So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
golter's mussings January 2021
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A New Year’s Resolution Suggestion
January 7, 2021
To learn the proper distinction of Law and Gospel.
Why?
It’s how God approaches you.
It’s how He wrote the Bible to be read.
It’s how He cares for you.
It’s how He wants you to read His Word.
It’s how preachers are to craft their preaching and hearersare to hear.
“I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal,” says God ofhow He cares for you (Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6).
He kills with the threat of the Law, of accusation, and Heheals with the balm of the Gospel, His promises.
Law and Gospel.
Our Lutheran Confessions state: “The entire Scripture mustbe divided into these two chief topics: the law and the promises,” (Apology IVpar. 5).
His Word is living and dynamic, cutting and healing thesoul, (Hebrews 4:12).
God works by judgment and mercy, with mercy always His goalfor you.
Faith in Jesus then is strengthened, faith in the Champion.
“And this is the victory that has overcome the world—ourfaith,” (1 John 5:4).
Think of Law and Gospel as you hear the next sermon.
As you care for your kids.
As you ponder your own status before God.
A New Year’s resolution for you.
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
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The Father Knows Best: The FULL Gospel
January 15, 2021
The Father Knows Best: The FULL Gospel
The content of the FULL Gospel of course is Christ, Hiswhole life, death and resurrection.
But how is this content given to you?
Per Jesus’ teaching, it’s through the Word, Baptism and theHoly Supper.
“I have given them Your Word,” so says Jesus to His Father(John 17:14).
Jesus also teaches: “Go therefore and make disciples…bybaptizing…and teaching,” (Matt. 28:19, 20).
Jesus also teaches: “Take eat…Drink of it…for the forgivenessof sins,” (Matt. 26:26, 27, 28).
So, the early Church practiced what Jesus said. “And theydevoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to thebreaking of bread and the prayers,” (Acts 2:42).
Baptism leads to the hearing of the Word and the receivingof His Body and Blood.
Baptism is Christ’s MISSIONARY sacrament. He converts peopleto faith.
The Holy Meal is Christ’s NURTURING sacrament of faith andlove.
The “full” Gospel as Jesus set it up.
Baptism leads to the Divine Service - often for soul-care.
It’s a habit, a holy habit of His children.
Short-sighted are those who baptize but do not followthrough with teaching and the Supper.
The battle for parents is already lost if this question isasked: “Shall we go to church this Sunday?”
God’s packaged deal is the best for His dear children, bigand little.
The Father knows best.
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
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Senior Citizens, We Need You!
January 21, 2021
Senior citizens: We need you!
The Church.
Your kids and grandkids.
As models of how you follow Jesus.
The Lord has taught you much in life.
Oh, I know, many pass by you as if you don’t exist. Not God.
Consider Senior Citizen Caleb (Joshua 14:6 f.).
“The LORD has kept me alive, just as He said, these 45 years since the time (at the beginning) in the wilderness…”
“And now, behold, I am this day 85 years old…”
“So now give me this hill country…and I shall drive them out just as the LORD said,” (Joshua 14:10, 12).
Remarkable!
Caleb is looking for a new challenge.
Joshua and Caleb show spectacular faith in wanting to go into the Promised Land (Numbers 13:30b). But the congregation refused to trust God’s promises. God sends them to the desert.
Forty-five years later Caleb is still looking for the next challenge to serve the LORD.
He’s not bitter. He doesn’t view himself as useless. He trusts the Lord.
It’s simply another day of God’s grace to serve the Lord.
The young especially need you.
“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled…Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled,” (Titus 2:3-4, 6).
Wow, you have much to offer.
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
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In a world of no hugs...
January 28, 2021
In a world of no hugs…
Standing at the north door of Trinity’s school greeting parents, a dear mom approached me with tears.
She first wanted to hug me…but then said, “In a world of no hugs…”
Quickly she expressed her deep sadness over Pastor Vokt’s call to glory by God.
She expressed great fondness for Pastor Vokt’s care and sympathizing ear.
I hear this time and time again. God used Pastor Vokt mightily for nearly 35 years as His pastor. He preached, taught, proclaimed, and he listened and cared so well for the Lord’s people.
One to one, caring for the Lord’s one sheep, this was Pastor Vokt’s special sweet spot. It was God’s hug of His people through His called pastor. He listened so well.
The morning after Pastor Vokt’s death, I walked into his study just to reminisce. So strange, it was very strange, and sudden. A fellow co-worker in God’s kingdom now no more. It just doesn’t seem right.
Death is our enemy, but it is our DESTROYED enemy.
The whole Christian Church confesses the doctrine of the Resurrection.
Death remains the enemy, but every baptized views death as toothless angry dog. Christ became the bitten victim. We suffer a blow in dying but it’s a temporary setback.
We stare at death with a humble defiance, clinging like a bur to a wool cloth.
One of my Christmas card greeters expressed their thankfulness to God for His Son’s incarnation, the birth of Jesus. “(We) rejoice that He has not distanced Himself from us but has joined us bodily in our sin-infected humanity.”
That’s a Divine Hug ongoing!
His Word and Sacrament are an ongoing, sacred rhythm of constant embrace by God of His dear children.
In a world of no hugs…we have Christ and the body of Christ, the Church. Brothers and sisters in Christ are precious to Him.
Let’s embrace each other as we grieve but not as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13-14).
Pastor Golter is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
