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Commemoration: Lucia, Martyr

Martyred in AD 304 during the Roman persecution under Emperor Diocletian, Lucia (whose name means “light”) was put to death by the sword. She died a virgin, having given away her dowry as an act of Christian charity. Festivals of light are a popular way to commemorate this martyr, especially in Scandinavian countries during the shortest days of the year. Though the truth of the legends that have sprung up around her are impossible to verify (one says that she brought aid to Christians hiding in the catacombs and, to keep her hands free to carry more food, she wore a wreath of candles to light her way), in remembering her during the Advent season we are pointed to the coming of Jesus, the light of the world.

The people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.
Matthew 4:16

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Commemoration: Aurelius Ambrosius

Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.

Not by human flesh and blood,
By the Spirit of our God,
Was the Word of God made flesh—
Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.

#332 in the LSB was written by Ambrose of Milan, born in Germany in 337 AD and died on Good Friday, April 4, 397 in Milan, Italy. We commemorate Aurelius Ambrosius as a pastor and hymnwriter, one of the four great Latin Doctors of the Church alongside Augustine, Jerome and Gregory the Great.

Ambrose was chosen as pastor of Milan while still serving as a civil governor. History says that the Christians of Milan were divided into factions at the time, and when the 34-year-old catechumen addressed the crowd gathered to elect a new bishop (trying to seek peace between them), someone yelled, “Ambrose, bishop!” The entire crowd agreed, so after Ambrose was baptized on December 7, he was consecrated bishop of Milan. He was bold in his defense of the faith, and pivotal in the theological fight against Arianism (the heresy that inspired Santa Claus to supposedly slap Arius, as mentioned in yesterday’s post).

During this Advent, as at all times, we look to Scripture and Christ crucified as the defense against every false doctrine, and thank God for the servants He has given us across time and space to preserve His Church. If you are looking for materials that focus on Jesus during this holy season, check out the Advent devotional put out by Christ Academy. You can make it a part of your daily devotions by downloading it HERE or by clicking this picture of the cover:

Authors of the devotional include pastors and seminarians, many of them either former attendees or proctors at Christ Academy.

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Commemoration: Nicholas of Myra

Today we commemorate Nicholas of Myra, Pastor, or, as you may recognize him by his more secularly-known name, Santa Claus. Very little is actually known about Saint Nicholas, at least historically. Legend and tradition say that he was the only son of wealthy parents, known for charitable giving and said to have put coins in people’s shoes. Another favorite story of the man, at least in church circles, say that he struck Arius at the Council of Nicaea (the church council from which we get the Nicene Creed), a heretic who denied the divinity of Christ.

As much fun as these tales are, research affirms only this: that Nicholas was a bishop in the city of Myra in Lycia (part of modern-day Turkey) in the A.D. 300s. As always, let our commemoration of the saints point us to Jesus, the greatest gift the world has ever received.

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:4-9

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Commemoration: John of Damascus

The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad,
The passover of gladness,
The passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From sin’s dominion free,
Our Christ has brought us over
With hymns of victory.
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Let hearts be purged of evil
That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal
Of resurrection light
And, list’ning to His accents,
May hear, so calm and plain,
His own “All hail!” and, hearing,
May raise the victor strain.
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Now let the heav’ns be joyful,
Let earth its song begin,
Let all the world keep triumph
And all that is therein.
Let all things, seen and unseen,
Their notes of gladness blend;
For Christ the Lord has risen,
Our joy that has no end.
‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍
All praise to God the Father,
All praise to God the Son,
All praise to God the Spirit,
Eternal Three in One!
Let all the ransomed number
Fall down before the throne
And honor, pow’r and glory
Ascribe to God alone!

Today we commemorate John of Damascus, theologian and hymnwriter. You can find two of his Easter hymns in the Lutheran Service Book, and this one (#478) happens to be my favorite. Anyone looking for some organ-heavy karaoke this afternoon can listen to the tune and sing along here:

Born in 675 AD and died 749, John of Damascus is known as the last great Greek theologian. Before he became a priest, John gave up an influential position in the Islamic court to devote himself to Christianity. He argued against the prohibition of icons, wrote theological defenses against common heresies of the time, and summarized the orthodox faith and the writings of previous theologians in a book known as the Fount of Wisdom.

