Trinity 23

Matthew 22:15-22 - Trinity Twenty-Three - November 8, 2015
The Things That Are God’s

A logical fallacy is a kind of argument that doesn’t follow the basic rules of logic, and so doesn’t make any sense.   One of the most common logical fallacies that people use, and which people often fall for, is the fallacy of a false dichotomy.  It is also known as the either/or fallacy or false dilemma fallacy.  It’s when two options are presented as though they are the only two options to choose from.  It’s like if someone were to ask you whether you had breakfast or lunch yesterday.  Well, can’t you have had both?  It’s not necessarily either/or.  Or here’s a better one: it’s like if somebody asked you whether you are saved by faith or by your Baptism.  Well, again, can’t it be both?  It is both.  Faith relies on the word of God.  Baptism is the word of God attached to water.  Faith finds God’s promise where God makes his promise – not out of thin air.  To say that Baptism saves us is to affirm that we are saved by faith alone since faith trusts the promise given to us in Baptism.  Baptism saves you because faith saves you.  

Trinity 24

Matthew 9:18-26 - Trinity Twenty-four - November 15, 2015
This Child Is Only Sleeping

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“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). 

Let us pray:

Teach me to live that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed.
Teach me to die that so I may
Rise glorious on Thy Judgment Day. Amen. 

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Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave
And at death no longer tremble. 

What a great thing to say!  It’s what we just sang.  But how can we laugh at the grave when it always wins?  How can we scorn death when we know it always wins?  As we sing in another great hymn,