God's Rainbow Promise--It's Not What the GLBTs Say It Is

In today’s OT lesson God tells Noah--and all mankind who would born of him and his family to repopulate the earth to what it is today: "I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth… When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” [Genesis 9:13, 16]

IOW, He will withhold his wrath from destroying the whole earth in this fashion again. And to this day He has. Not only has He withheld His wrath from using a flood to destroy the earth and all that is in it, He unleashed the total fury of His wrath on His only begotten Son—you know, the One who miraculously fed the 5000; the One who walked on water and saved the disciples from the winds on the sea; the One who sanctified all water for Baptism with the forgiveness of sins into the kingdom of God.

Yes, that's what the rainbow stands for—not the adulterous lust of men for men and women for women, but the love of God for sinners and even for those who have taken His rainbow and rebelliously use it to stand for their sin. Don’t let an adulterous world redefine God’s love. And don’t let your fears stand in the way of God’s redemption.

To hear and/or read the entire sermon preached to the saints at Christ Lutheran-Elkhart, KS and Faith Lutheran-Hugoton, KS for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, "Take Heart; It Is I," click on this link. http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=4247

Have a great week knowing the world's worst storms and your worst fears have their end in Christ Jesus.

The High Cost of Free Mammograms

This is simply barbaric.

At the 3 minute mark of this video recorded by the non-profit organization, Center for Medical Progress, Planned Parenthood Federation Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, is shown feeding her face and slurping wine while she speaks of a lot of people wanting the livers and lower extremity muscle tissue of the in utero babies she slaughters for the harvest.

"Nucatola is seen in the video having lunch with actors posing as buyers who are interested in purchasing the body parts of babies who have been aborted. The Planned Parenthood senior staffer notes how abortion procedures are modified to ensure that requested body parts can be collected."

Not that there's anything wrong with that as long as you are giving free mammograms. Free, meaning somebody whose complaint can't be heard is paying for it. Which in turn means even if they did perform a free mammogram here and there without charge, which they don't, there are hundreds of thousands of babies who paid the ultimate price.

With that, I commend this request from the Center for Medical Progress to the reader:
Hold Planned Parenthood Accountable for Their Illegal Sale of Baby Parts

When Church Mirrors Culture

Asked by a complimentary follower to write an "America Is Still Great" piece on his blog, nationally known columnist Matt Walsh responded:

"I’m sorry but I can’t give you exactly what you want, unless you want something better and truer than the sort of fraudulent ‘hopefulness’ and ‘optimism’ most people seek these days. . . . They want it like funnel cake: sweet, empty and quickly digested. I could give you that, but I won’t. I could write patronizing, pandering nonsense telling you everything is fine, this country is awesome, and the future will be bright and filled with lollipops and puppy dog farts.

 

 

"But what good would it do, besides win me some PR points? If you want hope, it needs to be planted firmly in truth, or else it’s like administering morphine while you die of kidney failure. It’ll make you feel better for a time, but it won’t save you."

 

What Mr. Walsh says about the American electorate also applies to the pop-Christianity out there, and could easily be spoken by any faithful Lutheran pastor and echoed in the congregations that maintain and "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints," as per Jude v. 3.

Our Lutheran churches and pastors don't tell you to, "Be happy, it's all good"--or, for that matter, to "Be good and it's all going to be happy." One look around, one newscast, tells you otherwise. And if that's not enough, the truth of Eden lost and fallen man cannot be overcome by any amount of happy thoughts or the power of optimism. That truth is that "the wages of sin is still death (Romans 6:23) , just as it has been since the man and woman God first created perfect to live forever, decided they needed something better and truer than everything God had created for them.

 

The message of Scripture, the Good News the Church has been given to proclaim to the world and by which the baptized believer is saved, is much better and truer and more substantial than anything those charismatic politicians and pop-Christian motivators have to offer.

 

We have something far better, a hope for which we eagerly, yet patiently wait in faith along with the litany of the faithful saints of which Scripture speaks:
"And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." Hebrews 11:39-40

 

Our Lutheran churches and pastors exist for the sole purpose of delivering that which sinful men need most, that without which they cannot be saved, and that from which the other ancillary gifts of the Spirit proceed-- the grace of God in Christ Jesus that forgives sins and gives eternal life to all who believe it.

 "1] So that we may obtain this faith, the Ministry of Teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments was instituted. 2] Through the Word and Sacraments, as through instruments, the Holy Spirit is given (John 20:22). He works faith, when and where it pleases God (John 3:8), in those who hear 3] the good news that God justifies those who believe that they are received into grace for Christ's sake. This happens not through our own merits, but for Christ's sake.
4] Our churches condemn [all churches and teachers] who think that through their own preparations and works the Holy Spirit comes to them without the external Word." [Augsburg Confession Article V: of The Ministry]

 

If you want hope, firmly planted in truth, that doesn’t just get you through the day but lasts forever, find a Lutheran Church and pastor that deliver the goods week after week, Sunday after Sunday, in the Word and Sacrament of the Divine Service.

 

We leave the funnel cakes and puppy dog farts to others--or at least save them for our picnics and bazaars.