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St. Andrew

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus.
John 1:35-42a

Today is the feast of St. Andrew, the apostle recognized as the first of Christ’s disciples. You can find his shield in Wyneken Hall (pictured here), which shows the boat hook of a fisherman and an “X” shaped cross. As we fast approach the Advent season, this symbol of Andrew’s martyrdom directs our focus on the life poured out on us from another cross, where the lamb of God was crucified for our transgressions in order to win us salvation. Come, Lord Jesus!

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Sermon Study: 1 Timothy 2:1-4

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:1-4

For anyone interested in an 82-year-old analysis of this text, we recommend reading this sermon study from the May 1935 issue of Concordia Theological Monthly. CLICK HERE to read it. It’s one of the few articles in that volume actually written in English. 

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Commemorations: Elizabeth of Hungary & Clement of Rome

There are two commemorations on the Lutheran calendar this week. Yesterday we remembered Elizabeth of Hungary, daughter of the King of Hungary, married at 14 and widowed at 20, after which she made provisions for her three children so that she could become a nun. She died at the age of 24, likely due to her self-sacrificial ways and self-denial. She was known for her warm hospitality and her care for the sick and needy; one story tells of her giving up her bed for a leper. Many hospitals throughout the world are named for her.

Later this week, on the 23rd (which happens to be Thanksgiving this year), we’ll remember Clement of Rome, said to have been ordained by Peter. The 4th bishop of Rome, Clement faithfully kept Christ central to the Church. Tradition says that he was tied to an anchor and drowned, dying a martyr’s death.

As interesting as these tales are…why do we remember them? Why can you find a calendar of commemorations in the first few pages of the Lutheran Service Book?

The LSB offers a quick explanation: we don’t honor saints for their own sake, but to remember that God has given faithful servants to His Church. Through remembering we see God’s mercy as of old. These saints are “examples of those in whom the saving work of Jesus Christ has been made manifest.”

For a more in-depth look into why Lutherans remember the saints, here is an article from the July/October 2014 issue of Concordia Theological Quarterly. “Then Let Us Keep the Festival: That Christ Be Manifest in His Saints,” was written by Dr. D. Richard Stuckwisch, a 1993 and 2003 CTSFW grad.

CLICK HERE to read it.

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Dr. Rast: Honorary Doctorate

The following news release came from Concordia University Chicago, about their plan to award an honorary doctorate to President Rast. Thanks be to God for our faithful Seminary president! We’re proud to claim Dr. Rast as our own.

River Forest, IL (November 10, 2017) – Concordia University Chicago will award an honorary doctoral degree to Rev. Dr. Lawrence Rast Jr., 16th president of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, at the CUC fall commencement ceremony. Dr. Rast, who will receive the Doctor of Letters honoris causa, will act as commencement speaker at the undergraduate ceremony on Dec. 9.

Dr. Rast is also a professor of American Christianity and American Lutheranism at the seminary, where he joined the Department of Historical Theology in the fall of 1996 after serving as pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church in Madison, TN. He earned his B.A. in theological languages from Concordia-Chicago, his M.Div. and Master of Sacred Theology from Concordia Theological Seminary-Fort Wayne, and his Ph.D. in American church history from Vanderbilt University.

As a member of the board of directors for the journal Lutheran Quarterly, Dr. Rast has authored numerous articles on a wide range of topics, with special interest in the growth and expansion of Lutheranism in the United States in the mid- to late-19th century.

In addition to serving at the seminary, Dr. Rast regularly presents at workshops, retreats and conferences around the U.S. He has represented the seminary and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod at numerous international conferences and by teaching in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

The undergraduate commencement ceremony will take place in Concordia University Chicago’s Geiseman Gymnasium on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 10:30 a.m., followed by the graduate commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. Admission is by ticket only.

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With thanks to Jordan DeBoer for the photograph.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18