Lutheran Worship
Adult Bible Class
August 30, 2026
Opening Prayer
The Intersection Between Lutheran Worship and Current Events
A Focus from the Past
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Tradition is important among people
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The liturgy is old
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Scripture is ancient
What are some pros and cons of these old influences on the
Sunday Service?
"All that is gold does not
glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost." – J.R.R. Tolkien
Just because something is old does not mean that it is
irrelevant.
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Hebrews 4:12 – God’s Word is living and active …
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Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
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Malachi 3:6 – For I am the LORD; I do not
change; therefore, you are not destroyed.
When we deal with the things of God, we are dealing with the
eternal in the midst of the temporal.
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This stands against the idea that we’re dealing
with “real life” issues in this world.
On the One Hand: Over
The Divine Service Stands over the events, priorities,
passions, and desires of life.
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Isaiah 40:8 – The grass withers, and the flowers
fall, but the Word of the Lord stand forever.
o
V.D.M.A.
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People have prognosticated the death of the
church for centuries – over a millennium!
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Matthew 16:18 – … on this rock I will build my
church, and the gates of hell sall not prevail against it.
Kingdoms Fall
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Persecution – Rome, Totalitarianism, Communism, some
Socialist and other forms of government.
o
The culture is toxic, but the church survives.
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Concern over secularism
o
John 1:5 – The light shines in the darkness, and
the darkness has not overcome it.”
o
The darkness cannot comprehend it.
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We have been peculiarly blessed
o
Tertullian – “The blood of the martyrs is the
seed of the church.”
o
Constantine – religio licita
o
Many
European and northern Asian monarchies supported and promoted Christianity.
§
A mixed bag of results – from amazing
cathedrals, to wars, to mercy ministry, to oppression.
o
Pluralistic Democratic Republic
Sabbath is a Scattered World
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Psalm 46:10 – Be still and know that I am God.
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“Hurry is not of the devil; it is the devil.” –
Carl Jung
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The frenetic pressure of an overly connected
world.
o
The “hyperactive hive mind.” – Cal Newport
o
F.O.M.O.
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The name: Beelzebub – The Lord of the Flies
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Mark 4:39 – Jesus calms the storm.
o
“Quiet” – Stop speaking
o
“Be still” – Muzzle, put to silence,
Where do people experience stillness and silence in their
lives today?
What does the constant intake of information – much of which
is not all that important – do to our souls?
A Voice that Calls People
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John 10 – The Good Shepherd’s voice calls and
comforts
o
“I have come to seek and save the lost.”
o
“My sheep hear my voice and they follow me.”
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“Only sinners welcome here.”
A Voice that Challenges the Values and Ideas of Culture
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Names Jesus and His Apostles use for Satan
o
Ruler of this World (John 12)
o
Prince of this World (John 14)
o
God of this World (2 Corinthians 2)
o
Prince of the Power of the Air (Ephesians 2)
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Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer – How is
God’s Will done? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan
and purpose of the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature which do not
want us to hallow His name or let His kingdom come.
We should not be surprised when we find ourselves in
conflict with the world we live in.
A comment on becoming too deeply aligned with a political
party.
Sunday Service as Sanctuary
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Luther on his death bed, “We are all beggars.”
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The country’s response to 9/11
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Return of young men to church.
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God as a “Rock” and “Hiding Place”
On the Other Hand: In the Midst
Art
The aesthetics of the church is often influenced by where it
is found
Architecture
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Finnish Stave Churches
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Gothic Cathedrals
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Puritan Chapels
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Big Box Mega Churches
Music
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Subsets of European
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Asian
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African
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Hispanic Americas
Visual Arts
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From gods to God
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Medieval and Renaissance
Language
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Hebrew and Greek – Original Languages
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Latin Vulgate
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KJV, RSV, NIV, ESV, CSB, etc.
Technology
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Written language
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Musical Instruments
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Clay Tablets, Papyrus, Vellum, Paper
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Tables, Scrolls, Books, Tablets
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Scribes, Printing Press, Laser Printers, Digital
Publishing
Concluding Thoughts
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Was this beneficial? Why or why not?
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Lutheran Distinctives
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Law and Gospel
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Tradition with Freedom
o
Divine Service
o
Seasons of the Church Year
o
Delivering Christ’s Gifts in Word and Sacrament
Comments