He’ll save me then, too. He always does. Always—not because of me, but because He truly is so unbelievably faithful.

This brings a smile to my face and the start of a twinkle in my eyes. It’s coming back. And I have just enough of a smirk on my face now to peek through Jesus’ nailed-scarred hands and wave at Satan and my enemies safely from behind Jesus, my hiding place.

“Fire away. You may do me in, you may ultimately get what you want with those bullets that I gave you, but He’ll protect me. He’ll save me. He’ll take even your doing me in, or my doing me in, and use it to save me.”

You can’t kill me—even if you actually do. I’ve already died with Christ in my Baptism. God will take whatever you do to me and make it good. And that makes all of this—every Word of Gospel—more real to me than it ever has been!

Christ will save me. He always does.

He already has. He’s that much for me.

He is my hiding place. He is my shield.

He is your hiding place and shield, too!

Rev. George F. Borghardt is the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bossier City, Louisiana. He also serves as the president of Higher Things.

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How Baptized Are You?

By Rev. Harrison Goodman

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news report told me people love online quizzes enough to trade their grandma’s Social Security number to find out which flavor of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour (Jelly) Beans they are (I got earwax). Naturally, the Church should capitalize on this fascination with quizzes.

On a scale of 1–10, how spiritually fulfilled are you? Do you feel that God is active and present in your life? Do you feel like a good Christian? How do you even measure that?

Lutherans tend to get uncomfortable with emotion. This is why: it’s called enthusiasm. It doesn’t just mean being

really excited for Jesus. It’s trying to look for God inside your heart instead of where He reveals Himself in His Word and Sacraments. The problem is, it takes about five seconds to change a great day to a terrible one as far as our hearts are concerned. Don’t believe me? Stub your toe. Or worse, look at the Lord’s good Law.

God’s Law holds a mirror to your heart. On a scale of 1–10, do you love in word and talk, or in deed and truth?

Do you keep His Commandments and do what pleases Him? Do you abide in God, and He in you? Some of the things that make us happiest are called sinful.

If we’re being honest, we don’t measure up. John says, “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:16) If the Law is the only word Scripture reveals, none of us can be saved. We’re at a 0 out of 10.

Here’s the weird thing. Even in the face of a crushing Law, we still love these quizzes. They let us take a good look at our favorite subject: ourselves.

It’s why we care so much which song in a TV commercial involving a ukulele is our low-key anthem (apparently arthritis medication). It’s the thing the overconfident egomaniac and the depressed teenager wrestling with self-esteem have in common. Ironically, they’re both completely self-absorbed.

When you let your heart be your guide, you can only look inward, and this colors how you see the rest of the world. Never mind what anyone else would say. If I hate myself, everyone else must, too, right? If I’m the best at everything, people should recognize that and give me stuff.

My heart is primarily concerned with itself. Enthusiasm looks to the heart before it looks to God’s Word. Our hearts have lead us astray more than once.

They’re corrupted by sin. The compass doesn’t point true north. Sometimes we’re so worried about being happy that we ignore what God calls dangerous and wrong. Sometimes we’re so selfish that we decide the Law only exists to make sure we feel guilt, so we lose sight of our neighbor in need, and how the Law would guide us to help them.

Sometimes our hearts even condemn us where God calls us forgiven.

“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us” (1 John 3:19–24).

If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart. It’s so easy to let guilt and shame hide this fact.

We feel so terrible that we plead, “Let me feel my feelings, God. I know you want to call this forgiven. I know you literally bled and died in my place, but I haven’t finished hating myself for it yet. Please, God, let me show you how my standards are way higher than yours.” His cross speaks something eternal to emotions that change from minute to minute and day to day. Your sins are forgiven, whether you feel it or not. Christ died for you. He was the one who bore the pain of the cross for you. The Gospel speaks to sinners who cannot save themselves. Not by their works. Not by their hearts. All of this happens from the outside in.

You are made to be in Christ, who has fulfilled the Law for you. He is your righteousness. It doesn’t matter what the quiz says about which NFL team mascot best represents my personality (the Browns). It matters what God would say about me.

And if your heart does not condemn you…good. We have confidence before God. We didn’t earn it. God has given it to us. When Jesus says “Peace be with you,” He means it. He gives it. He is it.

Thank God Almighty we actually feel it once in a while.

Your emotions aren’t bad.

Lutheranism isn’t an attempt to feel nothing, but rather to find the answers from God because we actually believe God is greater than our hearts—to sing until our voices get hoarse, to dance and to find contentment in serving the people God has given you. These things flow from the heart. They’re good things. Genuine peace flows from Christ.

God made Adam and Eve with feelings.

Having feelings is good, but they just aren’t what we measure. We cannot use our emotions as a barometer for our standing with God. So let me ask it this way: On a scale of 1–10, how baptized are you? We don’t measure ourselves. We measure God. He declares us righteous. By this we know that God abides in us by the Spirit whom He has given us. In water and Word, God has given you the Holy Spirit that washes away sin, makes you holy, and gives you something that you can measure however you feel. It silences our anxiety, guilt, and shame as it buries our sin with Jesus, and it gives joy that would dare to sing with angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven as they join their voices to ours in a Divine Service. If the joy isn’t there, fine. God is still greater than that feeling. Let me feel my feelings, God, but keep me from measuring Your peace on a scale of 1–10. Everything is measured here: you are baptized.

You can know it. You can measure it.

Make the sign of the cross. Touch water.

Remember your Baptism.

Rev. Harrison Goodman serves as pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Carroll, Nebraska.

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Theology: Gotta Love It!

By Rev. René Castillero

H I GH HI G E RH E TR

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A few years ago, a high schooler asked me

“Why did you study theology?” I remember being quick to answer his question. Whether I admitted it or not, boyishRené could have sounded something like this: “I study theology to satisfy the intellectual craving of my mind.”

After some personal reflection, I am baffled over what my younger self believed about theology. If this were true of all of us, then I cannot think of a stodgier area to study. If theology was meant to be understood in this way, then theology would be just another science like biology, chemistry, physics, or even worse, just another philosophy!

Theology would become no more than staticky noise for the “theological-scientist” sitting in his ivory tower to muse over all sorts of nonsense.

The study of theology is, above all else, a gift that is meant to be delivered to and enjoyed by all the saints, congregations, the Church itself—and to you. Theology—”words concerning God”—is not made up of various notions and opinions of mortals but is the divine truth—God’s own teachings to us and fulfilled in the witness and work of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Theology is not mankind’s at all because it’s God’s own doctrine which must be given to all Christians as a gift (Titus 2:10).

