Grace Notes 2025-09-03

In promoting Bible Study and Bible reading in our congregation, this week I want to share with you what I have in mind for our Wednesday evening, hour long study, beginning at 6:30pm. The startup date will be September 10.

I am entitling the Wednesday offering “Important Christian Teachings”. It is hoped that we can touch on the teachings that all baptized believers would benefit from, and that are important to learn, believe, and to be able to share with others.

The guide and framework for what these teachings are include the Augsburg Confession and Luther’s Small Catechism. The first four articles of our principal Confession, for example, are 1) the Nature of God; 2) Original Sin; 3) the Son of God; and 4) Justification by Faith. Eighteen more articles follow in the Augsburg Confession for our consideration. So, I intend to start with the First Article: The Nature of God. But I am likely to break this down by first considering how we come to know God. This will lead to a discussion of the Bible and how are we to understand it, because aside from some limited ‘natural revelation’ of God, the Scriptures are the primary source of learning about God.

The above is an example of how I anticipate starting to proceed. Although I have an overall framework in mind, I don’t know the pace the class will take. It will depend on the participants and the questions you bring. But the concentration will be on the basics, and not the esoteric. I’m imagining that this would be a good setting to invite family and friends that you have that might be open to enquiry. I will have prepared materials, but as the study progresses, I will be receptive to prepare materials that tailor to the needs of the group.

This study will be entirely different from the study on 2 Corinthians that I will be leading with the Men’s Breakfast, and with the Sunday Bible Study. Please give it your prayerful consideration to join one or more of these studies.

Since You Asked

Does the receiving of money offerings play a significant role in the worship service?

Yes, more than you might think! Cash is one of the strongest symbols in modern culture. When we offer our money on the altar it should represent our time and effort – our very selves. In early Christian worship gifts-in-kind were handled during the weekly assemblage. In our post-industrial societies, we now exchange in paper or metal symbols. The offering of our selves upon the altar is in response to God’s love proclaimed in the Good News and in anticipation of how God offers back that which is entrusted to him. During the moment of offering we also offer bread and wine upon the altar, and in return these gifts are offered back to us as the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.