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Have You Seen the Light?

Dear Weekly Readers!

May the Peace of God be with you, and may you and yours truly see the light that lightens the world even today!   Please enjoy the article below!

May God Bless your week!  John R.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. Luk2:29-32

THUS SPOKE THE DEVOUT AND RIGHTEOUS Simeon when his eyes beheld the Christ-child to whose coming he had earnestly looked forward, for God had revealed to him that he would not see death before he saw the salvation which God had prepared for all people. This man believed the Word of God which had been spoken by His prophets of old, and he looked for the coming of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, he alone with the prophetess Anna, of that great multitude of people in Jerusalem, knew Jesus as the Christ whom God had prepared as the Savior of the world. The multitude, although seeing Him, did not know Him, for they did not believe or understand the Word of God.

So it has been throughout all the ages, even unto our day, that the salvation of God has been in the midst of the people but because of their unbelief they did not see or understand. Only the humble brother Simeon and sister Anna, whose eyes had been opened by faith and whose understandings had been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, were able to see and know Him when He appeared in their midst, for God had taught them to look for His coming, not with pomp and glory, but in a humble and lowly manner.

Thus He has always been found among the humble and lowly, among the despised and rejected of men, even as was He Himself. They too, like Simeon and Anna, have taken Him to themselves and blessed God for His salvation, goodness and grace toward sinful men; and the desire has come to them also that they might depart in peace from this vale of sorrow and sin for that glorious home that they have seen with the eyes of faith.

Surely, this light has enlightened the Gentiles and is to the glory of His people Israel.  Compared with the multitudes of even the people, few have seen the light and received the Lord. Dear reader, are you among those few? If not, why? Have you been looking for Him where He is not found? Have your eyes been uplifted? Are you searching the vaulted skies? Cast your eyes down, for lo, He descended from His glory on high and has come to His own, the lowly, humble and despised of the world who have received Him. He has given them power to become the sons of God, for they have believed on His name.

He is here, beloved, though you cannot see Him with your natural eyes like Simeon and Anna beheld Him but He Himself said, “Blessed is he that seeth not but nevertheless believeth.” Just as assuredly as you believe that Christ was born in Bethlehem 1929 years ago and you are celebrating this Christmas Day in commemoration of that eventful day, just so assuredly is He here in our midst, yea, and still is with His own unto whom He came. They are those who are ontinuing the work that He began, preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus Christ and because of His shed blood. Do not allow Him to go unnoticed by you this Christmas Day but receive Him to yourself by letting Him make your heart His abiding place.

Therefore, despise not the lowly children of God, for in so doing, you despise Him. He said, “He that despiseth you, despiseth Me, and He that receiveth you, receiveth Me and Him that sent Me,” for “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Receive Him, oh contrite and sinsick souls, by receiving His children and His blessing that is proclaimed by them, namely, the forgiveness of all your sins, and you shall receive the true Christmas Spirit, which is the Holy Spirit that brings with it joy and peace and rejoicing over the salvation that God has prepared before the face of all people. This will then be the happiest Christmas you have ever known, and your heart shall join the angelic choir in singing: Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and good will to men.

Wishing all the beloved children of God a joyous Christmas in the Lord and a prosperous new year rich in the grace of God.

(The late) Rev. Andrew Mickelsen 

The Mystery and Miracle of New Birth

Dear Weekly Readers!  God’s Peace!

When a person thinks about what is the very most important thing we could ever do in our life, what do you think that would be?  Is it not that our heart would be right with God, that our sins are washed away and forgiven?  We know judgment is coming.   Are we ready?  That is the most important issue of all.   Heaven or Hell, where is our final destination? How can I be assured Heaven awaits me?

There is hope!  The article below brings us right to this very point in a few short words! 

Please read carefully, and May God Bless your Week!  John R.

The Mystery and Miracle of New Birth

“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”  John 3:7

There are many mysteries and miracles recorded in the Bible.  The most important to our salvation is new birth, a spiritual birth through Jesus Christ.  The importance of new birth cannot be overstated.

