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Dear Friends in Christ,
This month's TLO Disciple theme is - Everlasting Life. In this season of Lent we remember that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God and Son of Man, in obedience to His Father's will, became sin for us, suffered and at the hands of Pilate died an excruciating death by crucifixion on a cross. His body was lovingly laid in a tomb.
But Jesus did not remain in the tomb. Early on Easter morning He rose victorious over sin, death and the devil. Just as the angel said, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen just as he said."
The Gospel of Christ is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. We who believe in Jesus are not immune to the daily struggle against sin and death. Yet in Jesus, there is hope. All who believe in Him have the right to be called children of God. And that is what you are.
I pray that this month's focus on the Eternal Life that Christ won for you will strengthen your trust in Him that nothing in all creation, death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Pastor James Kroonblawd
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Winning the Race
Just as athletes compete to win, so do we in the human arena. The contestants we battle, however, are frequently ourselves, our circumstances, and struggles we wage against the powers of darkness in this fallen world. While our personal scorecard may reveal a lackluster performance, God wants each of us to take the ultimate prize -- the crown of life -- already won for us by Jesus Christ.
In
Winning The Race, host Chris Schneider reminds the viewer that when it comes to life everlasting, winning is the only option.
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From Martin Luther
"Do not labor for the food that perishes."
This is a Hebraism. It is as though He were saying: "The care of your belly is your one concern, whereas you should be interested in baking the proper bread and providing yourself with bread, corn, or grain that does not perish. Sow such grain, pluck such ears, gather such supplies into your granaries, thresh them, be concerned and work hard to procure
imperishable bread, food that will not let you die. Acquire a treasure that will not pass away."
--Martin Luther
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I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.
On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give
eternal life to me and believers in Christ."
This is most certainly true.
Explanation to Third Article of the Apostles' Creed, Luther's Small Catechism
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Our Journey with Jesus
Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal Life." (John 6:68)
When an 87-year-old Christian man died in St. Louis, Missouri, it was reported that he had not missed Sunday School and Bible class in 80 years. This implied that he attended these also during his vacation or holiday periods.
Read more
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Mystery about Death: Why Easter Matters
By: Rev. Jared Melius
The world is full of mythologies concerning dying and death. Hollywood, atheists, eastern religions and occultists have their own ideas about death. These beliefs are obviously unbiblical, if not plain silly, but there are some other unbiblical myths that many Christians, and maybe even some Lutherans, believe.
Click to read full article
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From the Bible
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24
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Whose Land Is It?
By Reed Lessing
As a parent who survived the toddler years with three children, I still clearly recall the "Toddler Property Laws": If I like it, it's mine. If it's in my hand, it's mine. If I can take it from you, it's mine. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine. It must never appear to be yours in any way; it's always and forevermore mine! Over the millennia, numerous rulers, governments, and nations have looked at the land of Israel and said, "Forevermore, mine!" The land once belonged to the Amorites, as we learn in Genesis 15. Then it was possessed by the Israelites. The Assyrians (2 Kings 17:6), Babylonians (2 Kings 25:22), Persians (2 Chron. 36:23), Greeks (Dan. 11:1-5), and Romans (Luke 3:1) all claimed ownership at times during Old Testament history. And since the end of the New Testament period, the Byzantine, Ottoman, and British empires have looked at this land and said "Mine!" So whose land is it?
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From the Bible
"Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death" John 8:52
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Predestination
Predestination, or God's eternal election covers only the godly, beloved children of God. It is a cause of their salvation, which He also provides. He plans what belongs to it as well. Our salvation is founded so firmly on it that the gates of hell cannot overcome it (John 10:28; Matthew 16:18)
Article XI. Formula, Epitome, Book of Concord.
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The Rapture
The English word rapture is derived from the Latin translation of the verb "caught up" in 1 Thess. 4:17 (rapiemur). It refers to the event described in 1 Thess. 4:13-18, namely that all Christians, both dead and living, will be caught up by the Lord to meet Him in the air at His second advent.
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Key terms
Belief that the unrighteous pass out of existence after death. Some adherents hold that such annihilation results from gradual disintegration occasioned by sin. Others hold that the wicked will suffer after death in expiation of their sins but that such suffering is followed by complete cessation of being. The origin of such teachings is to be found in the natural horror that men feel when confronted with the idea of eternal punishment. For the Scriptural doctrine opposing annihilationism see
Hereafter;
Last Things. See also
Adventist Bodies, 3,
4;
Conditional Immortality.
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Eternal life is your present possession
This is eternal life, that they know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3
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EDITOR'S NOTE
TLO Disciple, with a topical study in each issue, is distributed primarily via email on the first of every month. Print copies are available by contacting the TLO Church office at
651-454-7235 or the
Church Office via email.
Calendars, volunteer information, serving groups and the like will accompany the TLO Together, on the last Wednesday of the month. Click here to subscribe to TLO Together . This publication is also mailed upon request.
Soli Deo gloria
2950 Highway 55
Eagan MN 55121
p:651-454-7235 f:651-454-0109
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