GOLTER'S MUSINGS
Do we REALLY need Lutheran Schools?
Yes, we do. Here’s why.
God gives Lutheran teachers two tools to teach children: The word of knowledge and the word of Holy Scripture.
From the word of knowledge, they learn how glaciers cause erosion of the earth’s surface. They learn of a bird’s instinct to sing, and marvel over God’s creation. And, they learn to solve Word Problems. “Adam counted 8 legs in the doghouse. How many dogs are there?” This is all good. This is all
very
good.
Knowledge and facts of God’s world expands, educates, and sharpens the mind, preparing these little ones for their future vocation to serve their neighbors. God created people to love Him and to serve others within His creation.
Knowledge of God’s world does not, however, help a dirty, sinful heart. Even school rules—don’t run, don’t yell, don’t hit—have no power to clean a guilty conscience. They do help control external behavior. Good behavior, though, does not get one to heaven.
The Lutheran school teacher’s other tool does this, teaches God’s Word. The Word targets the heart, or conscience as the Hebrews’ writer states (9:14). And, the Word draws little hearts to their heavenly Father through Jesus (see John 6:44).
An important passage is from Jesus’ own preaching in John 6:63. “The words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.” Jesus means that all of His preaching is the revealing of His life, death and resurrection for sinners. This story of Jesus’ own life, death and resurrection—the whole Bible--pulsates with life, actually giving life.
Children here at Trinity love to go to chapel.
Why?
Happy hearts come from clean and pure hearts, cleansed by Jesus’ Word. “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” (Ps. 122:1). The children merely follow in line with King David’s words.
The Holy Spirit Himself works through the Word to give this life. This is the inherent power of God’s Word. It penetrates the very heart of a person, converts, regenerates, and saves. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit…discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart,” (Heb. 4:12).
The Holy Spirit calls the Word a hammer (Jer. 23:29) and shepherd’s staff (Ps. 23:4). He also calls it a fire (Jer. 23:29), gentle rain and showers (Deut. 32:2), and a lamp giving light (Ps. 119:105).
Connecting the Word to water, the Holy Spirit describes His work through Baptism not as a cleansing of dirt from the skin, “but an appeal to God for a good conscience,” (1 Peter 3:21). How can a child have a clean conscience through Baptism? It’s God’s work of cleansing from sin.
Do we REALLY need Lutheran schools?
No comment is needed.