Some gifts can be opened time and time again, never failing to surprise you. Your Bible is that kind of gift. Take a look at Psalm 119 and see how David sets our minds straight. The Psalmist repeats these words: “Teach me… give me understanding… show me…” and so on. That is the prayer of the Christian: “teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.” Study always begins with prayers like these.

The Holy Spirit is necessary, and if you ignore Him, how could you even try to understand the Scriptures rightly? Not only does our gracious God give us His word and Christ desiring to abide with us in His Word, but also the Holy Spirit is poured out generously so that we may be guarded against the wiles of the devil. To be taught by our God begins with looking to Him for our hearts and minds to be opened to understand the

Scriptures. That is studying theology!

These Scriptures, your Bible, are inexhaustible and when they are rightly believed, they make you a good theologian, or rather, a strong and happy Christian—one who cannot help but talk about Jesus. Theology speaks to you, personally, who were once dead in sin, but now you are called to a new life in Christ (Romans 6). What your pastors teach you, and you continue to study, is all about Jesus and His Gospel that saves sinners. All true theology is, and will always be, centered on Christ and giving all that He has given us to teach and preach — the entire counsel of God. Because it’s all about Christ, theology must be delivered to you, His children.

And if Christ is delivering theology in His Word, then it can only be a gift for you to receive.

The ultimate task of theology, then, is to point the fallen man to Jesus, to take you to the baptismal font, to point you to the Lord’s Supper, and always to lead you to the cross where Jesus hung for the atonement of your sin.

Theology is all about Christ, His Law and Gospel. It is for killing the old and making alive the new. It is for you. As

sheep hunger for the green pastures, you—the Christian—cannot help to desire to live within the fold of your beloved Shepherd, to hear his voice speak to you daily, to hunger for the food and drink of eternal life. Whether it looks like a pastor teaching his beloved congregation, parents with their children, an old man in his bed, or the catechumen clutching his first Bible and catechism—to really study theology is to dwell in Christ. So then, we pray with David, “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens!

My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! Your word is a lamp to my fee and light to my path” (Psalm 119:89, 25, 105).

Theology cannot and should not be understood as something abstract or impersonal. Studying theology as a Christian means something very different than it does for the occupant of an ivory tower. After all, theology touches every aspect of our earthly lives: who you are in Christ; who created and maintains the universe; how evil is kept at bay; what it means to be gentleman or lady; and even more importantly, how you are saved from your sins

by Christ’s death on the cross.

Our faith needs to hear the Word of Jesus. You have ears that need to hear that Word: Law to kill the old and train the new; Gospel to raise you up out of darkness and to bask in Christ’s redeeming light; and wisdom to keep your ways pure.

Learning about theology begins just like your baptismal life did— with the Word of God. So, take up that Catechism, read a page; take up the Psalter, read a Psalm; keep that Bible open; pray without ceasing; and then joyfully return to your labors!

Rev. René Castillero is the assistant pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and a teacher at Martin Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy in Sheridan, Wyoming.

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Sing a Hymn at Satan

By Rev. Joshua Ulm

Our Lutheran hymnals are full of beautiful

chorales and rich, faithful hymns. Flipping through your hymnal will give you a glance at over a thousand years of the Church’s song, with hymns going back to the early days of the Church. You will find incredible anthems addressed to God the Father such as “O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth.” You will find hymns in praise of the work of God the Son such as “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing.” You will find hymns invoking the Holy Spirit such as “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest.” We expect to find hymns to the Holy Trinity in a Lutheran hymnal, but if you look closely, you will find several hymn stanzas addressed to…the devil himself.

Don’t believe me? Keep reading.

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Before we look at the times in our hymnal where we sing to or at the devil, let’s first take a crash course in what the Bible tells us about him. The devil, or Satan, is a popular Halloween costume.

Even unbelievers are familiar with the red-skinned, pointy-eared devil who has a cheesy goatee and carries a pitchfork. Unsurprisingly, the world’s narrative about the devil fails to capture

what we read in Scripture. Scripture presents the devil as the accuser of humanity and specifically the accuser of Christians. In the book of Job, Satan stands before God and calls Job’s faithfulness into question. In Revelation, he is presented as the one who “accuses [our brothers] day and night before our God.” We also see Satan presented as the tempter. He tempted Jesus in

the wilderness, confronting Him with the accusation “If you are the Son of God…” The devil operates in lies and deceptions. He twists the Word of God. Scripture also gives us an explanation of the intended result of the devil’s schemes. He seeks to kill and destroy, specifically to destroy the faithful. St. Peter tells us, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” In this picture Satan is a hungry lion and you are the food. He would like nothing more than to devour you, a child of God, tearing you limb from limb. He isn’t concerned about your body the way a lion might be. He wants to devour your soul and tear you from Christ. In his epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul gives an equally deadly picture of our enemy the devil. As he bids his readers to “Put on the full armor of God,” he reminds them that they need this armor because of the “devil’s schemes” and “the flaming darts of the evil one.” His flaming arrows are lethal. His schemes end in destruction. His goal is to kill your faith.

This is scary stuff. Satan is depicted as a serpent and a dragon. He is dangerous. He is powerful. But this is only part of the witness of Scripture about the devil. Scripture also tells us about Satan’s defeat. From the moment the promise of a Savior left the mouth of God in Genesis 3:15, Satan’s fate was sealed. His head would be crushed. He would not be allowed to rule over God’s creation forever. Jesus, the fulfilment of that ancient promise, became flesh and dwelt among us. And as He lived on earth He demolished the kingdom of the devil everywhere He went. When He was tempted by Satan, He slew the father of lies with the Word of God. When He encountered demons, He banished them from His presence. When the kingdom of God is around, brought to reality in the person and work of Jesus, the kingdom of the devil stands no chance. Even when He died on the cross, Jesus turned the devil’s scheme against him, as the tree of the Cross became a life-giving tree for you and for me. Rising from dead, Jesus proclaimed everlasting victory over our enemy the

devil. Revelation 12 shows a picture of a pathetic, weak, impotent devil. He has been thrown out of heaven, and now all he can do is harass the faithful out of spite. His punishment is awaiting him.

His time is short.

As the devil spews his lies, trying to tempt you, accuse you, and cause you to doubt, you have the good news that Jesus has defeated him. The devil is not to be toyed with, but he also is not to be feared ultimately. His lies have been put to shame by the truth of God’s Word, preached to you. His accusation has been silenced by the Absolution, the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus. His flaming arrows have been extinguished by the baptismal water that ties you to Christ. You are to be sober-minded. You are to resist the devil at every turn. You are to be on guard against his evil schemes. But above all you are to trust in Christ, who has conquered your enemy the devil by His life, death, and resurrection.

