•  
  •  
 

Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal

Document Type

Article

Keywords

forgiveness, sins, faith, lutheran, vocations, liturgy, worship, sacrament, righteousness

Submission Type

Bible Study; Lecture; Sermon Prep

Abstract

On vicarage, I was blessed to spend many hours with a faithful member named Ginger, who, alongside her husband Walter, runs and operates the congregation’s robust food and clothing distribution center. This center is completely run by volunteer efforts out of the undercroft of the church and successfully feeds and clothes 150 families a month. This work both serves the neighbor in need and brings the congregation into contact with many of those living in the immediate community. In short, it is a blessing to the congregation and the surrounding community. Therefore, at the end of each service day, I would personally thank the many volunteers, including Walter and Ginger, for their wonderful work and loving service toward their neighbors. Upon hearing my thanks, Ginger always responded with a statement similar to, “Oh Vicar, I don’t want any thanks. All of the credit goes to Jesus.” With this simple statement, Ginger proclaimed the scriptural truth that God’s work of grace, mercy, and love found in the weekly Divine Service pours out and continues in her everyday life and the lives of those around her. This is why St. Paul implored the baptized believers to be “ambassadors for Christ” in their daily vocations (2 Cor 5:20). Everything the reborn Christian does is rooted in and flows out of the work first done to him by God, namely, redemption from sin (Eph 1:7–8; John 3:16). Therefore, Confessional Lutherans teach that God serves His people daily by feeding their body and souls in Word and Sacrament located in the weekly Divine Service.

Disciplines

Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Scripture References in this Resource (separated by semi-colons)

2 Corinthians 5:20; Ephesians 1:7–8; John 3:16; Acts 2:38; John 20:22–23; Matthew 26:26–29; 1 Corinthians 10:16; Romans 12:1–2; Romans 12:3–8; Romans 12:9–21; 1 Corinthians 13:1ff; Daniel 6:10; Obadiah 4:4–7; Numbers 6:26; Matthew 22:37–39; 1 John 4:19; Luke 17:10; Romans 4:5; Romans 3:21–26; Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:25; Colossians 3:10; Romans 8:29; Luke 10:38ff; Psalm 119:105;

Submission Cost

Free

Submission Audience

Laity; Ministers; Scholars

People in this Resource (separated by commas)

Martin Luther,

Download

Share

COinS