November 2024 Church Newsletter

November 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This month I would like to address the importance of the Means of Grace. Why is the Means of Grace and understanding the Means of Grace so important? Understanding the Means of Grace is understanding the way (means) in which God gives us the gifts (grace) He has to give. You may have some friends from other Christian denominations that would suggest that you are the one who has to get, gain, claim, or accept, the gifts God gives. In other words, they will suggest you are the one actively in doing something, working for the gifts God gives. Right from the start, that thinking should make you say, “What? Isn’t a gift something which is given? Otherwise it would not be a gift.” And you are correct. As Lutheran Christians we understand, as God tells us, that He gives His gifts and His grace to us through means and in particular the following four means.

The first Means of Grace and the power in all the Means of Grace is the very Word of God. The Word is the main thing. The Word is the power throughout all the means, and in particular as the Gospel writer John expresses, even the Word made flesh, Jesus Himself. Indeed, God’s Word does, gives, and effects what it says. When God says we have faith, we know we have faith. When God’s Word says we have forgiveness, we know we are forgiven. When God’s Word says we have eternal life we can know for certain we have eternal life because God’s Word is sure and certain.

Holy Baptism is not only a Means of Grace, but it is also a Sacrament, a sacred act given to us by God wherein His Word, in particular, His name Father, Son and Holy Spirit is put on us (God using the mouth of the pastor) with water (God using the hand of the pastor) as God gives to us faith and His promise that “baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21).

Holy Absolution is the means whereby God speaking through the “called and ordained servant of the Word” announces “the grace of God unto all” of us and forgives us all our sins.

The Holy Supper is also, not only a Means of Grace, but a Sacrament, a sacred act given to us by God wherein His Word, in particular the Word of Institution (the Words Jesus gave on the night in which He was betrayed while celebrating the Jewish Passover and giving us His Holy Supper) (spoken by the pastor) over the bread and wine wherein we are given Christ’s true body and blood, given and shed for us for the forgiveness of sins. Indeed, Jesus becomes a physical part of us so that His life becomes our life, His suffering and death become our suffering and death, and His resurrection becomes our resurrection.

Although we would never put restrictions on God and His power, His usual way of coming to us today in our world is not immediately, that is, not in dreams or visions but mediately, that is, through means, namely and in particular these Means of Grace which He has given us. Thus, as you constantly hear me say, our need and desire is to make regular and diligent use of these means so that the Lord has plenty of opportunities to lavish us with His good gifts and blessings, faith, strengthening of faith, forgiveness, life and salvation.

God’s richest blessings.
In His Service,

Pastor Bogs
1 Cor. 15:3-5