Our Lutheran hymnals do a masterful job of presenting both sides of the Scriptural narrative about Satan. Hymns like “I Walk in Danger All the Way” and “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” remind us that he a powerful enemy who is not to be toyed with. Other hymns remind us of the victory that Christ has won over Satan. Perhaps the most powerful of these are the hymns which contain verses addressed to Satan. On Sunday mornings, all over the world, Christians sing hymns to the devil, reminding him that Christ has defeated him, sinners though we may be.

While we are weak and powerless alone, our song flows from the triumph given

by Christ. In Him we have victory over sin, death, and the devil.

As we close, let’s look at two hymns that address the devil, right to his face! This hymn is often a favorite of children as they learn about and remember their Baptisms.

Satan, hear this proclamation: I am baptized into Christ!

Drop your ugly accusation; I am not so soon enticed.

Now that to the font I’ve traveled, all your might has come unraveled,

And, against your tyranny, God, my Lord, unites with me!

God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It, LSB 594:3 Picture it! A five-year-old child singing a hymn at the devil. Against him! On her own, a child stands no chance against the evil one but joined to Christ in Baptism she can sing defiantly that the devil has no power over her. God has united with her in Baptism! Satan has no answer for the crucified and risen Jesus.

Satan, I defy thee; Death, I now decry thee; Fear, I bid thee cease.

World, thou shalt not harm me Nor thy threats alarm me While I sing of peace.

God’s great power Guards every hour; Earth and all its depths adore Him, Silent bow before Him. Jesus Priceless Treasure, LSB 743:3 Again, we see confidence in this hymn. The victory of Christ over the devil inspires you to sing boldly, reminding even the powerful serpent that he and his demons cannot harm you. You have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

You are a part of God’s chosen people.

You are safe in the ark of His Church.

God’s great power, exemplified in the death and resurrection of Jesus, guards you every hour.

So sing a hymn at Satan today!

Remind him that he has been crushed

by Jesus. Remind him that he has been defeated. Remind him that you are a baptized child of God and are clothed in Christ’s righteousness which covers all your sins. Sing boldly, knowing that Christ the valiant One has stood in your place, fought the battle on your behalf, and holds the field forever.

Rev. Joshua Ulm is pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church in North Olmsted, Ohio. He and his wife Mary have three children: Hannah, Joseph, and Bethany. They enjoy Cleveland Sports, board games, and all things Star Wars.

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Anxiety and

By Emilyann Pool

The S

“Can’t you just...stop being anxious?”“Just smile

and you’ll feel better!”“Have you tried this homeopathic remedy?”“It’s not like you’re a starving kid in Africa. Count your blessings.”“You probably don’t pray enough.”“Just read the Bible more.”“Do you think the reason you have anxiety is because you don’t trust God enough?” “Is it a gluten allergy?”

H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 12

I have heard all these remarks and more since I started experiencing panic attacks brought on anxiety. Advice from friends, family, teachers, pastors, and counselors (most well-meaning) all ended with Law: just do this and your life will be better. But as Lutherans, we know that life—and anxiety—doesn’t work like that.

The Scriptures tell us that we sin in what we do and don’t do. However, we must not forget that sin is primarily a condition. All illness is a part of this world—not necessarily as God’s judgment on our personal sins, but

because the whole world fell under the curse of the Fall (John 9:1-5). One of the ways we experience our sinful condition, or the world’s fallenness, is through feelings of anxiety and depression that affect both body and mind. God has made man so that the body and the mind are intertwined.

And yet, we’ve adopted the Platonic (and pagan) idea that our mind and bodies have little to do with each other.

We are not disembodied beings. On the contrary, the Scriptures tell us of the relationship between our mind and our matter (Genesis 1:27; 2:7; I Corinthians

6:19-20; 15:40-49; I Thessalonians 5:23).

Just as everyone experiences some sort of physical sickness in this his life, every human has experienced some form of mental and emotional ailment like anxiety or depression—whether for a lifetime or just a season. For many of us, anxiety or depression is triggered by an event or an experience: the loss of a loved one, financial worries, a breakup, divorce, a sin we commit, or a sin committed against us. But some of us experience anxiety due to hormonal imbalances and defective nervous systems, and so it is a battle we fight our whole lives.

The physical symptoms of anxiety and depression should be diagnosed and treated by doctors and therapists. Just like you wouldn’t go months without seeing a doctor for a persistent fever, you should not ignore your anxiety or decide to self-medicate through unhealthy and destructive habits. Reach out for the daily bread that God has given you in experts who can help. If you are uncertain about any advice you are given, take it to a parent or pastor.

However, not every symptom of anxiety can be remedied by medication or counseling. As Christians we are given particular insight into the spiritual side of anxiety. As Lutherans, specifically, we are well-equipped with an entire arsenal for handling the spiritual symptoms of anxiety. We call these weapons the Sacraments.

Baptism When anxiety blurs our identity, Holy Baptism roots us in our identity as

Sacraments children of God. In my experience, panic sets in when I feel like I am not going to live up to an expectation that I have for myself or that I perceive others have for me. While our roles and vocations may shift, we remind ourselves that our identity as God’s children will never change. By remembering our Baptism in moments of anxiety, we focus our eyes on Christ. Instead of worrying about our status with God or with the people around us, we can rest in the promises and assurances in Baptism—God has marked us as His own through water and the Word and that can never be washed away or taken from us. Through Baptism, we are clothed in Christ and made new creations. We are no longer identified by our merit or by our sin; we drown the Old Adam and our sin is wiped away (Galatians 3:27; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Just as Christ delivers us from the grip of our identity as sinners, He releases us from the snares of anxiety. If we belong to Christ, it is not only our actual sin that is buried unto His death, but also our sinful nature and all the lies that anxiety causes us to believe (Galatians 5:24).

The Lord’s Supper When anxiety produces paranoia, discord, and restlessness, the Lord’s Supper gives us the blessing of rest in Christ and a fellowship in Him that goes beyond the loneliness we feel.

While anxiety may cause us to think of ourselves as alone and misunderstood, the truth is usually the exact opposite. When we ask for help and fight against the throes of anxiety, we as the called ones care for

each other in weakness and affliction.

The Lord’s Supper delivers forgiveness of sins won by Christ to each believer, but it is also fellowship around the Table: uniting all saints, on earth and in heaven, with each other in Christ.

Anxiety divides us, causing tension and strife, but the Lord’s Table unites us in Christ’s Body and gives our minds rest from the plague of anxiety. In the Large Catechism, Luther says we should see the Lord’s Supper as “soothing medicine which aids and quickens us in both body and soul. For where the soul is healed, the body has benefitted also” (v.

68). Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper for the weak in faith (all His children) so that all who were tired and unsure could rest at His table (John 6:37; Matthew 11:28).

