Archive for January 2012
Ephesians — "You were sealed."
Jan 23rd
Theater in Ephesus Where A Riot Started Due to Saint Paul's Preaching around 57 AD
I.N.I.
Ephesians 1:3 – 14
Pastor Albert Collver
LCMS International Center, 23 January 2012
Today, we begin a preaching series on the book of Ephesians. Saint Paul wrote to the saints in Ephesus around 60 A.D. Ephesus is the place where Saint Paul visited in Acts 19, where “some disciples” had not received the gift of the Holy Spirit because they had been baptized with John’s baptism of repentance. Saint Paul baptized these disciples in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the church was born in Ephesus. The book of Ephesians is a letter written from the Apostle to the Lord’s church; it is pastoral. At the same time the letter is challenging. Ephesians 1, verses 3 to 14 is one giant sentence, that a Greek scholar has called “the most monstrous sentence-conglomerate in all Greek literature.” If you ever studied German, you know that the verb is frequently at the end of the sentence. In Ephesians chapter 1, like a German sentence, the verb appears at the end of the sentence. The “action” of the sentence that extends from verses 3 to 14 is this: “you were sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit.” This sealing of the Holy Spirit, which like with the first Christians in Ephesus, happened at your baptism is the guarantee of all the other promises in Ephesians chapter 1. The Lord Jesus inspired Saint Paul to write to the Ephesians for their comfort and for ours, so that we can be certain the Lord, who planned salvation before the very foundation of the world, has called you through the waters of Holy Baptism and the teaching of all that he commanded to be his saint, a member of his holy Church.
Now, if you are like me, it is easy to doubt that you “have been sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit.” Quite often, it does not feel as if we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. There is still sin, sickness, and death in our lives. As Saint Paul writes, we still do the things that we do not want to do. Our lives do not live up to the Ten Commandments. There is strife within the church, strife within our families. In the midst of sin, strife, and suffering, it is hard to see that we have been given “every spiritual blessing,” as the Apostle says in verse 3. I imagine that the church in Ephesus felt the same way. This is precisely why the Apostle wrote to them and to us – to provide comfort for doubting consciousness, for people wondering if the Lord’s plan of salvation is for me. Jesus’ answer, “I have called you before the foundation of the earth and have sealed you with the promise of the Holy Spirit.”
The Lord is to be blessed because he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Today, in the field of cosmology, a big question is “what happened before the big bang?” Since in the scientific community, the “big bang” is understood to be the beginning of time, scientists and philosophers debate how can you talk about something before time began. This sort of question is not unlike that asked of Saint Augustine what the Lord was doing before creation. Here Saint Paul gives us a glimpse into what the Lord was doing before Creation. According to Saint Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, he says that the Lord chose us before the foundation of the world. Before creation the Lord Jesus had you in mind. Imagine that! Talk about a life of significance. The Lord chose you his saints before the foundation of the world to be “holy and blameless.” In the Old Testament, to be “holy” is to be set apart. The Lord has set you apart; he has adopted you. In the ancient Roman world, a noble person would on occasion adopt another person as his son to receive his inheritance. Our Father in heaven has adopted you through His Son, Jesus Christ. The blessings and inheritance of Jesus now belong to you.
Around the time of Saint Paul, various pagan and gnostic sects claimed to have the wisdom of God to share with their initiates. In this letter to the Ephesians, Saint Paul tells us that the Lord has lavished his Wisdom upon us. The wisdom of God is Jesus and the Lord’s plan of salvation, which is the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus proclaimed to the world and given out through the preaching of His Word and the dispensing of his forgiving gifts – Absolution, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. This wisdom that the Lord has lavished upon us is foolishness to the world. Because the world considers the wisdom of God to be foolish, we as recipients of the Lord’s wisdom at times feel as if the Lord’s Word lacks power, or that we are ineffective witnesses to him. Yet, because we have doubts, because we get beaten down, because we wonder why the world does not accept the Gospel … the Lord tells you that He has chosen you, that he elected you before the foundation of the world, that he has sealed you with the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Go boldly to your day and to your tasks, for your Lord has called you and made you his children. You have been sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit, given to you in Holy Baptism. You bear the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and have been called to be holy and blameless. In Christ Jesus, your sins have been forgiven; you are holy and blameless for his sake before your heavenly Father.
Go in peace.
Amen.
– Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations
Symposia Update and International Dignitaries
Jan 19th
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| Snow Covered Kramer Chapel |
Although the 27th annual Exegetical Symposium and the 35th annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions (17 – 20 January 2012) began with unusually mild weather on Monday, by Thursday, winter arrived in full force with blustery winds and snow coating the ground.
The theme for the 27th annual Exegetical Theology Symposium, January 17-18, is In Search of Jesus: Why History Matters. Main speakers include Richard Bauckham of Cambridge, England; Daniel Johansson of Gothenburg, Sweden; as well as Dr. David Scaer, Dr. Charles Gieschen and other CTS professors.
The 35th annual Symposium on the Lutheran Confessions has chosen Justification in a Contemporary Context as its theme and will take place January 18-20, under the sponsorship of the Department of Systematic Theology. Speakers scheduled to participate include Dr. Jack Kilcrease, Adjunct Professor of Theology and Humanities at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Dr. Erik M. Heen, John H.P. Reumann Chair in Biblical Studies, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia; along with Prof. Roland Ziegler and other members of the CTS faculty.
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| Kantorei in Kramer Chapel Balcony |
One of the highlights of the Symposia Series at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne is the chapel services, in particular the celebration of the commemoration of the faithfully departed. This year the commemoration of the faithfully departed was held on the Confession of Saint Peter, 18 January 2012. Rev. Jon Vieker, Senior Assistant to the LCMS President preached.
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| Rev. Jon Vieker, Preaching at Commemoration of the Faithfully Departed |
Rev. Vieker preached on the LSB Hymn 395, “O Morning Star How Fair and Bright,” Stanza 5 and Revelation 21:1 – 7. The service closed with LSB Hymn 676, “Behold A Host Arrayed in White,” (Listen to it below).
The service bulletin from the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed is provided below.
Commemoration of Faithful Departed 18 Jan 2012
Another highlight of the Symposia is the opportunity to meet with church leaders from around the world. This year Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne invited 25 International dignitaries to attend the Symposia. Dignitaries from Russia, Latvia, Germany, Finland, Norway, Tanzania, Nigeria, Haiti, and Indonesia attended.
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| President Lawrence Rast of Concordia Theological Seminary Welcomes International Dignitaries and Introduces President Harrison to them. |
The International Guests reported that they found the theological lectures and the fellowship at the Symposia Series very encouraging.
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| Rev. Emmanuel Makala (Tanzania) and Dr. Timothy Quill |
Rev. Emmanuel Makala is the assistant to Bishop Andrew Gulle of the East Lake Diocese in Tanzania. He is a new doctorate student at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.
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| Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin and Adrian Dorr |
Adrian Dorr interviews Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin from the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC).
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| Rev. Charles Wokoma, Archbishop Christian Ekong, Rev. Dr. Albert Collver |
This was Archbishop Christian Ekong from the Lutheran Church of Nigeria’s (LCN) first visit to Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne. The Lutheran Church of Nigeria has been a partner of the LCMS for 75 years, one of the LCMS’ oldest partners. Archbishop Ekong stated that the number one way that the LCMS could help the Lutheran Church of Nigeria was through theological education. Archbishop Ekong stated that Nigeria is the third largest English speaking nation in the world.
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| Adrian Dorr with International Deaconesses |
A little update from wintry Fort Wayne.
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| CTS Campus in Winter |
A view from the new CTS Library.
– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations
Posted 19 January 2012.
Lutheran Village Dedication in Jacmel Haiti
Jan 16th
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| People Gathered for Lutheran Village Dedication |
Yesterday, Sunday, 15 January 2012, the Lutheran Village in Jacmel, Haiti, was dedicated. The Lutheran Village was conceived by Rev. Glenn Merritt, working with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH), after the devastating earthquake in Haiti on 12 January 2010. The Lutheran Village consists of cinder-block homes constructed around a Lutheran congregation. Hundreds of people attended the dedication on Sunday, including the mayor of Jacmel and two senators.
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| Rev. Marky Kessa, President of the ELCH, awards home to applicant |
Senator Joseph Lambert was a government dignitary who attended the dedication of the Lutheran Village. Senator Lambert, himself, was personally trapped under concrete rubble after the earthquake of 12 January 2010. Thirty-nine others were trapped with him, only four, including him, survived. He recounted that when the earthquake struck, he was rendered unconscious almost immediately. Around 11 PM, some six hours after the earthquake, he awoke and thought that life was very short. The sounds of people crying for help brought him to consciousness. He heard people crying, “Senator, please help me, pull the board out that went through my stomach”; “Senator, help me, pull the concrete off my legs.” The Senator said he would spare those gathered from the other horrible sounds he heard as people died. His arm was broken behind his back and concrete pressed on his skull. He said with his good arm he reached back and grabbed hold of a board. Around 2 AM, he heard the voice of his younger brother calling his name. The rescuers pulled the Senator out of the rubble by the “board” he clung to. Once out of the rubble, the Senator saw what he thought was a board was in fact a crucifix. He said that he gives thanks to Jesus every day for delivering him from the earthquake. He thanked the work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod for its work to help the people of Haiti. He also thanked Glenn Merritt in particular for traveling to Haiti more than 20 times to make the dream of a Lutheran Village a reality.
