Author: Higher Things

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Catechesis

The Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal.

Being Instructed by the Ten Commandments

The Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal.

God is the True Philanthropist, that is, the lover of humanity who generously gives gifts. Every morning God gives the gift of a new day. Throughout the day, we receive the gifts of God that sustain us in both body and soul. These gifts include such things as the rising sun, the air that we breath, and the land where we live. The Lord is the source and fountain of all that is good. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). So, as the people of God we are being taught to receive every good and gracious gift from God with thanksgiving. We are learning to pray each and every day that our Father would look upon us in mercy for the sake of His Son, our Savior, Jesus, and renew us by His Holy Spirit.

Jesus teaches us saying, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). By nature, we are evil and not good. God alone is good. Yet it is common knowledge that a child needs parents to provide good gifts such as house and home, food and drink, clothing and shoes. Thus, we understand that earthly fathers give the needed gifts to help their earthly children live in their bodies.

Now, we can easily apply this basic physical need to our soul. Our Heavenly Father gives the needed gifts to help His heavenly children, that is, those who have been adopted by grace in the water and the Word of Holy Baptism. Jesus invites us to petition the Father and ask Him to constantly give to us the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of intercession and adoption. As God’s children, we ask that the Holy Spirit would continually be given to us so that we may acknowledge the Father’s merciful goodness, serve Him in willing obedience, and give thanks for all His gifts.

In the First Commandment, we are taught about the gift of God Himself. In the Second Commandment, we are taught about the gift of God’s Holy Name. In the Third Commandment, we are taught about the gift of God’s Holy Word. In the Fourth Commandment, we are taught about the gift of our parents and other authorities. In the Fifth Commandment, we are taught about the gift of our lives. In the Sixth Commandment, we are taught about the gift of possessions.

Now in the Seventh Commandment, there is a striking reversal in themes. In Commandments 1–6, we learn that God is the Giver of gifts. Now in the Seventh Commandment, we are warned about the temptation to take away these gifts from others. We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions. Satan tempts us to take possession of the gifts that others have received from God’s hand. He tricks us to be like him to live in darkness and work by deception. When we steal, it is as if we are deciding that God made a mistake in giving the gift to somebody else. To steal is to take things into our own hands and seize what we think should belong to us, and so we end up clinging to fallen creation rather than to the Creator. When we steal, we try and possess the possessions of others. In the end, the possessions take possession of us. The old evil foe deceives us to become captured by the things that captivate us.

Christ comes to free us from our captivity. He opens His hand to grab hold of us. Then He teaches us to let go of the things we cling to in this creation. Now we are free to cling to Christ. God the Father loved us and gave the gift of His Only-begotten Son so that we would not be condemned with the corrupted creation.

The Holy Spirit is also enlightening us and leading us to have open hands that receive gifts from God and give gifts to others. When the hand is closed, it does not receive and it does not give. This is why St. Peter instructs the baptized as adopted children saying, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:” (1 Peter 4:10)

In the old way of walking, we see our neighbor and ponder, “How can my neighbor serve me? How can I hurt my neighbor? How can I take gifts from him or her? How can I get his or her possessions by deception?” Now in the new way of walking, we see our neighbor and ponder, “How can I serve my neighbor? How can I help my neighbor? How can I give gifts to him or her? How can I help my neighbor keep his or her possessions?”

In Christ, we are a new creation and there is no condemnation. In Christ, we are growing and learning to be philanthropists, that is, lovers of humanity who give gifts. In Christ, we lack no gift. We have all that we need in Him.

Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier serves as pastor at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, Los Alamos, NM

Categories
The Largely Catechized Life

I Believe – The Largely Catechized Life #49

Who is God? That’s a deep question. The church teaches us the answer. It’s called the creed. It tells us who God is and what we can expect from Him.

Questions or Comments? Contact Pr. Goodman via our Contact Page or through Facebook.

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Gospeled Boldly

Walking and Leaping and Praising God – Gospeled Boldly #55

Episode 55

[ download ]

What did the early Church look like? In this episode, Pastor Eric Brown and Thomas Lemke discover how the believers conducted themselves post-Pentecost. Then they discuss the situation that arises from the healing of a lame man by Christ through Peter and John.

In the Backwards Life, Pastor Brown discusses the matter of our neighbor’s bodily needs.

If you have questions you’d like answered send them via our Contact Page or post them on The Gospeled Boldly Facebook page.

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Categories
Lectionary Meditations

The Unjust Steward – A Meditation on Luke 16:3

By Rev. Eric Brown

“What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.”

Although many translations now call the fellow in this story the “dishonest” manager, the old King James is more accurate when it calls him “unjust”. I mean, he is utterly sleazy, and he isn’t exactly straightforward with the people he deals with. And he robs the rich man blind – he is not just. 

However, this dishonest, unjust manager has a moment of utter and brutal honesty about himself. When the accusations come in, he doesn’t try to defend himself to the rich man. He doesn’t spin a tail about how it’s not his fault. He knows he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. And then, when considering his prospects for life, there is no bluster or big talk. He doesn’t strut around saying, “I’ll find an even richer man to work for and he’ll be an even better boss than you!” Nope. Simple, brutal, honesty. I can’t dig. I’m not strong enough. I couldn’t bear to beg. This fellow is utterly honest about his own lack and limitations. And because of that, he knows that the only way he can live is by living off the master.

You and I, we’re dishonest. In and of ourselves, totally unjust. We are sinners, and we too get caught with our hands in the cookie jar. So, what then? Do we try to explain what we have done away? Do we blame someone else for our misdeeds, or talk about how our sin isn’t that bad because someone else is a worse sinner? Or do we try to bargain, try to work things out and make things up to God (as though works could dig us out of that pit)? Do we put on a brave face, or do we finally just admit that we are ashamed.

The simple fact is that we need God. We know our lack, we know our need. There is no way for us to live apart from God. But here’s where the analogy with the story ends. God’s not merely some rich man whose worked about bilking us for profit, worried about what He can gain by making us jump through hoops. No, He created us to live with Him. Our foolish, sinful attempts to live apart from God was never what He wanted in the first place! So, when we are brought to the truth that we in our sin can’t live apart from Him, He says, “Good, because of Jesus’s death and resurrection, all your debts are paid and you do in fact live with me scot free, and will do so for all eternity, because not sin, not the devil, not even death itself can separate you from My love.”

The dishonest manager’s moment of self-honesty meant he had to scramble and come up with some plan. Our moments of self-honesty, when we are brought to see our own sin, they are taken care of already, because God in His love already had planned your salvation in Christ well before you were born. You never need to pretend your sins aren’t real. No, be honest about them, strive against them – and know that in Christ Jesus they are forgiven.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

Categories
Lectionary Meditations

Fruit Tree Theology – A Meditation on Matthew 7:21-23

By Rev. Eric Brown

“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me you workers of lawlessness.’” –Matthew 7:21-23

A tree is known by its fruit. If the tree has a bunch of apples on it, it’s an apple tree. If there’s a bunch of cherries, it’s a cherry tree. And when Jesus tells us that a false prophet will be known by our fruits, He gives this example. Jesus speaks of those who boast in their works – WE have prophesied, WE have cast out demons, WE have done mighty works. Sure, they were in Jesus’ name, but WE have done them.

So type of tree is that? Well, if the fruit is “me, me, me, look at me” I guess it’s a me tree. All about me. Contrast this to Paul who is determined to know nothing among us but Christ and Him Crucified. Because that is the point – you tell the tree by its fruit; you tell the preacher by what is preached. Are they preaching me or is everything driving to Christ?

Christians do judge preachers. We learn to hear the voice of the shepherd but to flee the voice of the wolves. And the thing we listen for is this: Are they preaching Christ and Him Crucified for you, or are they preaching themselves? Are they preaching all about what Christ has done for you or what you need to do for God? If it’s not Christ, then they are a false preacher, they are workers of lawlessness – preaching some false, watered down salvation by works junk that ignores the fact that the Law always shows us our sin.

It can be tempting to listen to the folks who give mighty tales of what they have done and what you too can do, but none of that is better than what Jesus has already done for you by dying and rising for you, by baptizing you and giving you eternal life. Listen for Jesus when they preach; that’s what you need. We all always need the preaching to be Christ Crucified for us.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

Categories
Lectionary Meditations

Lord of Compassion – A Meditation on Mark 8:2

By Rev. Eric Brown

“I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.” – Mark 8:2

The second oldest trick that Satan has is making us think that God will only love us if we do good things. As the oldest trick is making us think we know better than God, this puts us in a world of hurt. We sin, and then the accuser says, “Well, God’s not going to like you very much anymore,” and we run and hide in shame, start blaming everyone else, and just end up quite miserable.

The crowd of people gathered around Jesus’ Word was quite miserable. There had been a lot of preaching (a few days worth!) and not a lot of food. And they were hungry. And what is Jesus’ reaction? When Jesus looks at the crowd, what does He see? Is He looking to judge their failings? Does He say, “man, that guy in the 5th row is going to mess up bad this week, forget him”? No. He sees the situation, the need – and thus He has compassion.

Compassion. Simply seeing people in need, Jesus has compassion. He shares in their suffering and is determined to do something about it. And then we get a miracle – the feeding of the 4000, not caused by what the crowd does. Jesus just feeds them – because He loves them, baggage and all.

As you go about your week, there will be times you foolishly mess up. It’s going to happen – hopefully sin doesn’t blow too many things up, but sin happens. And what Satan loves to do is tell you that once you’ve sinned, God is going to be pretty angry and upset with you – that God’s going to be pitching a hissy fit now and ready to smite you.

Nope. Jesus has compassion upon you. That’s the point. And if you aren’t sure of that – you are baptized. St. Paul tells us that we who are baptized have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection – you’ve been with Him three days in your Baptism, and because He rose on the third day, so will you. And He has compassion on you. Jesus doesn’t like sin precisely because of what sin does to you, how it messes with you. And so He is quick always to have compassion upon you, to forgive you and renew you with His Word of forgiveness. Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endures forever!

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.

