A Reading from the Book of Concord May 11, 2008 - Day of Pentecost

Standard LSB A Readings: First: Num. 11:24-30 Epistle: Acts 2:1-21 Gospel: John 7:37-39 Psalm: Ps. 25:1-15

The following reading from the CONCORDIA edition of the Book of Concord is for the LSB Epistle, Acts 2:1-21 for the Day of Pentecost, May 11, 2008.

It is from Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article XI, paragraphs 14-20, page 605.

When we read that "they were filled with the Holy Spirit" we can be sure that God's work is being done .

The attached reading is formatted for the back of a standard CPH bulletin.

Pastor Doug May
Socorro, New Mexico

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD	DAY OF PENTECOST
FORMULA OF CONCORD, SOLID DECLARATION	ARTICLE XI: ETERNAL ELECTION

God in His purpose and counsel ordained the following:

1. The human race is truly redeemed and reconciled with God through Christ. By His faultless obedience, suffering, and death, Christ merited for us the righteousness that helps us before God and also merits eternal life.
2. Such merit and benefits of Christ are presented, offered, and distributed to us through His Word and Sacraments.
3. By His Holy Spirit, through the Word, when it is preached, heard, and pondered, Christ will be effective and active in us, will convert hearts to true repentance and preserve them in the true faith.
4. The Spirit will justify all those who in true repentance receive Christ by a true faith. He will receive them into grace, the adoption of sons, and the inheritance of eternal life [Galatians 3:19].
5. He will also sanctify in love those who are justified, as St. Paul says (Ephesians 1:4).
6. He also will protect them in their great weakness against the devil, the world, and the flesh. He will rule and lead them in His ways [Deuteronomy 8:6], raise them again when they stumble [Proverbs 4:11-12], comfort them under the cross and in temptation [2 Corinthians 1:3-5], and preserve them for life eternal [John 12:25].

Condensed from CONCORDIA: THE LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS, copyright 2005,2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of CONCORDIA, call 800-325-3040.

These are excerpts from the Book of Concord.

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