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| A Home in the Lutheran Village |
A distinguishing feature of the homes in the Lutheran Village from the homes constructed by some of the other relief agencies is the cinder block construction. The mayor of Jacmel contrasted the sheet rock and cardboard homes constructed nearby to the “real homes” constructed from concrete in the Lutheran Village. The quality of the homes in the Lutheran Village were greatly appreciated by Haitian government officials.
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| A Lutheran Congregation forms the heart of the Lutheran Village |
Another distinguishing feature of the Lutheran Village is a Lutheran Congregation, which will serve the community with the Gospel of Jesus and serve as a gathering place, as it did for this dedication.
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| Sanctuary of the Lutheran Congregation |
The people who received homes at the dedication service were very grateful to receive a home.
After the dedication people gathered for refreshments and discussion. It was the conclusion of a fine day.
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| People from the ELCH |
After the dedication service, people rode home on the back of trucks.
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| A Common Mode of Transportation in Haiti |
Below are pictured Dignitaries from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH), The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and the Haitian Government.
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| Dignitaries at the Dedication |
It was truly a blessing to see the completion of the Lutheran Village.
– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations,
Posted 16 January 2012 in Miami, Florida.
Sunday Morning Worship in Haiti
Jan 15th
Today, 15 January 2012, we worshiped at a local Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) congregation in Jacmel near the airport.
People singing at worship. The worship at the Lutheran Congregation followed a liturgical outline: Invocation, confession / absolution, Old Testament, Epistle, Gospel readings, Creed, Lord’s Prayer, Holy Communion, and Benediction. The music ranged from hymns to Haitian songs.
Drs. Collver and Just assisted in the distribution of Holy Communion. The elders admitted who could or could not attend Holy Communion– this is the way the ELCH practices close(d) communion. About 350 people attended the service and 200 communioned.
A group of collage aged young adults from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They will be assisting in the construction of homes for Haitians.
What a small world… In the group from Milwaukee was Benjamin Wieting from Luther Memorial Chapel in Shorewood. Both Drs. Collver and Grimenstein vicared under Ben’s father, Dr. Kenneth Wieting.
After the service we went to the dedication of the Lutheran Village.
– Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations, posted in Jacmel, Haiti.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:208,Jacmel,Haiti
Dedication of Concordia Theological Seminary of Haiti
Jan 15th
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| Haitian and LCMS Delegates at Seminary Delegation |
In Leogane, Haiti, the Concordia Theological Seminary of Haiti was dedicated on Saturday, 14 January 2012. Present were leaders from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH), a partner of the LCMS, and delegates from The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Pictured (left to right): President Marky Kessa, Pastor Marckenson, Pastor Isaac Jacquet, Pastor Eliona Bernard, Dr. Collver, Darrel Howanitz, Rev. Glenn Merritt, Carlos Hernandez, Pastor Daniel Paul, Dr. Edward Grimenstein, Pastor Thomas Bernard, Pastor Walter Ries, Jr., Pastor Ted Krey, Rev. Dr. Willy Gaspar, Dr. Author Just.
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| Rev. Glenn Merritt, Dr. Author Just, Dr. Albert Collver, Rev. Dr. Willy Gaspar |
Rev. Glenn Merritt, Director of LCMS Disaster Response, represents the Office of International Mission and worked diligently on the Lutheran Villages in Haiti as well as the development of the seminary building. Dr. Arthur Just, Professor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, traveled to Haiti along with Dr. Timothy Quill after the earthquake to help revise the Haitian seminary ;curriculum. Dr. Albert Collver, Director of Church Relations, represented the President’s Office at the dedication. Rev. Dr. Willy Gaspar, served as project manager for the work done in Haiti.
A short video for the dedication of the seminary.
* The internet connection is very slow… will post more when possible.
– Rev. Dr. Albert B. Collver, Director of Church Relations
Posted from Jacmel, Haiti, on 15 January 2012
