Author: Higher Things

Chris Rosenbrough

False teachers and false prophets have been and will always continue to be a very serious threat to the Church and to each and every baptized Christian. In today’s postmodern society it is not considered politically correct to speak this way because people wrongly believe that everyone who claims to be a Christian is a Christian, regardless of what they believe, teach or confess. Yet, Jesus warns us in his Sermon on the Mount about false teachers and false prophets and describes them as wolves in sheep’s clothing and not has harmless people who should be ignored—or worse—tolerated. Here’s what our Lord said:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15–20)

Notice that Jesus warns us that false teachers and prophets disguise themselves to look like Christians. But also notice that Jesus says the sheep-like camouflage won’t work too well because we will be able to recognize the wolves by their fruits. So what are these bad fruits that make wolves easy to recognize? Answer: their messages.

One of the regular features on my radio program, Fighting for the Faith, is the sermon review. Over the past five and half years I’ve reviewed hundreds of sermons by the world’s most popular Bible twisters. Each one puts his own spin on the Bible and each one has concocted his own unique theology. Yet there is a common characteristic that each of these false teachers possesses: They preach about themselves, not Christ.

The Apostle Paul, when he warned the elders of the church in Ephesus about the false teachers who would be coming after his departure, gave them a simple way to spot the wolves:

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore be alert.” (Acts 20:28–31)

Note well what Acts 20:30 says about the fierce wolves—they draw away the disciples after themselves. The 5th century Church Father Ammonius of Alexandria, preaching on this text noted:

“In order to draw away the disciples after them.” Heretics strive to make the people their own instead of the Lord’s, so that they might boast in themselves…Paul himself checked this beforehand when he silenced and censured those who were saying, “I’m Paul’s; I’m Apollos’s; I’m Cephas’s,” since he did not want their faith to be explained by the name of a person but by Christ’s name; he wanted them all to be called Christians, even though they had been taught by different teachers. Accordingly, whenever all the teachers strive for the same goal of proclaiming the true faith, of profiting the students while suppressing their own names, they are called, by the same name, Christians.1

The fruit of false teachers, prophets and ravenous wolves is easy to spot. If they preach themselves, not Christ, then they’re wolves.

Wolves preach about their lives, their victories, their dreams, their visions, their ideas, the tips and tricks they’ve discovered to achieve success. Jesus, if He’s mentioned at all by them, is merely held up as an example to be followed. The goal of their preaching is to convince you to apply the pastor’s insights and life tips so that you can be successful, just like the pastor is successful.

Faithful teachers of the one true faith, on the other hand, are not like wolves but are like the apostle Paul who said:

“But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God….For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:2, 5)

If you ever find yourself in a church where the pastor is preaching himself, not Christ, run! As a baptized sheep in Christ’s flock you must always remember that wolves are not harmless, they eat sheep! The pastor who preaches himself rather than Christ is working for the devil and is preaching himself and his congregation into the fires of hell rather than into Christ’s eternal kingdom. And when you hear the faithful preaching of Christ crucified and raised for sinners, then rejoice and give thanks for that faithful pastor through whom Jesus delivers His forgiveness and life and makes you a member of His own flock of dearly bought sheep.

1 Martin, F., & Smith, E. (Eds.). (2006). Acts (p. 255). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Chris Rosebrough is on the board directors of Higher Things and is also the captain of PirateChristianRadio.com and host of the Fighting for the Faith radio program.

Dr. Jon Eifert

Why use the same liturgy every Sunday? For one thing, the liturgy is a framework which summarizes the whole history of salvation—a story which we all need to hear!

By now we know the story of the Baby of Bethlehem who grew up to teach, heal, suffer, die, rise from the dead, ascend into heaven, and send His Holy Spirit to create faith and sustain the church. We have learned this story in worship and Bible classes and Sunday school and confirmation classes. We have also experienced the church year—a means of reviewing our complete spiritual history as it outlines what God, in Christ Jesus, has done for us.

Our liturgy saturates our worship with Scripture. It also provides a framework though which God dispenses His gifts and we respond to His great love. Yet there is another reason to celebrate the liturgy regularly. The order of Divine Service is itself a mini-church year—a “microcosm,” if you will. Open your hymnal and follow along as we examine the various seasons of the church year and find them reflected in the Divine Service. For our purposes, we will use Divine Service III, beginning on p. 184 of Lutheran Service Book, but any of the five LSB settings will work.

@ ADVENT
This first season of the year is a time of preparation as we anxiously await the arrival of the Savior. As more of the advent wreath candles are lit week by week, the anticipation grows. Likewise, in the confession and absolution (pp.184-185) we prepare ourselves to meet the Savior who is about to enter into our midst by means of Word and Sacrament.

@ CHRISTMAS
We gather with the shepherds at the manger to welcome the Bread of Life. The overwhelming nature of this greatest Gift is underscored by the announcement which was given to the shepherds by “a multitude of the heavenly host” (Luke 2:13) singing praises to God. We are privileged to join with the angels in welcoming the Savior by singing. “Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (p.187).

@ EPIPHANY
During Advent, we anticipated the gift of the Savior. At Christmas, we received this gift. Now, in Epiphany, we open this gift and examine what the Savior came to do and teach. In Epiphany, we see that the gift of the Savior is for the whole world (as the Magi learned), that He came to take our place under the law (as He claimed at His baptism), and that the Father is well pleased with Him (see the baptism and Transfiguration accounts). We learn about the Savior through the Scripture readings and sermon, highlighted by the Gospel reading which recounts His exact words to His disciples. We also summarize all of His teachings as we recite the creed (pp. 190-192).