Confession and Absolution When anxiety produces guilt and lies, the Confession and Absolution of sin is the source of repentance and forgiveness for sin. Hearing the promise of forgiveness of our sins reconciles us even when we feel condemned by our sin, and healing for our hearts and minds comes from confessing our sins (James 5:16). While anxiety and depression generally are not active rebellion against God, no one is without sin and therefore without guilt (1 John 1:8-9), and nothing feeds anxiety more than secret sin and hidden faults.

When we repent and receive God’s forgiveness we are cleansed from anxiety and the sins that we commit in our worry and fear. Through His Absolution, Christ delivers you from the emotion of guilt and the lies that

anxiety allows to fester. The words, “You are forgiven,” are entirely for your benefit and impart a peace which surpasses all understanding.

The active ingredient in the Sacraments is the Word of God. Without the promises and truths of the Scriptures, water, bread, and wine would just be human elements with no power to save, forgive, and heal us from our anxiety. God is our bulwark never failing, and His Word pierces, heals, and equips us to fight temptation and wage war on sin. Through the Scriptures, we can know Christ who is the ultimate balm for all suffering, including anxiety.

Christ is well acquainted with earthly suffering—Luther says that Christ is hidden in suffering, especially suffering on the cross (Heidelberg Disputation 21). Any symptom of anxiety you feel, Christ knows through His own death, and He delivers Himself to you through Word and Sacrament in the midst of the anxiety. One day, He will deliver us from all sin and death, soul AND body, in the resurrection. Take hope and do not believe the lies but find solace in the powerful Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Great Physician, who did not come for the healthy, but for all of us, His children—the weak who He makes strong (Luke 5:31-32).

Emilyann Pool is a first year Deaconess student at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana and a Trivium teacher at Wittenberg Academy. Her home congregation is St. John Lutheran Church in Clinton, Iowa.

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I’m Yours, Lord!

By Katie Hill

For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27)

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ou’re sitting in Divine Service, attempting to glance discreetly at that man at the end of the pew who is making the sign of the cross. If that’s a tradition you practice, then your look is one of acknowledgment and maybe even kinship. If you don’t, then perhaps you are somewhat mystified—maybe even a bit put off. The sign of the cross is not completely foreign to us. Most likely your pastor makes the sign of the cross at key points in the liturgy: at the opening (Invocation) and the closing (Benediction) and possibly at various points in between.

You’ve seen a number of Baptisms and so you know that when you, too, were baptized, your pastor made the sign of the cross on your head and heart: “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Oh, and then there’s that medieval-looking cross symbol ✠ that pops up occasionally

in your hymnal, meaning “This is a good time to make the sign of the cross.” Maybe you ‘ve witnessed people in person (or as portrayed on TV) crossing themselves in moments intense fear or thankfulness, regardless of their religious perspective. So how about for you as a Lutheran? Is crossing yourself something you must do or should do?

Is it necessary? While the tradition of making the sign of the cross hails back to the earliest days of the Church, we understand it not to be a necessary practice. In fact, it falls under a category known as “adiaphora,” which is a Greek concept that became repopularized during the time of the Reformation. It basically means “things that don’t matter greatly,” but when used theologically it is more precisely understood as “things not essential to faith because they are neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word.” You may recall that the Reformers, including Luther, were challenging the Roman Catholic Church teaching that certain customs or traditions could have the power to hinder or help our salvation. Our Lutheran Confessions clearly point this out in many places such as “No tradition was set up by the Holy Fathers for the purpose of meriting the forgiveness of sins, or righteousness” (Apology XV, 13).

So as Lutherans, our Confessions assert that making the sign of the cross is not necessary for our salvation, but we must be very careful how we understand traditions that fall under adiaphora. Just because a tradition isn’t necessary for salvation doesn’t mean it isn’t useful for the Christian and the Church.

Is it beneficial? Making the sign of the cross absolutely is intended to be beneficial. Unfortunately, the thought of crossing yourself might come with a lot of baggage for you, depending on your background. It’s too “Catholic,” you might say. Not every ancient tradition we share with Rome is suspect simply because Rome observes it. I was raised Roman Catholic. I understand that concern. Crossing myself became something I just did because it was part of the whole package of being a faithful Catholic. I thought somehow it made me more holy and acceptable. It became almost a superstitious act at times.

That being said, if somebody else uses a tradition in an empty way, it does not invalidate your using such a tradition for your benefit and for the benefit of others. Our Confessions say that practices like making the sign of the cross are “instituted for the sake of good order in the Church and for the sake of peace” (Apology XV, 13-14).

Truth be told, there is a connection between making the sign of the cross and being holy and acceptable—justified before God. I am holy and acceptable but not through the act of crossing myself. Rather, in doing so, I remember the One who has made me holy and acceptable through His perfect life and death—the One who made me His own through Holy Baptism. I remember how He has accomplished this through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. It’s just another tangible way to recall that in Baptism, I have put on Christ. It is intended to do the same for you!

Making the sign of the cross is not limited to corporate worship. In the Small Catechism, Luther encourages using the sign of the cross upon waking in the morning for prayer, and before closing our day with evening prayers as well, saying “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” You might have noticed that we open and close all of our Higher Things Reflections with “In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.” You are free to make the sign of the cross whenever you feel the need or desire. If you don’t already cross yourself, rest assured that there’s no perfect way to do it. Most commonly, you touch your forehead with your right hand, then your heart, then one shoulder and the other shoulder—you’ve made a cross! As with many traditions, there are variations, so feel free to talk to your pastor or someone in your church who practices it already if you feel you need additional guidance.

Is it magical? No. Not even in the slightest. Making the sign of the cross doesn’t ward off evil spirits, give you good luck, or keep you from harm. On the other hand, when you do cross yourself—when your mind is brought back to Christ and Him crucified for you—you are reminded that the One Who tells demons where to go, Who blesses you at every turn, and Who protects you from the snares of the devil, the world, and yes, even ultimate death, is with you. He has marked you. You are sealed for the day of redemption. You are His! So relax! Your neighbor in the pew doesn’t have to look at you like you have two heads if you cross yourself and you don’t have to look at him in the same way if he does not.

In Christian liberty you are free to cross yourself, joyfully remembering Whose you are.

Katie Hill is the editor of Higher Things Magazine. She can be reached at katie.hill@ higherthings.org.

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“Let us recall that in our midst Dwells Christ, His only Son; As members of His body joined We are in Him made one.” (LSB 845, 6)

Concordia isn’t just a feeling that we are one. It’s not only something that we strive to have. We don’t sacrifice what we believe in order to be unified. True concord is always centered around the confession of Christ and Him crucified!

