Lutheran Essentials meets in the undercroft of the church on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. You can reach the undercroft by going around to the back parking lot of the church and descending the staircase to the kitchen. Knock on the door if it is closed and some one will let you in. This week we are continuing our study on the Ecumenical Creeds. The worksheet we are using for the Apostles’ and Nicene Creed will be provided, as well as the worksheet for the Athanasian Creed. We are also providing hard copies of the Book of Concord for free, as well as copies of the Lutheran Service Book.
We will open class with Psalm 93 and our catechism lesson will be the Ninth Commandment. We will continue the Third Article of the Creed by discussing the communion of saints. We will talk about how in Holy Communion we are unified with both the saints here on earth and in heaven. We will then sing the hymn “For All the Saints” (LSB 677)
We will then talk about Holy Baptism. We will discuss that there is only one Baptism and that it is for the forgiveness of sins. We will then sing “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It” (LSB 594).
We will move on to discuss the resurrection of the body on the Last Day. We will talk about how all people will be raised in their bodies and judged. We will sing “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart” (LSB 708).
We will talk about the related topic of the everlasting life we will have in the new heavens and earth. We will talk about what it will be like in the new world and the immortality we will then have in our resurrected bodies. We will then sing the hymn “Jerusalem the Golden” (LSB 672)
We will close our discussion of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds with a discussion of the word Amen. We will talk about how it is used in prayers and other statements of faith in the Church. We will then sing “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (LSB 805).
We will then change gears and talk about the Athanasian Creed and its origins. We will talk about the different parts of the Creed as well as the overall point of the Athanasian Creed. We will then sing the Te Deum (LSB 223).
Finally we will start our study on the first major section of the Athanasian Creed dealing with the Anathemas at the beginning. We will talk about the necessity of believing the right faith, and that the Christian faith is exclusive. We will also talk about the dividing line between true saving faith and false faith, as believing in the wrong God damns while believing in the right God saves. We will close with singing “Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” (LSB 655).
As always new people are always welcome to this study at any point during the class. Please talk to the Pastor, Elders or Paul Edmon if you have any questions.
