Concord Matters From Kfuo Radio

The role of a pastor in a congregation is of utmost importance: forgiving sins in the stead and by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. Where do we find this function of a pastor in our confessions, and how do our confessions give us certainty in this forgiveness? And, what about the priesthood of all believers? Why does concord matter for the function of the pastoral office, that authorized forgiveness of sins? Rev. Dr. David Maxwell, Professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the function of the pastoral office. Find the article by Dr. Maxwell referenced in this episode at lutheranpress.com/books/papers-presented-at-the-congress-on-the-lutheran-confessions/pastoral-theology-vol-15-2008.

We talk about the resurrection of Christ all the time, and we celebrate this every Sunday. But on Easter Sunday, we pull out all the stops and celebrate this critical event in our salvation story. What do we really confess when we talk about Christ's resurrection, and where do we find these beliefs in our Lutheran Confessions? Why is this resurrection so important for us? Find the print by artist Ed Riojas at edriojasartist.com/giclee-prints-2/giclee-prints/#jp-carousel-307. Rev. Merritt Demski, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Illinois, joins guest host Rev. Peter Ill to dive deep into Jesus Christ's resurrection and discuss where we find this doctrine in our Confessions.

It's not just hard to understand that Jesus Christ is, at the same time, God and man.  Jesus is both perfect God and perfect man, and it's difficult for sinners to understand a perfect man - but that's exactly who Jesus Christ is, and He's perfect God as well!  Our reason and logic can't contain God, but we read the Scriptures to say as much as Scripture reveals about God as we can. Rev. David Oberdieck, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lebanon, Missouri and chaplain in the United States Army Reserve, joins guest host Rev. Peter Ill to discuss the second part of the Athanasian creed, especially as it confesses the truth of Jesus Christ. Listen to the first part of the Athanasian Creed conversation from last week at kfuo.org/2021/03/23/concord-matters-032321-worshipfully-confessing-the-athanasian-creed.

You probably don't have the Athanasian Creed memorized.  It's long and very, very specific, saying certain things about God but being careful not to go beyond what God says to us in Scripture.  Our faith is this: that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity as we repeat the truths that God has shown us about His Triune being. Rev. Dr. Geoff Boyle of Grace and Trinity Lutheran Churches in Wichita, Kansas joins guest host Rev. Peter Ill to discuss the first part of the Athanasian Creed, printed in Lutheran Service Book on pages 319-320 and in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions on pages 17-18.

"God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, of the same substance as the Father."  Those big words mean something very specific about our Lord Jesus, the Son of God.  But they aren't just big words to impress.  Those words confess that it is God Himself who saves us.  Our salvation and our forgiveness isn't the work of a mere man, but God in the flesh.  The Holy Spirit, also God, delivers this good news to create and strengthen faith in you because you are God's beloved new creation. Pastor Bruce Keseman of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Freeburg, Illinois, joins guest host Pastor Peter Ill to discuss the Nicene Creed, what's a heresy, how the Nicene Creed confesses biblical truth, the way that the Father sent His Son to be the sacrifice for sin, and there's even an analogy about baseball cards!

In the first several hundred years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Christians were being challenged for their faith and were even being put to death for believing in Jesus Christ and not in any other gods or saying that the Roman Caesar was divine.  Centuries later, this creed still matters, confessing our Triune God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who entered time in His incarnation and left bloody smudges on a cross for the forgiveness of sins. Pastor Kirk Clayton of Zion Lutheran Church in Mascoutah, Illinois, joins guest host Pastor Peter Ill to confess the faith and to learn more about how the Apostles' Creed is important in the life of the Church today. They ran out of time to talk about Jesus' descent into hell, but Concord Matters covered that topic on June 2, 2020 and you can learn more about that here:  kfuo.org/2020/06/02/concord-matters-060220-the-descent-to-hell/

What do we mean when we talk about Catechesis, and what does the Bible say about it? Is the Bible "just enough" to teach the faith? What role do our Confessions play in teaching the faith honestly and in line with the historic church? Why do Lutherans care so much about Catechesis? Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne, Minnesota joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss how our Lutheran Confessions matter for Lutheran Catechesis. This is a rebroadcast from January 26, 2021.