Concordia. It literally means “with one heart” in Latin. The Church is unified around the confession of Jesus as our Lord and Savior like a congregation singing together in many different parts but singing the same song together in perfect harmony.

“Unite my heart to fear your name that I might walk in your truth.” (Psalm 86:11)

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Concordia isn’t just a feeling that we are one. It’s not only something that we strive to have. We don’t sacrifice what we believe in order to be unified. True concord is always centered around the confession of Christ and Him crucified!

God speaks. We receive His Words into our ears. He gives our tongues the words to say to Him and to those around us. We repeat, together, His Words back to Him. We sing them, we confess them, all agreeing together,“with one heart and voice” our confession of Jesus!

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What If We Started Talking?

By Emma Leistico

W

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hen I moved from Illinois to Canada and started high school, I was hit by a wave of culture shock.

There wasn’t a local Lutheran high school for me to go to. Consequently, I ended up attending a Catholic school with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, a program for students who want to challenge themselves to the limit. That program attracts so many students of different ethnicities and religions to the school that for all intents and purposes it really is no longer a fully Catholic school. This has really been eye opening for me as someone who hailed from a rural area where almost everyone I knew was Lutheran. On the bright side, my situation has encouraged me to talk to others about what daring to be a Lutheran really means.

It surprised me to find so many people in my school who didn’t know what a Lutheran is.

Someone even asked, “Is that Christian?” I got really excited each time I was able to teach others about what we Lutherans believe. Romans 10:15 says, “And how can anyone preach if they are not sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!’”

Jesus, too, was always teaching. As we journey through everyday life, we don’t normally think about what is going on around us. After a while, we go through motions of our routines without too much thought. We are not looking for the people who may benefit from us or for the people who might have something they could teach us. When you start up conversation, there is a cycle being set up: giving and receiving. One of the things we know about Jesus was that He was always teaching, whether it was in front of the disciples, church officials, or even a crowd. And because the disciples were the primary receivers of everything that Jesus said and were there when He ascended into heaven, they became the teachers. The Great Commission says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). This passage talks not only to the disciples, but also to us.

Now you might be saying, “Emma, this is all super great but I just don’t know how to start talking to other people about being a Lutheran or just about spiritual matters in general,” and that’s okay! It’s something that becomes more natural over time. I find now that even if I am socially awkward at times, through practice I have become stronger at telling others about my faith and Lutheranism. Something about sharing my faith with others drives me to make new friends.

I am constantly looking for new opportunities to teach my fellow classmates something new that they can take home and share with their family.

This is why Higher Things is so special. The fact that an organization focused on educating

Lutheran youth is successful and continues to grow each year shows that we young people care what happens to our faith at the end of the day.

Attending a conference, reading a Reflection, or listening to a podcast can equip us to talk to other people about what we believe as Lutherans. I know that I personally come back from a conference with a strengthened faith and more confidence to talk with my friends. And any time you still feel unsure, talk to your pastor! He’s definitely someone you want to seek advice from regarding how to take advantage of opportunities to talk to friends who may be interested.

But the best way our pastor can help us is during worship: We receive the Gospel when when we remember our Baptism at the start of the service, and how we have been saved through it. We are also reminded of it when we confess our sins and receive Absolution. We receive the Gospel when our pastor reminds us of Christ’s death and resurrection, in the preaching of the Word every Sunday, and when we go up for communion. When we are receiving all this good news, it is only right that we tell other people about it, that they may hear the Gospel and believe, too.

In countries like the United States and Canada, where we have far more freedoms and privileges that people in many other countries don’t have, it’s tempting to squander those by spending a lot of time complaining about politics and social injustices. What if we used those freedoms instead to share the Good News? Just as I have had many different sorts of people around me in my new school, we all have many people around us who need to hear about Jesus’ saving work. What would happen if we told them? Would the whole world be thrown into chaos or could we start a revolution of bringing others back to God? I guess we’ll only know if we start talking.

Emma Leistico is a sophomore in high school and a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

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Liturgical Catechesis

Preparation

By Rev. William M. Cwirla

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A

fter the Invocation (“In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”) comes the “rite of preparation,” a time to get ready for worship. But even in the getting ready, there are already gifts to be received in Confession and Absolution. The Divine Service properly begins with the Kyrie (“Lord, Have Mercy”) but before we pray, we need a bit of a baptismal scrubbing—a return to the baptismal water, something like Mom telling us to wash our hands before supper.

We confess together our sinful condition and our sins, corporately and generally. And God forgives our sins in the Name and for the sake of Jesus Christ. This corporate style of confession doesn’t take the place of personal confession, where we deal with our own individual and specific sins, but it does acknowledge that sin is never private and isolated. We are all sinners together. Our sin affects and infects everyone around us, like a contagious disease. We are forgiven all together, as the gathered children of God, returning to the cleansing water of Baptism and the Word that says, “I forgive you all of your sins…”

Now we are ready to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise as we sing the “Introit.”

“Introit” means “he enters.” Who’s the “he” who’s entering? Well, not the Lord, since He’s already there before we arrive. The one who is entering is the bishop, the overseer and shepherd of our souls, the presider/president of the Liturgy, or in the case of your congregation, your pastor.

In the early centuries of the church, it was common for a bishop to have several congregations under his care, and so there was a bit of travel time as he went from place to place. Sometimes he was delayed, and while the people waited for the bishop to arrive, they would sing psalms to fill the time. How much better is that than the gossip, sports, and weather that we chat about before service!

When the bishop finally arrived, the people would sing a special psalm chosen for the day: the Introit. The Introit is essentially traveling music for the presider and his assistants to get into place. There is no dead time in the Liturgy. Every moment, even moving down the aisle, is covered by psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all delivering the Word of God. The Gradual, which is between the Old Testament reading and the epistle, works exactly the same way. It’s traveling music for the reader to step up to the lectern or reading desk. You might say that the Liturgy is wall-to-wall Scripture, from beginning to end, as it should be.

The Introit announces the theme for the Sunday and sets the tone for the proclamation of the Word. Here are a few examples from some Sundays in the church year: Advent 3 (Gaudete): Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.

Christmas Day: For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given…

Epiphany: Behold the Lord, the ruler has come…

Lent 1 (Invocavit): When he calls to me, I will answer him…

Easter: He is risen! Alleluia! Why do you seek the living among the dead? Alleluia!

Ascension: Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? Alleluia!

Pentecost: The Spirit of the Lord fills the world. Alleluia!

The Introit moves us straight into the Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord, have mercy”), the first prayer of the service. If the pastor and assistants are all in their places at the beginning of the service, there is no need for an Introit. Everyone has already entered. But it’s still not a bad idea to chant it anyway, since it does carry the theme of the day, and it is a psalm—a song of the Holy Spirit. No harm nor foul, one way or the other.