Categories
News

Here We Stand (and Sing)

By Monica Berndt

I remember the first Higher Things conference I went to in 2015- Te Deum in Las Vegas. The first time we sat in the opening Divine Service and began to sing the first hymn, I choked up and could barely sing. It wasn’t because the hymn itself was emotional, or because the music itself was moving. It was because there, singing altogether, were over 500 high school youth, college students, youth leaders, and pastors all confessing the very same thing at the same time through the words and music of the liturgy and hymns. I still get a little choked up during the many services we have over the course of a Higher Things conference, but it is because these services are lasting, grounded in Scripture, and one of the greatest blessings of the church.

Martin Luther once said that next to the Word of God, music was the greatest treasure in the world. In all our services – the Divine Services, Matins, Vespers, Evening Prayer, and Compline – we combine these two great treasures into one. At Here I Stand in Mars Hill, NC there were 300 people boldly singing the words of Scripture that have withstood all the attacks of the Devil and the world since Creation. We confessed our sins before each other and before God and received the same forgiveness that He has bestowed on all since that first promise of the Savior in the garden of Eden. We sang the Gloria, the hymn of praise and thanksgiving, and before communion we confessed Christ’s saving work as the Lamb of God through the singing of the Agnus Dei. We heard the pastors chant the Words of Institution which takes the exact words of Jesus and sets them to music. How amazing is that, that we as the church of Christ here on earth can still proclaim these words together?

When you sing the hymns and liturgy at Higher Things, you are not just singing with your youth group friends or with the other conference attendees, but you are singing with the entire church of God just like you do every Sunday morning. Not only are these services a way for us to remain steadfast and unified in Christ’s words, but they connect us to all those who have sung these words, believed them, and who now rest with Christ in heaven. There we stand both three times a day at Higher Things and every single Sunday morning with all the saints who have gone before us, and sing the Scriptures- the promises of God to us and for us! We continue to use the liturgy and sing hymns not because they are inherently Lutheran, or because we want to be “traditional,” but because they contain the words of Jesus and they remind us of His salvation. As we begin to remember the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, let us boldly stand and sing with our congregations, pastors, and all the saints for we know that these words will remain until Jesus comes again in glory.

“The Word they still shall let remain, nor any thanks have for it. He’s by our side upon the plain with His good gifts and Spirit. And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, though these all be gone they yet have nothing won. The Kingdom ours remaineth.” –A Mighty Fortress (LSB 656) v.4

Monica Berndt is a member at Messiah Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA and served as a CCV in Mars Hill, NC. She is studying music and history at the University of Washington and loves to talk about Medieval History and why she loves hymnals.

Categories
The Largely Catechized Life

Behave – The Largely Catechized Life #48

Nobody wants to see kids fall into sin. Sin breaks stuff. The problem is, it’s too late for that. We’re already born sinful. Sin isn’t just not behaving. Sin is a faith problem. We need a faith answer. We need a God who works faith in us daily.

Questions or Comments? Contact Pr. Goodman via our Contact Page or through Facebook.

Categories
What Does This Mean?

Concupiscence – What Does This Mean? #7

Questions or Comments? Contact Pr. Hull via our Contact Page or through Facebook.

Categories
Lectionary Meditations

How’s Your Righteousness? – A Meditation on Matthew 5:20

By Rev. Eric Brown

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:20

Imagine the best person you know. The person who is the nicest, kindness person around. Maybe the most holy or spiritual person you know. The guy who just accidentally puts you to shame with how good he is, the gal you wish you could be. Back in Jesus’ day, that was sort of how people viewed the scribes and the Pharisees. They were to the top of the top. The Scribes were just so smart and knew so much, and the Pharisees were just so respected and virtuous… oh to be like them.

And then, in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus drops a law bomb. Jesus makes the astonishing assertion that our righteousness needs to exceed, needs to be beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees. Now, since we’re folks 2000 years down the line, and we see how often the scribes and the Pharisees behaved wretchedly, we’re not that impressed – but what Jesus says is unthinkable. You can’t be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees! It would be like saying, “be richer than Bill Gates” – it’s almost non-nonsensical.

But then Jesus teaches the fullness of the Law. It’s not just about outward appearances. It’s not just being a swell. It’s not just a question of well disciplined virtuous deeds, but what of your words, your thoughts. Indeed, to hate is as bad as murder, to call someone a name is hell-worthy. That’s the righteousness that God in His Law demands.

Of ourselves, we aren’t approaching that. Nowhere close! But Christ Jesus, His righteousness is indeed beyond that of the scribes and the Pharisees. His righteous life, death, and resurrection in fact establishes the kingdom of heaven, and He establishes it for you. In Holy Baptism He poured all of His righteousness upon you – said it’s yours. In fact, everything that is Jesus’ now is yours. He gives you all that He is. So, in Christ your righteousness does exceed the scribes and the Pharisees. And He gives this to you freely – we won’t boast or brag about how “great” or “virtuous” we are – we know the Law too well to ever claim that. But you are righteous in Christ, and the kingdom of heaven is yours because you belong to Christ Jesus, and He gives you all good things.

Rev. Eric Brown is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Herscher, Illinois and the co-host of the HT Gospeled Boldly Podcast.