@ LENT
Lent is a penitential season in which we prepare ourselves to recall the suffering and death of our Savior. We are reminded that it was our sin that led Him to the cross, and we pray that He would forgive our sins and help us to lead more God-fearing lives. Psalm 51, one of the great penitential Psalms, is the text of the Offertory (pp.192-193). As truly penitent believers we ask that God would grant His Spirit to uphold us and renew us.

@ HOLY WEEK
Lent concludes with Holy Week, a special time when we focus on a number of separate events in the last week of our Lord’s earthly life. Specifically, we remember the following:

@ PALM SUNDAY
The crowd in Jerusalem greeted the coming King by shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). We join in their song of welcome in the Sanctus (p.195)

@ MAUNDY THURSDAY
It was on this night, in the upper room, that Jesus gave to His church the Sacrament of the Altar. This story is recounted as the pastor speaks the Words of Institution (p.197) which give us this gift of Jesus’ body and blood, too.

@ GOOD FRIDAY
It was on the cross that Christ earned the forgiveness of sins for the entire world. We are reminded of this as we sing to “Christ, the Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world” (p.198).

@ EASTER
The risen Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, then to the two disciples walking to Emmaus, and then to the gathered disciples in the upper room. What were His first words to the fully assembled group? “Peace be with you” (p.197).

@ PENTECOST
In this season, the focus is upon the church and the gifts that God gives to and through the church to help us fulfill the Great Commission. In the Benediction (p.202) we hear again the Lord’s promise to go with us as we leave His house and go into the world to proclaim the gospel. He blesses us, keeps us, and gives us His peace to share with everyone we meet.

So there we have it. In one brief hour or so we have the entire story of our salvation presented to us and we receive all the gifts of Jesus His words bring. Thanks be to God for the gift of salvation and for the liturgy which delivers this gift while teaching us how it came to us!

Dr. Jon Eifert is a teacher at St. Paul Lutheran School in Austin, Texas. He has served as organist for HT Conferences in Vegas, Bloomington, and Maryville. He can be reached at prinzipale16@yahoo.com.,

Rev. George Borghardt

You’ve heard the expression, “Keep Christ in Christmas,” haven’t you? That couldn’t be more true! The world has no problem talking about “God” at Christmastime, but wants to find God somewhere else other than on earth, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying and sleeping in a manger. For us, the big deal about Christmas is that Jesus has come into the flesh. We most definitely should keep Christ in Christmas!

But no one ever says not to take the “mass” out of Christmas, do they? What does the “mass” mean? Did your Lutheran alarm go off when you first read the word “mass”? Did you think, “That’s Roman Catholic”? That’s not a bad thing to think for we have many disagreements with the doctrines of the Roman Mass. But we Lutherans do celebrate mass every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper.The Divine Service in our hymnal flows from Luther’s Deustche Messe, his German Mass. When the “mass” is celebrated by Lutherans, this means simply that the Lord Jesus gives us what He won on the cross by grace alone at His Supper.

So we are gathered together by our Lord Jesus on December 25 to celebrate the Mass of Christ. What’s the connection between Jesus being born in the manger and the Lord giving us His Body and Blood in the Sacrament? Answer: everything!

Christmas is the church feast where we remember that the Babe of Bethlehem is born not to stay in the manger, but to go to Jerusalem. Mary’s Boy is born to die, born to be sacrificed for your sins and mine on the cross. He reconciles God and sinners by giving His life for the sin of the world.

But we can’t go back to the manger that first Christmas Day no matter how hard we try. Nor can we go back to the cross when grown-up Jesus died on Good Friday. Nor will we find Jesus there! So what does Jesus do? Christmas is the day when the Babe of Bethlehem comes to us not in the manger but in His Body and Blood at the Sacrament.

Jesus came that first Christmas not in heavenly splendor, but wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in the manger.He was born so down-to-earth, so one of us, so ordinary. He came to earth not with thunder and lightning, but humble, meek, and lowly. Jesus is God with us, God one of us, God for us.

Jesus comes to you at Christmas not in heavenly splendor. He comes to you in ordinary, down-to-earth bread and wine. He comes not with thunder and lighting, but with the forgiveness of sins put into your mouth.

Dr. Luther said it this way, “If now I seek the forgiveness of sins, I do not run to the cross, for I will not find it given there… But I will find in the sacrament or Gospel the word which distributes, presents, offers, and gives to me that forgiveness which was won on the Cross” (AE 40, 214). We don’t go to the manger to find God on Christmas; we go to the Sacrament where God delivers Himself to us, into our mouths, in, with, and under the bread and wine.

But don’t we have the Lord’s Supper often and not just on Christmas? Yes! The good Lutheran question is, “What does that mean?” It means that every celebration of the Lord’s Supper is a Christmas celebration! Our Lord Jesus loves us that much that He gives us His Body and Blood not just on Christmas, but every Divine Service.

Don’t let anyone take Christ out of Christmas. And don’t let anyone take the Lord’s Supper out of Christmas either! Jesus desires to come to you in His Supper. This Christmas, He breaks into your world, not wrapped in swaddling clothes, but bearing His salvation in His Body and Blood given and shed for you for the remission of all your sins. Take Eat, His Body. Take Drink, His Blood. A blessed and merry Christ’s Mass to you!

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2004 issue of Higher Things Magazine.