The first verse of the Introit, called the “antiphon,” is sung both at the beginning and at the end by a cantor, the choir, or someone who knows what the tone is supposed to be. The antiphon sets the musical tone for the Introit just as the Introit sets the thematic tone for the Sunday. Listen carefully for the antiphon at the beginning and end of the Introit the next time you hear it sung in the liturgy.

The fact that we have special entrance music in the Liturgy reminds us that there are no empty ceremonies or wasted time in worship. Every moment, every movement, is filled by the Word of God. Worship is not a time for idle conversation or empty mood music. It’s a time to turn off those phones and devices, stick your nose in the psalms, and get ready to hear God’s Word.

Worship is an intentional act. You don’t just stroll casually into church, you prepare to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise—deliberately, prayerfully, reverently, and repentantly. After all, you’re coming to meet the King, our Lord Jesus, who died and rose to save us and now reigns to lord His death and life over us for our salvation.

Get ready for worship!

Open now thy gates of beauty; Zion, let me enter there.

Where my soul in joyful duty Waits for Him who answers prayer.

Oh, how blessed is this place, Filled with solace, light, and grace!

Lutheran Service Book #901 Rev. William M. Cwirla is the pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hacienda Heights, California.

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Sing a Hymn at Satan A HIGHER THINGS BIBLE STUDY • Summer 2018

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Begin by singing stanzas 2 and 3 of “God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It” (LSB 594).

What is your favorite hymn? Why? To whom is your hymn addressed?

As you read the article, were you taken aback by the fact that we address Satan in several of our hymn stanzas? Even if you were not personally surprised, why might this surprise someone else?

Read Matthew 4:1-2. Who leads Jesus out into the desert? For what purpose is He there?

Read Matthew 4:3-4. What title is given to the devil here? How does he tempt Jesus? Examine the serpent’s temptation of Eve in Genesis 3:1. How is Satan’s temptation of Jesus similar?

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Read Matthew 4:5-7. What temptation does Satan throw at Jesus this time? Israel was tempted in a similar way during their time in the desert (see Numbers 11:1-6). How did Israel respond? How is Jesus’ response different?

Read Matthew 4:8-11. What temptation does Satan throw at Jesus this time? Which commandment does he ask Jesus to break? Jesus has used the same formula to rebuke Satan each time He has been tempted. What words does He use and how are they significant?

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Satan tempts us in many ways. How can Jesus’ victory over Satan be an example to us when we face the temptations of the evil one? How can His endurance comfort us when we fail?

Jesus did battle with Satan in the desert. His victory over the temptation of the devil for you and for me is not insignificant. There is, however, a more definitive victory that Jesus wins over Satan.

Read John 12:31-32. Who is the ruler of this world in this passage? How does Jesus cast him out?

Close by singing stanza 3 of “Jesus Priceless Treasure” (LSB 743).

To access the Leader’s Guide for this study, as well as Bible studies for articles in this issue and previous issues, as a part of an HTOnline subscription, point your browser to: higherthings.org/magazine/biblestudies.html. higherthings.org/magazine/biblestudies.html

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“How Baptized Are You?” A HIGHER THINGS® BIBLE STUDY Leader’s Guide

Leaders’ Introduction In “Salvation on a Scale”, we are reminded that God isn’t grading us on a scale. In this study we will look at Jesus’ words in Matthew chapter 25 as he discusses the final judgement. As we explore the text, we will see that God’s assessment is not based on what we do, it is based on who we are in Christ. We also see that Jesus’ end times judgement is binary. There are sheep and goats. There is no in between.

1. What sort of things do human beings like to rank or measure on a scale? Think about pop culture, sports, and other areas.

Answers will vary. Rankings of sports stars and teams are popular. On a scale of 1-10 how good is this player or this team. Many movies are ranked online using a 1-10 ranking scale or a 1- to 5-star system.

2. Have you ever been tempted to place your faithfulness or devotion on a scale of 1-10? How did you feel when you did this?

Answers will vary. Oftentimes when we see the faithfulness of others we begin to compare ourselves to them. Our shortcomings often put us below them on the scale.

3. Read Matthew 25:31-46. What is this passage a picture of? (see verse 31) This is a picture of the end of the final judgement. Christ is shown as the judge.

4. Look at verse 32. How many groups is Jesus separating the animals into? Could there be any confusion between sheep and goats?

Jesus is separating the farm animals into two groups. There are not rankings. There is no measurement of what percentage sheep or goat each individual creature is. Each individual is either a sheep or a goat. This is not a situation of scale. It is black and white.

5. Look at verse 34. What is the relationship between the sheep and God the Father? On what basis do they receive the kingdom?

The sheep are blessed by God the Father! This is an important word/concept in the Gospel according to Matthew (see chapter 5). They are blessed by God and that is what matters. They receive the kingdom not on the basis of anything they have done, but they receive it as an inheritance, something prepared for them before the foundations of the world! Note that the sheep all receive the same kingdom. There is not one kingdom for one sheep and another one for the lesser ranked sheep.

6. Read verses 35-40. What is the reaction of the sheep to the good works that Jesus says they did?

They are surprised at the works they had done! They did not do these works in order to attain salvation.

They did not think their works earned them a rating on a sliding scale of righteousness. Their works flowed from the faith given to them by God. Because of the work of the Spirit they treated those sent in the name of God (pastors, apostles, teachers) rightly.

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

7. The sheep and the goats account shows us that there is no sliding scale of righteousness. Either you are a sheep (baptized, redeemed, a child of God) or you are a goat. There is no half-breed confusing Jesus as he separates the two groups. Now, let’s consider how acting as if there are levels of Christian can impact our relationships with one another? How could considering some Christians as better than others harm relationships among Christians?

If we consider others as worse than ourselves, we can easily become puffed up and lose the perspective of Christ when it comes to our fellow sheep. Paul reminds us in Philippians 2, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Conclusion You are baptized. You are saved. These are black and white statements. You are not 80% baptized. You are not a 7 out of 10 Christian. You are a sheep, blessed by God the Father. When you are rank yourself on a salvation scale you will always fall short. So throw away your the sliding scale, forget the ranking system, and remember your Baptism, which only is ever given 100%.

Closing Sing together “Salvation Unto Us Has Come” (LSB 555, st. 1 and 2).

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

“How Baptized Are You?” A HIGHER THINGS® BIBLE STUDY 1. What sort of things do human beings like to rank or measure on a scale? Think about pop culture, sports, and other areas.

2. Have you ever been tempted to place your faithfulness or devotion on a scale of 1-10? How did you feel when you did this?

