golter's mussings December 2019

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

  • I’m Still Pondering…

    December 13, 2019

    I’m Still Pondering…

     

    I’ve been teaching Genesis this Fall. We’ve only made it tothe middle of Chapter 3. Patience is needed here in these chapters. For thewhole rest of the Bible is the uncovering of what is spoken and done in Genesis3:15, the promise of the coming Messiah.

     

    Can you imagine, though, what Eve and Adam thought when theybore Cain? “This is the One promised by our Lord!” He wasn’t. Cain became thefirst murderer.

     

    God promised deliverance through the one offspring of thewoman. He didn’t, however, name who it would be. He didn’t reveal a timetable,either. God waited thousands of years, perhaps in the ballpark of 6,000 to8,000 years.

     

    Adam and Eve had to live by faith in the promise God made.

     

    According to Genesis 5:5, Adam lived 930 years. The Messiahnever came during Adam’s lifetime. Adam had to walk by faith in God’s promises.He believed that God would deliver, that He would do what He said.

     

    And He did, in Jesus, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, andthen on the Cross and the empty Tomb. But this salvation work wasn’t on Adam’sor Eve’s timetable.

     

    Do we still wait? Well, not for our salvation. He baptizedus and communes us.

    We do wait for the final deliverance of the new creation.

     

    When is this? God hasn’t said.

     

    We wait by faith in what He has said, just like Adam andEve.


    Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran

  • We Need More

    December 20, 2019

    The Lord put me into my first congregation in Wheatland,Wyoming, Trinity Lutheran.

     

    The first time sitting in my study, I remember I couldn’tbelieve that I actually got paid to preach the Gospel. My, I would preach theGospel no matter the pay! Now may every preacher own this attitude their entireministry.

     

    After six months, I also recall this. I became so frustratedwith the Lord’s people. I didn’t see them responding or doing anything. TheWord of Christ was too good to sit around and do nothing.

     

    I reflected, “I know what I’m going to do. I’m going topreach more Law, really give it to them, for they deserve it.”

     

    Well, in the course of reading and study, I came upon one ofthe old pastoral theology books in my study; it might have been Walther’sproper distinction of Law and Gospel or Fritz’s pastoral theology.

     

    I frankly don’t recall and can’t find the citation at themoment. It might be on page 410, “The Proper Distinction of Law andGospel."

     

    What I recall it saying was, “The temptation of a youngpastor is to get frustrated and determine to preach more Law. That’s the worstthing he should do.”

    Gulp.

     

    How foolish this young preacher!

     

    God doesn’t make godly people by the Law, by the preachingof accusation and threat.

    Of course, the Law is needed just as much as a physiciandiagnoses the problem. But the sickness identified is not the medicine.

     

    The Law is always and only preparation for the Gospelmedicine. Both are needed but used in the right way for the right purpose.

     

    My, how that freed my heart!

     

    The Holy Spirit says to young preacher Timothy, “Do yourbest to present yourself to God…a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightlyhandling the word of truth,”

    (2 Timothy 2:15).

     

    The Christmas angels in Luke 2 proclaim the Good News, thepure sweet Gospel. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy…”

     

    We need more….Gospel.


    Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran