7 Reasons to Rejoice on Ascension Day

The following article The Forgotten Festival: 7 Reasons to Rejoice on Ascension Day" was orginally posted on the website The Word Endures - The CPH blog (Concordia Publishing House) on 05/12/2015 by Dr. Joel Bierman.

There are no decorated evergreens, no greeting cards, no gifts, no poinsettias or lilies, no colored eggs, no chocolate bunnies, and no responsive salutation. There’s just a Thursday with an extra name: Ascension. It’s not just the world that has ignored the festival. The Church seems to have lost interest as well. Most congregations have elected to forgo a worship service on Ascension and those that cling to the tradition count on few to attend. Apparently, Ascension Day doesn’t matter.

But it does matter. In fact, it matters every bit as much as Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas. It deserves to be celebrated. For those still unconvinced, here are seven reasons to rejoice on Ascension Day:

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Published: 26 May 2017 26 May 2017

Last Updated: 26 May 2017 26 May 2017

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Why Belong to a Church?

Dear Fellow Redeemed:

There is something that frequently weighs heavily on pastors and elders as they strive to care for the spiritual well-being of the people God has entrusted to us and who call our congregation their church home. It stems from the seeming avoidance, reluctance or refusal of many members to make regular worship a high priority in their lives. In response, let’s answer the question, “Why belong to a church?”

The Bible verses you could consider would be:

“So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:5

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” Ephesians 2:19

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Published: 21 June 2015 21 June 2015

Last Updated: 26 May 2017 26 May 2017

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Who Was Martin Luther? Part 3

This is part three of a series written by Rev. Donavon Riley that orginally appeared on the HIgher Things - Dare To be Lutheran website.

Martin Luther, like most people during the sixteenth century, lived during a time of both earthly and spiritual insecurity. Frequent wars, plagues, peasant revolts, and famine meant people had to struggle to secure daily bread. And, at the same time that they were worried about sustenance, the church taught that sins could be atoned for by praying to the saints, making pilgrimages, worshipping holy relics, and the like.

The world Luther grew up in was an apocalyptic time. Death could overcome a person at any moment. The Grim Reaper, Four Horsemen, and other end times figures were popular in literature, art, and music. Images of fire and brimstone occupied the church's imagination, too. Jesus wasn't pictured as a merciful shepherd or suffering servant, but as a judge seated on a rainbow throne, a two-edged sword coming out one side of his mouth and a lily the other. They symbolized judgment and mercy, death and resurrection. This meant that the primary question on Christian's minds was: "What must I do to avoid the sword and receive the lily?"

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Published: 22 April 2017 22 April 2017

Last Updated: 23 April 2017 23 April 2017

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Who Was Martin Luther? Part 2

This is part one of a series written by Rev. Donavon Riley that orginally appeared on the HIgher Things - Dare To be Lutheran website.

When Martin was sent to school in Eisenach, his mother's relatives helped him settle in. However, they were poor people, so life for him stayed pretty much the same as it had been in Magdeburg. He focused on his studies and sang in children's choirs for food and a few coins. At some point, however, he met a woman named Schalbe. She was from a family of wealthy merchants. She arranged for Martin to stay in the home of a relative and eat his meals with another. This meant that after 1498, life became a bit better for Luther.

Another change that happened at Eisenach was that Martin caught the attention of the school's headmaster, John Trebonius. He took Luther under his wing and stirred up the young student's imagination. Trebonius, as Luther later recalled, was a gifted teacher. At the same time, Martin began a friendship with another teacher, Weigand Geldennupf. This friendship lasted up to Geldennupf's death.

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Published: 02 April 2017 02 April 2017

Last Updated: 22 April 2017 22 April 2017

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Who Was Martin Luther? Part 1

This is part one of a series written by Rev. Donavon Riley that orginally appeared on the HIgher Things - Dare To be Lutheran website.

When Martin Luther died on February 18, 1546 some people said they'd heard a rumor that demons flew out of his body. Others said witnesses at his death bed saw Martin carried into heaven by Elijah and the chariots of Israel.

But who was Martin Luther really? Was he a prophet like Elijah? A demon? A hero of the faith? A revolutionary? The man responsible for splitting Christendom once and for all?

Unlike his death, Luther's birth wasn't such a big deal. His dad, Hans Luther, was a peasant, meaning he was poor and of no importance to anyone who mattered. But Hans had plans, and he'd decided he wasn't going to be a peasant his whole life.

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Published: 21 March 2017 21 March 2017

Last Updated: 01 April 2018 01 April 2018

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