3. Read Matthew 25:31-46. What is this passage a picture of? (see verse 31)

4. Look at verse 32. How many groups is Jesus separating the animals into? Could there be any confusion between sheep and goats?

5. Look at verse 34. What is the relationship between the sheep and God the Father? On what basis do they receive the kingdom?

6. Read verses 35-40. What is the reaction of the sheep to the good works that Jesus says they did?

7. The sheep and the goats account shows us that there is no sliding scale of righteousness. Either you are a sheep (baptized, redeemed, a child of God) or you are a goat. There is no half-breed confusing Jesus as he separates the two groups. Now, let’s consider how acting as if there are levels of Christian can impact our relationships with one another? How could considering some Christians as better than others harm relationships among Christians?

Closing Sing together “Salvation Unto Us Has Come” (LSB 555, st. 1 and 2).

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

“My Hiding Place: Christ Is for Me” A HIGHER THINGS® BIBLE STUDY Leader’s Guide

Leaders’ Introduction The Psalms give us incredible, poetic descriptions of human experience. Real human beings—David, Moses, and others are seen at their best, their worst, their most successful, and their most terrified. In the Psalms God is always front and center showing His power and might, His grace and mercy, His love and salvation. The Psalms preach Christ to us when we don’t have the words to say, filling our mouths with prayer, praise, lament, and cries from the depths. Christ is always present in the book of Psalms. In this Bible study we will learn of Jesus from Psalm 119.

1. Is there anything that stands out to you in this psalm? Does anything strike you in a particular way?

Answers will vary. Perhaps no one will have an answer. Because of the nature of poetry, the Psalms often remind us each of different things. This does not rob the text of its clear meaning or its Christological impact but shows how we often find our own experiences interacting with the accounts given in the psalm.

2. Read verse 114. The Lord is shown to be our shield and hiding place. Many ancient armies used shields that were large and unwieldy. These are the sorts of shields you would hide behind, not shields you can wield or throw (like Captain America). What sort of things cause you to hide behind God? Answers will vary. Ultimately, the answer is our own sin. The law kills us and leaves us with no recourse but to rely on Christ for our salvation. Other possible answers include fear, loneliness, death, despair, personal trial or tribulation, temptation, etc.

3. When hiding behind a shield from an enemy’s attack, one is completely dependent on the quality of that shield. How has God shown Himself to be a trustworthy/effective shield? Put in the words of verse 116, how do we know that we will not be put to shame when we hope in Christ?

Throughout history God has shown Himself to be faithful. He showed both His ability and willingness to save as He led His people Israel out of Egypt and brought them to a good and plentiful land. He showed His faithfulness as He gave His Son for us, and further proved His faithfulness by raising Him from the dead for our justification.

4. Read verse 116. The Psalmist is upheld by the promises of God. What specific promises do we look to for life?

We are upheld by God’s faithfulness in the past to His Old and New Testament people. We are upheld by the promise that God made to us in our Baptisms that we are His own precious children. We look to the promise that God gives in the words of our pastor “I forgive your sins.” We look to the promise in the words “Given and shed for you.” As Christians we remind ourselves of these promises and encourage one another to take comfort in Christ and Him alone.

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

5. Read verse 117. The Psalmist expresses the need for God’s help in upholding the statutes of God. How does God help us to live as His redeemed children?

God promises that He is with us as we face the crafts and assaults of the devil. He gives us His Word to guard against the shifting winds of doctrine and the lies told by the devil, the world, and the flesh. He gives us our pastor to forgive our sins and preach Law and Gospel to us. He gives us the Body and Blood of His Son for the forgiveness of our sins and strengthening of our faith.

6. Read verse 119. This verse extols the victory that God will have over all evil. Who are the enemies of God? How has He defeated them?

The enemies of God are sin, death, the devil, and all those who oppose the kingdom. An Old Testament believer may have been reminded of God defeating His enemies (pharaoh and his chariots) by drowning them in the Red Sea. God has defeated sin, death, and the devil by the blood of His Son and His victorious resurrection from the grace.

7. Read verse 120. What will the ultimate fate of the wicked be? What does this cause in us? What promises does God give us about the final judgment?

The wicked will not stand in the final judgment. Without God as our shield by grace through faith in Christ, we are left exposed and will ultimately be condemned. We have the promise of God given in our Baptism “so shall you stand without fear before the judgement seat of Christ [clothed in the baptismal robe of righteousness which covers all our sin]”

Conclusion This Psalm presents to us a glorious comfort. When it feels like you’ve done all you can do and you feel like it still isn’t enough; when you are oppressed from every side; when you are out of strength and ready to give up; when your own sins are crying out in condemnation against you; God is your hiding place. He is there with His victorious right hand, shown again and again throughout history. He is there to comfort, to forgive, to save, and to restore. He isn’t there for you to pick up and charge into battle. He is there to hide you, to protect you, to redeem you.

Closing Read Psalm 119:113-120 responsively.

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

“My Hiding Place: Christ Is for Me” A HIGHER THINGS® BIBLE STUDY 1. Is there anything that stands out to you in this psalm? Does anything strike you in a particular way?

2. Read verse 114. The Lord is shown to be our shield and hiding place. Many ancient armies used shields that were large and unwieldy. These are the sorts of shields you would hide behind, not shields you can wield or throw (like Captain America). What sort of things cause you to hide behind God?

3. When hiding behind a shield from an enemy’s attack, one is completely dependent on the quality of that shield. How has God shown Himself to be a trustworthy/effective shield? Put in the words of verse 116, how do we know that we will not be put to shame when we hope in Christ?

4. Read verse 116. The Psalmist is upheld by the promises of God. What specific promises do we look to for life?

5. Read verse 117. The Psalmist expresses the need for God’s help in upholding the statutes of God. How does God help us to live as His redeemed children?

6. Read verse 119. This verse extols the victory that God will have over all evil. Who are the enemies of God? How has He defeated them?

7. Read verse 120. What will the ultimate fate of the wicked be? What does this cause in us? What promises does God give us about the final judgment?

Closing Read Psalm 119:113-120 responsively.

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

“Sing a Hymn At Satan” A HIGHER THINGS® BIBLE STUDY Leader’s Guide

Leaders’ Introduction The Bible provides powerful depictions of both the devil’s might and the overwhelming victory of Christ. The hymns of the church rejoice in the victory of Christ, and at times even address the devil, reminding him of the victory that Christ has won over him, sin, and death. As redeemed children of God, tied to the victorious Lord Jesus in Baptism, we sing confidently. In this study we will contemplate several hymns sung at/against the devil, look at how our Lord defeated Satan at His temptation, and rejoice in His final victory over the evil one.

1. What is your favorite hymn? Why? To whom is your hymn addressed?

Answers will vary. If you have time, consider singing a stanza of each student’s favorite hymn.

