A Reading from the Book of Concord 3 year series April 27, 2008 - Sixth Sunday of Easter

Standard LSB A Readings: First: Acts 17:16-31 Epistle: 1 Peter 3:13-22 Gospel: John 14:15-21 Psalm: Ps. 66:8-20

The following reading from the CONCORDIA edition of the Book of Concord is for the LSB Epistle, 1 Peter 3:13-22 for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, April 27, 2008.

It is from Large Catechism, Part IV: Baptism, paragraphs 80, 82-86, pages 430-431.

With the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins we receive in Holy Baptism we have an ongoing appeal to God for a good conscience. Christ was raised for your justification. (v.21).

*** Note the translations of 1 Peter 3:18: NIV reads "made alive by the Spirit" ESV reads "made alive in the spirit". See Martin Franzmann's comments in the Concordia Self-Study Commentary. ***

Click here for the reading formatted for the back of a standard CPH bulletin.

Pastor Doug May
Socorro, New Mexico

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF CONCORD	SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
LARGE CATECHISM	LARGE CATECHISM, PART IV, BAPTISM

I say this lest we fall into the opinion in which we were stuck for a long time. We were imagining that our Baptism is something past, which we can no longer use after we have fallen again into sin. Baptism is God's ordinance and not our work [1 Peter 3:20-22]. But it does happen, indeed, that we slip and fall out of the ship. Yet if anyone falls out, let him come into it again and live in it, as he had done before.

In this way one sees what a great, excellent thing Baptism is. It delivers us from the devil's jaws and makes us God's own. It suppresses and takes away sin and then daily strengthens the new man. It always continues working until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory.

For this reason let everyone value his Baptism as a daily dress [Galatians 3:27] in which he is to walk constantly. Then he may ever be found in the faith and its fruit, so that he may suppress the old man and grow up in the new. For if we would be Christians, we must do the work by which we are Christians. But if anyone falls away from the Christian life, let him again come into it. For just as Christ, the Mercy Seat [Romans 3:25], does not draw back from us or forbid us to come to Him again, even though we sin, so all His treasure and gifts also remain. Therefore, if we have received forgiveness of sin once in Baptism, it will remain every day, as long as we live. Baptism will remain as long as we carry the old man about our neck. (paragraphs 80, 82-86)

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.

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