Jesus said, “…except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  John 3:3, and  “…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”  John 3:5

New birth is a mystery to those who have not experienced it.   Nicodemus, a learned member of the Jewish Sanhedrin asked Jesus, “…How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”  John 3:4. Likewise, in our fallen state, we considered new birth a mystery.

We may have asked in our hearts, “How would it be possible for such a wayward and self-willed person as I am to be so favored by God as to experience new birth?”  We may have even seen and wondered how other hardhearted men had been miraculously broken and converted to Christ.

New birth is a miracle to those of us who, by the grace of God, have experienced it.   We have felt the calling of the Holy Spirit, convicting us of our sinfulness and felt the burden of sin on our conscience.   We have cried out with broken heart, confessing and asking forgiveness and hearing a servant of God assuring us that our sins are forgiven in Jesus’ Name and shed blood.   WE have then felt a miraculous release and a cleansing of the soul.   Thus, while in our fallen state we pondered the mystery of this new birth, we now marvel at the miracle.

The need for new birth is a subject which is avoided by most people.   It is most difficult for man to confront and confess his sinfulness.   Some view new birth as a gradual transition or as a learning experience.   Others think that it can come about without repentance, confession, and remission of sins.

The Bible teaches otherwise.   It clearly states that there must be a repentance or Godly sorrow for sin. Jesus said, “…except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”  Luke 13:3

Confession of sin is also vital. “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

Also, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed” James 5:16.   Remission of sins must be received and believed.   Jesus said to his followers, “Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.”  John 20:23.

In Romans we read “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Romans 10:10

We have been given this great miracle of new birth and salvation by our loving God who did not spare His only Son from the death penalty for sin on our behalf.   So then if we believe in Him we need not perish, but have everlasting life.

May we thank and praise Him for this great personal gift and remain faithful and obedient unto His Holy Word.

God’s Peace!  Al Wuori

On Faith and Good Works

Dear Weekly Readers!

God’s Peace!

The below article is very short.  However, I want to call your attention to it, because the teaching that we have available of old is so helpful for today.  

The Word of God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!  It will never change.  We must not be looking for new and fancy understandings, but rather be trusting and believing in the old time doctrine and beliefs as laid out in the Holy Word.

We must also understand that the Bible is not of private interpretation, and we should be thankful that we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses! (God’s People!)   Let us share the Word with one another, and be willing to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd as it comes through our brothers in faith! 

Please know that we are most happy to share the Doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught by the Apostolic Lutheran Church of America with you, as well as other writings.  There is not money to print all around the world, but I can surely email you many of these, and you can just print a few copies to study as your schedule allows!  Just email me at foreignmission@comcast.net and you will receive emails of such!

May God Bless your week!  John R.

On Faith and Good Works — from the Augsburg Confession

“We begin by teaching that our works cannot reconcile us with God or obtain grace for us, for this happens only through faith, that is, when we believe that our sins are forgiven for Christ's sake, who alone is the mediator who reconciles the Father. Whoever imagines that he can accomplish this by his works, or that he can merit grace, despises Christ and seeks his own way to God, contrary to the Gospel.

“This teaching about faith is plainly and clearly treated by Paul in many passages, especially in Ephesians 2, verses 8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

“It is also taught among us that good works should and must be done, not that we are to rely on them to earn grace but that we may do God’s will and glorify Him. It is always faith alone that apprehends grace and forgiveness of sin. When through faith the Holy Spirit is given, the heart is moved to do good works.

“Consequently this teaching concerning faith is not to be accused of forbidding good works, but is rather to be praised for teaching that good works are to be done and for offering help as to how they may be done. They cannot be done without the help of Christ, as He Himself says in John 15:5: For without me ye can do nothing.”

May these excerpts from the teaching of the early reformers help us to better understand and apply the basics in our daily lives.

Pastor Raymond Hilman

Greer, South Carolina