I consider 1 Cor 10 to be specifically sacramental. The earlier part of the chapter considers baptism, because the Eucharistic assembly is comprised of the baptized only; and remember Paul is preaching in their Sunday worship assembly via his letter / sermon. Verse 11 is, in my reading, particularly Eucharistic. "Upon whom / to whom the end of the ages is come," The "is c...

Some thoughts on Sunday next's epistle. 17 Brothers, become imitators of me, and carefully observe those who conduct themselves in accordance with the pattern you have from us. 18 For many walk, as I have often said and now say again with tears, as enemies of the cross of Christ; 19 whose end is destruction! whose god is their belly and who glory in their shame -- who set...

The Bible needs to be interpreted. The possibilities are not limitless, but there is room for interpretation. To be sure everyone who practices the holy Christian religion does interpret Scripture, or subscribe to an already existing interpretation / school of thought. My first move, whenever possible, is to seek out the incarnational (perceivable by one or more of the fi...

How To Read Scripture Like a Lutheran Rev. Dean Kavouras, PastorChrist Lutheran ChurchCleveland, Ohiorev. August 27, 2018 What is the Bible, and how is it to be used? For some Sacred Scripture is a rule book from which people extract principles by which they live their lives. For others it is a database of doctrines from which theological systems are built and defended. ...

How To Read Scripture Like A Lutheran Part - 2Rev. Dean Kavouras, PastorChrist Lutheran ChurchCleveland, Ohiorev. August 27, 2018 Grace to you and peace to you from God the Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. In Part 1 of this essay we considered how to read Scripture like Lutherans, and not like Protestants. It is topic of utmost importance because ...

My preparation for Transfiguration this past week was theologically transformative. It brought together many things that I have been studying for the last 7 years, and I am now prepared to say that Transfiguration is pure gospel, and contains no law whatsoever, as Lutherans understand that dialectic. That there is not a word or suggestion of condemnation, but only of pure ...

Your pastor highly recommends this articleto explain the significance of receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday. I could not have said it better myself. Lent is a season of repentance. We need such a season. We need to receive instruction on sin, repentance and sin's remission only by the blood of Christ. The Holy Blood shed on the cross, and received in the Cup. Both! But our...

Hebrews 3:1 "Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession ... " The preacher here addresses the baptized gathered for eucharistic worship. (That is the definition of the church.) They are "holy brothers." But this is not simply a religious or collegial address, but a recognition of who the bap...

The Eucharistic Prayer is controversial among Lutherans. The suspicion goes back Luther and his liturgical reforms. Whether Luther was right or wrong I cannot say. But there are some things I can assert on the basis of 2,000 years of liturgical history and practice. First that the Eucharistic Prayer has been in use from the beginning. The four gospels give only the simple...

In Lutheran liturgy the "Greeting" (The Lord be with you / and also with you) is chanted 3 times: before the Collect, at the Preface, before the dismissal. But what does it mean? What is the logic behind it? Several explanations have been offered, and there is room for interpretation, but I think we would do well to consider the "greeting" specifically Eucharistic in natu...