2. As you read the article, were you taken aback by the fact that we address Satan in several of our hymn stanzas? Even if you were not personally surprised, why might this surprise someone else?

Answers will vary. One cause for surprise might be something as simple as “I thought we sang all of our hymns to God.” We actually sing hymns to the Triune God in unity, the individual persons of the Trinity, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our pastors, our own selves, and of course hymns at Satan in Lutheran Service Book.

3. Read Matthew 4:1-2. Who leads Jesus out into the desert? For what purpose is He there?

Jesus was led out into the desert by the Spirit Who descended on Jesus in His baptism, inaugurating His ministry as the Messiah. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus, describing the Spirit who would come to rest on Him in Isaiah 11:2. As Jesus goes about His ministry He bears with Him the Holy Spirit. At the end of His ministry He will give the Spirit to His disciples (see John 20).

Jesus is in the desert to be tempted. Jesus is true God and true man. In His life Jesus was tempted in every way we are but did not sin. Because of this, Jesus is able to sympathize with us when we are tempted (see Hebrews 4).

4. Read Matthew 4:3-4. What title is given to the devil here? How does he tempt Jesus? Examine the serpent’s temptation of Eve in Genesis 3:1. How is Satan’s temptation of Jesus similar?

The devil is called “the tempter”. He tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, but Jesus resisted his temptations. In Genesis 3, the serpent attempted to sow seeds of doubt in Eve’s mind. He wants her to doubt God’s goodness and even more importantly he wants her to doubt God’s Word. Once Eve doubts, Satan is in control. Satan begins tempting Jesus with the word “If…”, inviting him to doubt or attempt to prove Himself. The temptation is also similar because it has to do with food! Adam and Eve attempted to take for themselves from a tree that God had forbidden. In contrast Jesus trusted His Father to provide for Him (after the temptation is over, the Father provides by sending angels to serve Him) and resisted the temptation to make bread.

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

5. Read Matthew 4:5-7. What temptation does Satan throw at Jesus this time? Israel was tempted in a similar way during their time in the desert (see Numbers 11:1-6). How did Israel respond? How is Jesus’ response different?

Satan called God’s faithfulness into question. After the Exodus, the people of Israel put the Lord their God to the test. They questioned God’s chosen leader, turned after idols, complained about their lack of food, etc. They did not trust the Father to provide for His creatures, even after their rescue from Egypt. In contrast, Jesus does not put God to the test. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeds. This theme can be seen in the whole New Testament. Jesus’ 40-day journey in the wilderness reflects Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness.

6. Read Matthew 4:8-11. What temptation does Satan throw at Jesus this time? Which commandment does he ask Jesus to break? Jesus has used the same formula to rebuke Satan each time He has been tempted. What words does He use and how are they significant?

Satan tempts Jesus to commit idolatry, bowing down and worshipping him rather than the true God. This is a breaking of the First Commandment. Note that the other temptations would also have been breaking the First Commandment. This last temptation is where Satan clearly shows his hand.

Each time Jesus is tempted, He responds, “It is written”. This phrase is three words in English, but only one word in Greek, “gegraptai”. The devil cannot stand against Jesus, the Word of God. The Word endures forever even in the face of sin, death, and the devil. After this temptation, Jesus sends Satan away. He has won. The Word has triumphed.

7. Satan tempts us in many ways. How can Jesus’ victory over Satan be an example to us when we face the temptations of the evil one? How can His endurance comfort us when we fail?

Jesus fought off the temptations of the devil with the Word of God. When we fight the devil, we are grounded in God’ Word, Jesus. We remain attentive to God’s written Word in Scripture, His preached Word in the sermon and absolution, and His sacramental Word as we remember our baptisms and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins in the Lord’s Supper.

Jesus triumphed over Satan at every turn. Our track record is often quite the opposite. It may even seem like Satan wins victory over victory against us. But in Christ, God has the last Word. Your righteousness cannot stand before God, but the righteousness of your Savior, which is yours in Baptism, can! And does!

8. Jesus did battle with Satan in the desert. His victory over the temptation of the devil for you and for me is not insignificant. There is, however, a more definitive victory that Jesus wins over Satan.

Read John 12:31-32. Who is the ruler of this world in this passage? How does Jesus cast him out?

Satan is described as the ruler of the world. He is cast out by the events of Christ’s death and resurrection.

More specifically He is cast out when the Son of Man is lifted up. By death, Jesus destroyed death and took away the sins of the whole world. Jesus defeated the devil by the tree of the cross and rose in final victory over the grave.

Conclusion Your Lord, your Savior, your Jesus has defeated the devil. On your own, it would be just silly to sing a hymn at the devil. But because of Christ, the church sings victorious and triumphant verses against the evil one.

The victory you flaunt is Christ’s not your own. The righteousness you claim is His and His alone, but it has been given to you, overcoming the accusation of the devil. So sing loudly! Sing boldly! Sing in faith in Christ who has defeated that miserable worm, that ancient serpent, your great enemy!

Closing Sing together, “Jesus Priceless Treasure” (LSB 743).

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018

“Sing a Hymn At Satan” A HIGHER THINGS® BIBLE STUDY 1. What is your favorite hymn? Why? To whom is your hymn addressed?

2. As you read the article, were you taken aback by the fact that we address Satan in several of our hymn stanzas? Even if you were not personally surprised, why might this surprise someone else?

3. Read Matthew 4:1-2. Who leads Jesus out into the desert? For what purpose is He there?

4. Read Matthew 4:3-4. What title is given to the devil here? How does he tempt Jesus? Examine the serpent’s temptation of Eve in Genesis 3:1. How is Satan’s temptation of Jesus similar?

5. Read Matthew 4:5-7. What temptation does Satan throw at Jesus this time? Israel was tempted in a similar way during their time in the desert (see Numbers 11:1-6). How did Israel respond? How is Jesus’ response different?

6. Read Matthew 4:8-11. What temptation does Satan throw at Jesus this time? Which commandment does he ask Jesus to break? Jesus has used the same formula to rebuke Satan each time He has been tempted. What words does He use and how are they significant?

7. Satan tempts us in many ways. How can Jesus’ victory over Satan be an example to us when we face the temptations of the evil one? How can His endurance comfort us when we fail?

8. Jesus did battle with Satan in the desert. His victory over the temptation of the devil for you and for me is not insignificant. There is, however, a more definitive victory that Jesus wins over Satan.

Read John 12:31-32. Who is the ruler of this world in this passage? How does Jesus cast him out?

Closing Sing together, “Jesus Priceless Treasure” (LSB 743).

© 2018 Higher Things, Inc.

Magazine Bible Studies - Summer 2018