Does a deep love of our Lutheran confessions help or hinder our love for our neighbors? How does engaging with the Book of Concord help us better engage with our neighbor? What do our Confessions teach us about who our neighbors are and how we can love them in Christ? Rev. David Wiist, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Evansville, Indiana, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss why concord matters for loving our neighbors.

What does it mean to live a baptized life? We know this doctrine very well as Lutherans, but what does it look like to live this daily? How does someone use the Catechism in daily life? Rev. Mark Bestul, pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church in Elgin, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss how concord matters for our baptismal lives.

Why should children be involved in the church, and how can parents and church workers help children understand what's going on in the Divine Service? Where do we learn about training up children in the Divine Service in our Lutheran Confessions? Find the resources talked about in this episode at lcms.org/worship/kids-in-the-divine-service. Rev. Christopher Thoma, Senior Pastor at Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartland, Michigan, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss encouraging parents to raise up their children in the Divine Service.

How does Lutheran education serve as an extension of catechesis and a faithful Christian home? Where do our Lutheran confessions speak to education and the role parents play in this education? What did formal education look like during Luther's time, and how is it similar and different to how Christian education looks today in our American context? Rev. Robert Paul, Associate Pastor and Headmaster at Memorial Lutheran Church and School in Houston, Texas, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss why concord matters for Lutheran education.

What do we mean when we talk about Catechesis, and what does the Bible say about it? Is the Bible "just enough" to teach the faith? What role do our Confessions play in teaching the faith honestly and in line with the historic church? Why do Lutherans care so much about Catechesis? Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne, Minnesota joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss how our Lutheran Confessions matter for Lutheran Catechesis.

What does Scripture and our Confessions say about marriage, family, and the household estate? What does it mean to be a "confessional family," and what is the purpose of a Lutheran Christian family in the world? Rev. John Hill, President of the LCMS Wyoming District, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss how we understand the family in Scripture and our Lutheran Confessions.

What is the role of chaplains in the military, and what is the path to military chaplaincy? How do our Lutheran confessions play a role in how LCMS chaplains function in this role? How do chaplains handle following both military policy and theological doctrine as they fulfill their vocations? Rev. David Otten, Pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Eldorado and Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Golconda, Illinois, and Retired Captain Navy Chaplain, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss why Conocrd Matters for military chaplains.

What is important to for us to know about the incarnation of Christ? What connection is there between Christ's incarnation and other parts of our doctrine? Where do we learn about the two natures of Christ in Scripture and Lutheran Confessions? Rev. Dr. Karl Fabrizius, pastor of Our Father's Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the incarnation of Christ.

Where do we learn about the Advent of Christ in our Lutheran Confessions? What does the Advent of Christ mean for us in these gray and latter days? How do we participate in these parts of the church year in our Christian vocations? Rev. Dr. D. Richard Stuckwisch, Jr., Pastor of Emmaus Lutheran Church in South Bend, Indiana, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss the Advent of Christ.

What is the foundation for discussion of Concord within the Christian Church? What does unity look like in the Christian Church? How is such unity preserved? How do we handle disunity, heterodoxy, and heresy in the Church? Where would be a good “first-step” place to go in the Book of Concord to help us handle these matters? Rev. David Wiist, pastor of Concordia Lutheran in Evansville, Indiana, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss how our Lutheran confessions matter for us to live peaceably as the body of Christ. This is a rebroadcast from September 22, 2020.

How does Luther's theology on soul care flow into Christian counseling? How does pastoral care differ from counseling from a licensed therapist? What do Lutherans uniquely bring to Christian counseling, and how should you find a good counselor? Rev. Dr. Rick Marrs joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Christian counseling. Dr. Marrs is Associate professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where he also serves as the director of the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) Programs and author of the book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered. Find his book on Amazon.com.

What is a soul? What does it mean to care for souls, and why is that important? Is it different from mental health therapy? How does right understanding of the care of souls affect how pastors care for their flock? Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, Minnesota, joins host Rev. Sean Smith to discuss Concord Matters for the care of souls.  This is a rebroadcast from September 15, 2020.

What do we confess through the liturgical clothing of the pastor and the fabrics we use to adorn our altars and pulpits? How do these vestments and paraments connect us to Christ and what He has done for us? Where do we find these things in scripture and our Lutheran confessions? Rev. Anthony Oliphant, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, Illinois, joins host Rev. Sean Smith for this discussion.